SUPOne of my biggest fears in the great outdoors is open water – the sea mainly – but any open water makes my heart start racing. As many of you will know, I have back problems and have had for over twenty years. With a cage and metal rods in my back, keeping a strong core is something I try to do, but I’ve had some increasing back issues this year, so when I heard how amazing Stand Up Paddle Boarding, or SUP as it’s known, is for your core strength I knew right away I should try it. When we were cycling in Rio we saw so many people enjoying SUP that it really whet my appetite for some SUP adventures – despite my fear of the sea. I’m 38 now and it’s time to get rid of the open water fear and throw myself into new activities. Life is for living, right? (more…)