Life Synergy Expo very inspiring

Angus Bradshaw (61), of Gibbston, shows off his battle scars midway through the Motatapu 50km high country mountain bike race at the weekend. Mr Bradshaw finished in 3hr 51min 40sec despite falling from his bike. Photo by Laurie Martin.
Angus Bradshaw (61), of Gibbston, shows off his battle scars midway through the Motatapu 50km high country mountain bike race at the weekend. Mr Bradshaw finished in 3hr 51min 40sec despite falling from his bike. Photo by Laurie Martin.
Arrowtown book buyer Miranda Spary continues her regular column about her recommendations for a good read and life as she sees it...

It was so lovely being at Millbrook on Sunday morning watching a beautiful girl poledancing, and a muscley guy lying on a bed being acupunctured.

And the Zumba class on the putting green ... the bit where they all do that trembling thing with their bums was quite, quite extraordinary.

No wonder organiser Frith Grimmond had such a huge smile on her face - everyone was having a ball at the first Life Synergy Expo.

There were hundreds of people looking around wondering whether to get their tongues mapped or their fortunes told.

There were lectures on organic vegetable gardening, opportunities to sponsor battery hens, demonstrations on cooking all sorts of deliciousness - thanks for organising such a great event.

Among all the startling things to see and do, the biggest shock to many was seeing my darling join the yoga class on the putting green.

He and Dardy Wallace have heard the rumours about what yoga does for your golf and came along to give it a go.

They did brilliantly, but I am still not sure what prompted my darling to come along. I promise that no instruments of torture were used. Unless just being married to me counts.

A lot of the athletes and non-athletes finishing the Motutapu on Saturday looked as if they had experienced their own bit of torture.

It was really exciting being down at the finish line watching them all come in.

We were waiting for Willy Roberts and Baz Smith, who we thought might win the much tougher version of the already brutal 42km Motutapu race.

It seems their new improved training programme, which had included a two-day bender at Josie's 50th, wasn't as successful as they might have liked, and got them a fifth place.

I felt quite sporty hanging around all that sweat and lycra and hoped people might think I was an athlete as well. I didn't fool anyone.