40 things to do before 40 {10 mile run & a letter to New Zealand}

With only seven and a bit months until the big four zero hits me I have made a headlong start on my 40 things to do before 40 list. The DSLR has been out weekly and I have explored aperture and shutter speed but I don't feel I am quite ready to tick off no. 32 on the list.
However, I can tick off numbers 2 and 21 - Run 10 miles and Write a letter to New Zealand - with a double whammy achieved on Tuesday this week.
Go me!

Better Extreme Trampoline Park ~ Swindon Link Centre {Review}

On Saturday we were invited to review the new Better Extreme Trampoline Park, at the Swindon Link Centre, before it officially opened this week.
Better Extreme is part of GLL, a not-for-profit social enterprise scheme whose key objectives include getting more people active - and the trampoline park is definitely a great way to do this for people of all ages.
Swindon, although only 40 minutes drive from us, is rarely ventured to but it has a lot to offer families. Placed within the Link Centre, which itself has an ice rink, swimming pool, library and coffee shop on site, the trampoline park has state-of-the-art equipment including a main court with foam pits, extreme dodgeball area, basketball, fidget ladder, slack line and performance walls.
Upon arrival we received our funky trampolining socks - which the children were excited about as you get to keep them!

We were then taken to the large locker area to store our bags and jewellery safely - £1 returnable lockers - before watching the all important safety film. Then it was off to explore.

A Year With My Camera {DSLR - Shutter Speed}

Last week I made a start on no. 32 on my 40 things to do before 40 list; use my DSLR camera properly, and followed the guidance from Emma on exploring aperture.

This week the focus was on the basics of shutter speed and learning to control the amount of blur occurring in photographs; sometimes we want that blur, other times we don't.

Switching my camera dial to TV, thereby putting me in charge of the shutter speed and letting the camera control the rest, I headed out into the garden on a dull and windy day.

At the end of my garden hangs some bunting which now looks a little tired and weather beaten. Waiting for some gusts of wind to create some movement I played around with the shutter speed.

1/4000sec

 1/5sec

I then captured the children's windmill.

Running Diary {Miles for January}

The first month of 2016 is over and the Bath Half Marathon is getting closer and closer!

I have been pretty good at sticking to my half marathon plan and the knee has only had a couple of niggles as the distances increase.
Perusing through Instagram on Sunday I came across a photo from Sarah, a fellow runner and blogger, who had tallied up her January miles. So, I looked back over my planner to see how many I had racked up...