Don a daring face and do a duathlon
Several kilometres of running, then cycling, followed by more running is definitely a testing challenge for any family looking for adventure, but it would certainly be rewarding to triumph over this physical feat.
Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA club in Kilkenny has announced a brand-new event as part of the juvenile pitch fundraising programme: The Family Fun Duathlon which takes place on August 10.
Organisers say: “For those who love the outdoors and have always wanted to test themselves against the natural terrain then this is your opportunity! With a medium level of training, you could conquer a real challenge.”
This course will see you running local trails and woodland, starting with a 4km run then cycling a 15km route of rolling south Kilkenny countryside before finishing with a 1km run to the finish. Attendees are invited to tackle the duathlon as a relay team or solo with family and friends all welcome. Post-race refreshments will also be provided.
Event registration takes place at Ballyhale GAA grounds from 12.30pm with pre-race induction scheduled for 1.30pm. The race starts at 2pm.
Thwarting bowel disorders with fun in the sun
Children who spend half an hour a day outside in the sun reduce their risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to new research from an Australian university.
More than 800,000 people live with the two life-long disorders which make up IBD – Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
The paediatric study was based in Melbourne and led by Professor Robyn Lucas, from the Australian National University (ANU) College of Health and Medicine.
“Taking children to play outside in the sun could be life-changing,” Professor Lucas said.
“It doesn’t have to be all at the same time. But, we found children who were outside and exposed to the sun for an extra half hour a day in total, had a lower risk of developing IBD by almost 20%.”
The researchers found even short periods of sun exposure were associated with lower risk of children developing IBD.
Monitors pacify parental worries
New parents have enough to worry about without wondering if their baby monitor is up to the task. There are dozens of baby monitors on the market that offer many services and specialities to ensure safety.
For instance, Netgear’s Arlo Baby monitor packs in a number of features such as clear 1080p video, two-way audio and a host of sensors. Everything’s easily accessible from a mobile app.
People who want a better bargain may prefer the iBaby M6T. Though it’s a couple of years old at this point and records video in in 720p resolution, it’s still a capable monitor with night vision, two-way audio and helpful pan-and-tilt capabilities. It’s also available for less than the Arlo Baby.
A word of caution about extremely cheap baby video monitors: they’re not known for their security and can be hacked. But even if you opt for a more dependable baby monitor, you still should change the default password when setting up the system, as you should for any connected device you buy.
