Strap on your shoes and hit the trails. There are lots of ways to avoid the gym in Reston! (Image courtesy of mapichai / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)Strap on your shoes and hit the trails. There are lots of ways to avoid the gym in Reston! (Image courtesy of mapichai / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Happy New Year! What a wonderful holiday season we had here in Reston. But now that the holidays are over I, like most of my friends and clients, am turning my attention to being a little healthier in the new year. I was contemplating that the other day when I looked out the window and saw a group of women jogging through Lake Anne Plaza. That got me thinking about how to avoid the gym while still getting in shape. Here are some alternatives I found for people like me who really don't enjoy working out at a gym.
Running Clubs
Restonians like to exercise, and with the miles and miles of pathways we have access to, it's no surprise there are a few running clubs in Reston. The three I know of (and I say that because there could easily be more that I don't know about) are:
- Reston Runners. I have a two friends that belong to Reston Runners--and neither is much of a runner. One walks with the walking group and the other joins the BFFs, which are a walk/run group (and, it turns out, the women I saw running through the plaza). Sounds like there is something for everyone at every fitness level.
- Potomac River Running. PRR, the running store in Reston Town Center, hosts weekly fun runs from the store, as well as their race series. They also have a variety of running training programs. Their goal is to make sure you learn how to run safely so that you stay injury free and can continue enjoying the sport.
- Lifetime fitness. Yes, it is a gym. But you don't need to be a member to participate in the running program. You just need to show up and run with the group. Now that's a great deal!
Boot Camps
I have to admit I've never done a boot camp. But I know a lot of people who do it, and they are all in fantastic shape. If you don't want to work out in a gym, you do want to work out with a group, and you aren't afraid to challenge yourself, boot camps are great. Three that offer classes in (or near) Reston are Active Duty Fitness, The Sergeant's Program, Custom Fitness Concepts. I'm sure you can find others too if you do a google search.
Cycling
Biking has really gotten popular! I have friends who live for their weekend rides. It's always easy just to hop on the W&OD trail here in Reston. But if you want to go out with a group, The Bike Lane in Reston Town Center, Green Lizard Cycling in Herndon, and Spokes in Vienna lead bike rides on the weekends and some week nights.
Miscellaneous
Athleta in Reston Town Center frequently holds free yoga and other fitness classes. Check out their events calendar to find out what's going on. The Reston Community Center and Reston Association are also great sources for local fitness classes (and, of course, in the summer you can swim at the RA pools).
As you can see, it's easy to avoid the gym in Reston! I'm sure I haven't come close to covering all of the options. If you have any fun, non-gym places to exercise, I'd love to hear.
Here's to a happy and healthy new year!
