German Village Walking Club Weekly Newsletter | November 17,2015

Greetings!

You can already tell by the crowds that showed up last weekend on the new Scioto Greenways Trail that Columbus has hit a homerun.  This will no doubt be the centerpiece of downtown for everyone living in and visiting Columbus.  It is just beautiful, and the City is projected in a whole new light. The best part – the Club gets to take advantage of it every Saturday.  You can find in the newsletter this week: an article about the importance of balance, suggestions for walking in cold and darkness, and a cute little video for your entertainment.

Cold and Dark

GVWC member, Alisa Vural, asked me how to get over her aversion to walking/running in the dark, particularly in the morning.  Well, Alisa, having a safe route is of the upmost importance when going out in the dark.  After you have that in place, I found an article in Runner’s World Magazine that provides some tips, ideas and incentives for getting out in the cold and dark.  For me, one of the biggest incentives is that I think it makes me tougher, mentally and physically.  Get the right cold weather clothing, have a bad-weather backup plan, and hit the road!

Balance.  And Beam!

Don’t underestimate the power of having good balance.  It is something we most definitely take for granted, and we rarely think about.  Rest assured, this is not an “old person” thing.  (Em, Drew, and my other Millennial followers: take note.)  This article from the About Health blog explains that athletes make it one of the tenants of their training for power, strength, and preventative measures.  You can use a Bosu ball, a towel, or other things to make exercises unstable.  I often take a five minute break during the workday to use the same disk pictured below (from www.gofit.net) to do balance exercises in my office. It’s a great way to shake off the mid-day cobwebs, get the creative juices flowing again, and enhance my balance. Of course, I shut my office door when I am doing this, and you don’t need workout clothes.

 

Child’s Play

You know I am big fan of the burpee.  Big!  It is one of the best total body weight exercises you can do.  It works most of the large muscle groups in a single, complex exercise.  Complex, yes, but you shouldn’t feel intimidated by the burpee.  Here is a video demonstration that shows the burpee can be done—and with enthusiasm!—at any age and fitness level. (You may need to be a Facebook subscriber to get this).  Enjoy!

Motivation of the Week

Finishing Line

Hope to see you all Saturday.  And as always, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry