Jim Emmons was happy to talk about his 30,000-step-a-day habit, under one condition: the interview had to be in motion. Yes, Emmons confirmed as we walked the Durham campus of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina where he’s Vice President of Corporate Planning, he does average 30,000 steps a day—three times the daily recommendation and twice the much-discussed increase recently suggested by a study of Scottish mailmen. As…
Just when you thought you were virtuous getting in your prescribed 10,000 steps a day, a study out of Scotland suggests that 10,000 may not be enough. You may need to goose that number by 50 percent. 15,000, suggests the study of 111 Scottish postal workers, may be the new health standard. You can get up to speed with the history of 10,000 steps and details on the University of Warwick…
You’ve likely heard about all the great hikes trying to capitalize on peak fall color. But leaf peeping isn’t the only game in town. Coast Rarely do we recommend a spectator activity, what with GetGoingNC being about active, adventurous living and all. But today’s recommendation is spectating that could lead to sweating. Saturday, it’s the annual running of the Beach2Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon. That’s a 2.4-mile swim (in Banks Channel…
Another hot summer weekend is on tap. Appropriately, we have some hot ideas on how to spend it. Coast / Coastal Plain A lot of folks like the idea of going on a group hike or walk. Trouble is, the vast majority are long and geared toward more advanced hikers. The opportunities to test the trail waters on shorter, friendly hikes are few. That’s why we like Saturday morning’s Wellness…
What’s better than probing a cemetery on a hot summer night? Hiking the base of Pilot Mountain, perhaps? Or maybe a triathlon of the sprint variety. You’ve got options this weekend. Coast / Coastal Plain It’s every kid’s perfect summer night: wait until sunset, then grab a flashlight and wander through the local cemetery. A rite of youth fraught with the forbidden: sneaking out after dark, trespassing, cavorting among the…
Aren’t crazy about exercise, per se? All you need is the right carrot to get you walking, and Wilmington has three on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mayo River State Park offers a chance to paddle its namesake river and the mountain century season starts to kick in with Tour de Cashiers. Coast: Walking carrots Need a reason to walk (beyond the fact that it’s good for you)? You’ll find three reasons in…
When landscape design historian/educator/author Kathryn Aalto moved her family from Seattle to England several years ago, she remembers looking down on the approaching English landscape as their plane descended and thinking, “How am I going to raise my children here?” Aalto was used to the more untamed land of the Pacific Northwest. Below her was a highly manicured rolling countryside, the result of several centuries of human domination. “I needed…
At the coast, we start with a Wellness Walk intended to get you off the couch and moving about. In the mountains, we finish with one of the most taxing events around, the half ironman. And in the Piedmont, pick up a paddle and explore a river you may not know. Coast You have to walk before you can, well, run, hike, skip … . Walking leads to a lot…
Celebrate your independence this July 4 weekend by exercising your right to pick the adventure of your choice. And in this free market of North Carolina adventure, you’ve got plenty of options, from a walk celebrating history at the coast, to mountain firecracker 5Ks, to an adventure of your choosing to the beat of live music. Coast Looking for incentive to start moving? How about a distraction, in the form…
This is a weekend for just about anyone. At the coast, take a mellow walk into the past in downtown Wilmington. In the Piedmont, brush up on your bird awareness for the upcoming census. In the mountains, strap on your crampons for a high country winter hike. Coast Often when we think of getting a little exercise on foot we think of putting on the hiking boots and fleece and…