You’ve seen people jogging on the greenway or plodding away on the treadmill, oblivious to all but the ear buds pumping a driving beat into their ears. And, according to science, pumping an extra boost of juice into their workout. The American Council on Exercise recently reviewed seven studies conducted since 1999 that all agreed that listening to music has a positive impact on your workout. (There’s a caveat, but first the facts.)
Category Archives: Walking
Another reason to walk, another to downplay BMI
Another reason you should go for a walk today: Putting in six to nine miles a week may help you remember that you left your keys in the freezer. This from a University of Pittsburgh study published in the journal Neurology that followed 300 seniors whose average age was 78 at the beginning of the study in 1989. Over time — about 13 years — one-third had developed “mild cognitive impairment or dementia.” But testing showed that more active walkers in the group had more gray matter and thus better cognitive skills. Thus, they were able to remember that after getting home from the grocery their hands were full as they pushed their way through the front door, climbed the stairs, entered the kitchen, shimmied the freezer door open with an elbow and put the ice cream in the freezer — along with the keys they were still clasping in their right hand.
Wake up, America! We’re losing step
Last week I heard an ominous observation on a British TV show. The context escapes me, but the phrase, intended as a benign descriptor, stuck. In referring to the United States, the narrator referred to us as “currently the most powerful nation in the world.”
Weekend plans? Tri, walk, hike,
This weekend, may we suggest …
Coast
You built up a good head of fitness steam over the spring and summer and it seems a waste not to capitalize on it just because summer is now officially over. Well, here’s one more chance for your day in the sun: The 32nd Annual Wilmington YMCA Triathlon in Wrightsville Beach. It’s the biggest race in the North Carolina Triathlon Series, drawing 1,300 participants. The event starts at 7 a.m. with a 1,500 meter swim with the current from the Blockade Runner, followed by a 12-mile bike ride and a 5K — all very flat. $65 (add another $10 if you aren’t a member of USA Triathlon).
Weekend plans? Let a boll weevil spur you to action
Was that a hint of fall we’ve felt early every morning this week? It’s the perfect time to get out and about. Here are three events to get you doing just that. (Events are free unless otherwise indicated.)
Coast
Enjoy exploring the coast’s wild areas? You have the Sierra Club to thank, in part, for those wild places remaining wild. Thanks to their efforts to protect and preserve the coast’s many special places, eastern North Carolina has some of the best flatwater paddling in the nation. Help the North Carolina Sierra Club celebrate four decades of protecting these spots at their 40th anniversary celebration this weekend with festivities based out of Washington (N.C., of course). Saturday is more of a listening and meeting day, Sunday is when you’ll find several outings to chose from, including: