One way to make that happen? Become a hiker.

OK, maybe you have hiked. Maybe a friend convinced you to go for a short hike last year. Maybe you even did a New Year’s Day hike. We’re not talking about sampling the product. We’re talking about becoming an avid, hiking-boot-owning, guide-book-wielding, join-the-American-Hiking-Society hiker. A bonafide hiker.

Yeah, I dunno. Maybe …

On the fence? Well, let’s consider the myriad of benefits derived from hiking regularly, among them:

• Hiking reduces your chances of heart disease.
• Hiking on a regular basis can lower blood pressure by 4 to 10 points.
• A frequent walk in the woods can help reduce your chances of getting diabetes. If you already have the disease, hiking, combined with proper diet, can reduce or even eliminate the need for insulin therapy.
• As a weight-bearing exercise, hiking can help stave off osteoporosis.
• A regular exercise program centered around hiking, coupled with a sound diet, can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Depending upon your pace and other factors, you can burn up to 500 calories per hour hiking.

Those are just some. You can read about more here.

But probably the best health benefit of taking a walk in the woods? It clears your head.

When we started our hiking program in 2013, our goal was to give a physical outlet to people stuck at work all week, a chance to manage all of the above. To our surprise, we found that the vast majority of participants were there to simply zone out for a couple of hours. In the nine years since, we’ve found that the majority of our hikers are motivated by the mental benefits of hiking, of being able to detach for a while and let the mind loose to wander. The physical rewards — the weight loss, the improved cardiovascular health, the building of stronger bones — was gravy.

What we’ve also discovered is that the main thing holding folks back from getting involved was fear of the unknown. What do I wear for a hike? What should I take with me? Where should I even go? And will there be bears?

Which is why we started a program aimed at beginners that not only answers these questions, but builds the novice into a competent, confident hiker.

Our GetHiking! Series for the Aspiring Hiker starts with an introductory half-hour Zoom session designed to address basic concerns —clothes, shoes, bears — before the first hike. Then, over the course of the 10-week program we:

• Take weekly hikes at different venues designed to introduce you to the local hiking options and also to build your stamina: we start with a 2.5-mile hike and build up to 5 miles.
• Send a weekly enewsletter with tips, resources, gear recommendations, and a guide for that week’s hike
• Send you a Guide to 25 Triangle Trails to introduce you to even more trails
• Give you a copy of “Let’s GetHiking! A Quick and Comprehensive Guide for the Aspiring Hiker (Second Edition),” a 109-page guide with everything an aspiring hiker needs to know.

Best of all, you can get started right away: our next 10-week session starts Wednesday, March 23, at 6 p.m. and runs every Wednesday evening through May 18.

Spring officially begins Sunday. Make the most of it by becoming a hiker!

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GetHiking! Spring 2022 Series for the Aspiring Hiker

Learn more about our hiking program for beginners and sign up to join us by going here for individual hikers, here for couples and families. Starts Wednesday, March 23 and runs through Wednesday, May 18.

GetHiking! Spring 2022 Sunday Afternoon Hike Series

Already a hiker, but looking for a structured program to help you make the most of the spring hiking season? Join our GetHiking! Spring 2022 Sunday Afternoon Hike Series, with 10 weekly hikes at 1 p.m., each at different venues. Learn more and sign up to join us by going here for individual hikers, here for couples and families. Starts Sunday, March 20 and runs through Sunday, May 22.

The post It’s Spring: Become a Hiker appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

What say we get together and do a little exploring? Here are some of the adventures we have planned for spring.

Winter Wild Off-Trail Adventures

This series of off-trail adventures started in winter but it’s trickling over into spring — in part, because weather caused a postponement or two. It’s also because we’ve had such a blast on these hikes — a portion of which are on official trail, most of which aren’t — that we decided to extend the program through March. Still to come:

• Raven Rock State Park, Lillington. Saturday, March 2, 10 a.m. Objective: The North Side of the River. 8 miles
• Birkhead Mountain Wilderness/Uwharrie National Forest, Asheboro. Saturday, March 16, 10 a.m. 7-9 miles
• Falls Lake / Butner Game Lands, Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m. 6-8 miles

Tuesday Night Hikes

This is another winter program that we’re continuing through March because it’s been such fun. Basically, we don headlamps and hike about 3 miles in the dark on Triangle-area trails. Still to come:

• Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake, Section M, 45 minutes out/45 back (about 4 miles). Raleigh. February 26. 
• Brumley North Nature Preserve, 3 miles. Hillsborough, March 5 
• Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, 3 miles. Chapel Hill, March 12 
• Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, 2.5 miles, March 19

GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods

We spend the first 30 minutes in this 3-hour class going over basic map and compass skills, then head down the trail — and off — to test your ability to navigate by map, compass and terrain. Dates:

• Morrow Mountain State Park, Albemarle, Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m.
• Morrow Mountain State Park, Albemarle Saturday, March 9, 2 p.m.,
• Haw River State Park, Greensboro, Tuesday, March 19, 5 p.m.

Intro to Hiking

Not a hiker, but want to be? Or maybe you have a friend who wants to get into hiking? We started GetHiking! in the fall of 2013 with the goal of being a place where newcomers could learn the ins and outs of hiking at their own pace, without fear of getting dropped. Nearly six years later, that’s still a driving force behind what we do, and it’s the main goal of our spring Intro to Hiking program. 

Every Sunday at noon, from March 10 to April 28, we’ll hike a different trail in the Triangle region. We start easy, with a 2.8-mile hike at Umstead State Park, then we progress to a final hike of 4.2 miles on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at Falls Lake. In between, we hike at nature preserves, at Duke Forest, at county parks and at state natural areas and recreation areas. You’ll get to know the best places to hike in the area.

Hiking for Hikers

These hikes are geared toward more experienced hikers, hikers who may be a little rusty from over the winter, hikers who are looking to build strength and speed for a big summer adventure, and hikers who are looking to expand from 3- to 4-mile hikes to maybe twice that distance. Every week, we’ll hit a local trail for a hike of 5 to 8 miles. These are more informal outings: we provide the basics for the hike, we guarantee a sweep, and we take you to different locations to expand your hiking horizons. In part, this is a build-up for the longer weekend mountain hikes we’ll be doing this summer.

You can find these hikes in your local GetHiking! Meetup group.

It’s getting warmer, the days are getting longer, the world is set to bloom. Join us on the trail this spring!

Happy trails,

Joe

Next week: Backpacking

Join us!

For more information about the adventures listed above, click on the appropriate link below:

• Winter Wild: Raven Rock State Park, go here.
• Winter Wild: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness, go here.
• GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods (Morrow Mountain State Park), go here for the morning session, here for the afternoon.
• GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods (Haw River State Park), go here.
• Tuesday Night Hikes: For details on the remaining Tuesday Night Hikes, email joe@getgoingnc.com
• Intro to Hiking, go here.

The post Accelerate your hiking this spring appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

You know, Seasonal Affective Disorder—a depression that can set in when the days are short and the sun sets too early in the day. Once this mood-altering disorder takes hold, it can be hard to shake; it’s best to fight it off before it has a chance to make itself at home, leaving you hibernating uncomfortably.

One way to combat SAD, according to the Mayo Clinic, is to go outside and move—the more regularly, the better. Even when it’s cold, a brisk walk in outdoor light can help. Another way to lift your mood is to be with other people; socializing with a dose of laughter helps you connect with others. And regular hiking can reduce levels of stress, which can contribute to SAD symptoms.

Frankly, all of us could stand to reduce stress levels. So, even if SAD doesn’t get you down, brisk movement and being with others is a great way to keep stress at bay by releasing endorphins and elevating your mood.

As always, we are here to help.

We have several winter programs designed to get you out and moving with a group of supportive fellow hikers. For new hikers who need an especially nurturing environment, we have our Beginning Hiker Series. For more established hikers who want to stay in the habit of hiking during winter, we have our Experienced Hiker series. Both of these programs meet every Sunday afternoon for eight weeks.

For a fresh change of scenery, which can shake things up in a good way, we have a monthly Piedmont Explorer series, which will take you along trails that you may be familiar with and haven’t explored, or perhaps didn’t even know existed.

In addition, we post regular hikes thought our seven GetHiking! chapters.

Meanwhile, here at GetGoingNC HQ, we’re sprucing up some programs for sunnier days ahead. Look for more information in the coming weeks.

Happy trails,

Joe

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Click on the following for more info:

• GetHiking! Beginner Series
• GetHiking! Experienced Hiker Series
• Piedmont Explorer

The post Don’t be SAD. Take a hike! appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today, we start with three hiking programs to start off the new year. Next week, we’ll tell you about our backpacking programs and weekend camping escapes.

Beginning hikers

If you’re looking for a way to be more active in 2018, hiking is an excellent way to do it. Think about your past New Year’s resolutions for exercise: most probably involved a gym and a determination to work out at least three times a week. Think about how long that effort lasted (did it make it through January?)

One problem with gym resolutions is the “work” part of the word “workout.” It just plain feels like work, something you may not be all that inclined to do.

Hiking is different. We like to focus on play. Heading up a steep hill or tackling a long trail may work up a sweat and make your muscles ache; you may be a little stiff the next day. But rare is the hiker who describes hiking to a mountaintop view or descending to a waterfall overlook as “work.”

Hiking is less about work and more about developing an active lifestyle that you can continue late into life. It’s good exercise and great stress relief. It’s movement that begets movement: you hike three miles in the Piedmont, and before long you want to hike 6 miles in the mountains. And, as a bonus, with your amped-up energy, you’ll find yourself doing those everyday goals you vowed to do — take the stairs, park at the far corner of the lot.

Ready to work play into your fitness routine? Here’s how our Beginner program works: We’ll meet Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m. for eight weeks beginning Jan. 7 to hike 2-4 miles at different locations around the Triangle. Especially important to beginners: a key feature of the GetHiking! program: our hikes are led from the rear, so you’ll never be left behind. It’s as beginner-friendly a way to get into hiking as you’ll find. Learn more and sign up here.

Experienced hikers

These hikes are designed for hikers who need incentive to keep hiking through the winter. Our Experienced Hiker program keeps hikers on the trail during the sometimes challenging months of January and February. By the time spring rolls around, you’ll be in shape to tackle those mountain hikes you love so much.

How our Experienced Hiker program works: We’ll meet Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m. for eight weeks beginning Jan. 7. We’ll hike at various locations around the Triangle, on trails you may not know. We’ll start with a 4.2-miler to shake out the holiday cobwebs and end with a 9.7-mile hike on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail guaranteed to have you in mid-season form; most of the hikes in between are around 6 miles. Learn more and sign up here.

Piedmont Explorer

Designed for hikers with a bit of experience, this series will explore options beyond the Triangle that can be done comfortably in a day. Each of the six monthly hikes, on trails that are 5-6 miles long, are in areas within an hour and a half drive of the Triangle, including Medoc Mountain State Park, Raven Rock State Park, and Little River Regional Park. Explore these diverse Piedmont trails and expand your hiking resume.

Learn more and sign up here.

Next week: backpacking programs and weekend escapes.

Happy trails,

Joe

The post Hike with us in 2018 appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Sample a triathlon in Cary or sample hiking on Grandfather Mountain. Or, at the coast you can workout for a cookout. Good options all for the last weekend before Labor Day weekend.

Coast

Always a smart move, scheduling a cookout with a workout, which is the gist of Saturday’s Rise and Grind Workout and Cookout Saturday morning at Hugh MacRae Park in Wilmington.

Sponsored by Cape Fear Boxing, a local non-profit that offers fitness and other programs for at-risk youth and troubled teens, there will be a pair of workouts in the morning followed by a cookout. Live music and a raffle, too. Sounds like a good way to celebrate the last weekend before Labor Day, viewed by many as the official end of summer.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 23, with workouts at 9 and 10:30 a.m., cookout to follow. $15. More info here or by contacting Rasheed Diaab at 910.200.0870 or capefearboxing@gmail.org.

Saturday forecast: High of 83, chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

Piedmont

As you run down your to-do list for the summer, there’s a glaring omission: you didn’t do your first triathlon.

Yet.

Sunday, you can cross try-a-tri off your list with the ingenious Plunge Pedal & Plod at the Triangle Aquatics Center in Cary. This 17-year-old event is made for the person, adult or kid, who wants to sample a triathlon without investing a lot of time and energy. Try it and like it? Let that chapter of your life begin. Not so much fun? At least you tried.

The PP&P comes in four sizes, ranging from 50-yard pool swim, 4K bike ride and 1.6K run, to an 400 meter swim, 12K bike ride and 3K run. This is a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event.

Logistics: Sunday, Aug. 24, 7 a.m. (course closes at 10 a.m.). $70, non-USA Triathlon members must buy a one day membership ($10 for 17 and under, $18 otherwise). More info here.

Sunday forecast: Morning high in the low 70s, overcast.

Mountains

Saturday at Grandfather Mountain State Park it’s the Three Bears of hiking. Four Bears, actually.

The Chargers and ReChargers Hiking Club of Boone is conducting hikes for various ability levels. A newcomer to hiking? Check out the Easy 2.0-mile roundtrip from the Profile Trail trailhead: a lovely wander through a mature hardwood forest. Up for a little more? The Moderate 3.5-mile round trip tops out at Foscoe View and gains a total of 500 vertical feet. If you’re willing to venture into Strenuous territory there’s the 5.5-mile trip to Shanty Springs (1,600 feet), while the Very Strenuous hike gains a total of 2,046 feet over seven miles as it tops out at Calloway Peak.

Logistics: Saturday, Aug. 23, four hikes, all starting at 8:30 a.m. The hikes are free, but preregistration is required, by Friday, by calling the park office at 828.963.9522. Learn more about the park here.

Saturday forecast: High of 79, cloudy, chance of rain.

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The post This weekend: Test the waters appeared first on GetGoing NC!.