No Limits Fitness: A run in the park.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

A run in the park.

Recorded a quick video today in the middle (or more towards the end) of my run in Sabal Bluff Preserve this morning. It was a muggy morning but perfect in my eyes for a little trail run .

The majority of people don't realize that these hidden park gems are out there.

Now a couple of questions you may have.

Some people ask, are they safe?

Obviously it varies from park to park, and place to place. Central Park in NYC is not a good place to be at night. Sabal Bluff in Leesburg on a Saturday morning? Unless you count the alligator that I saw in the water I didn't see another soul.

If safely is a concern for you then find a partner. The reality is that there really is no "safe" place for anyone. The other reality is that you are probably 100 times more likely to get hurt on the drive over then have any issues with wildlife or wild people. Your comfort level is your comfort level.

Again, run with a partner.

There are a lot of great places online to find group. Find a group on Facebook or go to Meetup.com and find some groups to hook up with.

How do I find a local trail to run on? Here are some of my favorites:

Emeralda Marsh, Lisbon

Lake May Reserve, Eustis

Hidden Waters Preserve, Eustis

Want to know a secret?

Do you own a Smart phone or perhaps have a computer?

Go to the website www.strava.com or get the "Strava" app on your iPhone or Andriod.

On your phone you are going to click "more" at the bottom of your screen then "segment explore". This is going to show you where people have created "segments". In other works: PLACES TO RUN! Some are road hills and neighborhood loops but it doesn't take a lot of work to find the trails. (think squiggly lines where there are no roads!)

Most of the loops where I love were set up by me. Whenever I go anywhere I get out my Strava to figure out where to go.

It's a GREAT resource.

Our next group 24 Day Challenge is starting next week. The winners from last time were:

1. Michele - lost 19% of her body fat

2. Mike - lost 16.8% of his body fat

3. Kim - lost 14.3% of her body fat