yoga

For anyone who hasn't tried yoga, I recommend it. If you're a member of the Y, there's probably a free class available, as there was at mine in Norman. When we get a little older, the body is less flexible and the muscles need to be lengthened, not just stretched, and yoga does this when you hold a pose about 30 seconds. The other benefit is that it gives you a time-structure. For about an hour once or twice a week, you know you will be getting beneficial exercise. It's also important to structure time to get that heart pumping in a cardio workout like running, or the elliptical trainer if you can't run. This weekend marks the 7th anniversary of my new life in fitness. I wasn't in bad shape before, just not in shape. On Memorial Day weekend in 2002 (I was 40), I started a walking and running routine with Team in Training. I cannot overemphasize the importance of a routine. It was important to get me going then and it keeps me at the level I'm at now. I just ran a 12-minute Personal Record at the Eugene Marathon and my sponsor Brooks is providing me a guaranteed entry to the Marine Corps Marathon this fall. This is one of the most popular marathons in the U.S., so it's hard to get an entry. There is no prize money, and most marathons attract the elites from around the world because they are professionals and need the prize money. This type of marathon is more fun for the rest of us. The Marines based at Quantico, Virginia man the course and do a great job. This will be my third time.

Don't Let Scary Roads Stop You!

When the weather is nice, who doesn't enjoy a walk or a bike ride to get around town? But what do you do when your town makes it close to impossible to do so? Some of you may already be aware, but I recently heard that Oklahoma City was voted #5 in a list titled the Top Ten Least Walkable Cities. Yikes!

On the bright side, word on the street is that we are slowly but surely on our way to becoming more pedestrian friendly. So, what do we do in the meantime? Heaven knows most of us who live in the OKC metro area wouldn’t dare get out on roller blades. I know that there are several parks in my neighborhood, but on the trek to or from the park you might be crossing several busy streets with no cross walk or signal. I love riding my bike, but again, if I want to go very far I’m seriously running the risk of being hit and I have come close a time or two.

So, rather than sit here and huff about it, I thought I would come up with some solutions to this.

Lake Hefner. No, this isn’t in keeping with “going green” because you would be driving there, but you are guaranteed to have lots of smooth sidewalk to walk, ride your bike or whatever else WITH the kids or the dogs and not run such a risk of being hit.

Shartel. This is the only stretch in the OKC metro area within the neighborhood that I’m aware of with pedestrian lanes. It starts at NW 30^th and goes up to 50^th street. This is near my home, so usually I end up going here to exercise. This is a very pretty area as well with a few parks nearby.

Find a Trail. The following link from The City of Oklahoma City provides info on pedestrian trails located in Oklahoma City as well as detailed maps on their locations. http://www.okc.gov/trails/n_canadian.html

Be an Early Bird. I imagine that getting out around 5 A.M. or so would be a much safer alternative to getting out after work during rush hour. Plus, you would be getting your workout in first thing so it’s out of the way. Gosh, I wish I were a morning person!

Or, you could just say “forget it” and sit down in front of the air conditioner with a juicy burger and a soda. Ok, that was a joke so please don't do it!

If you know of any other trails, parks or areas that offer pedestrian friendly roads, I would love to hear about them so please share! Otherwise, get out there and enjoy the lovely weather we have had lately and be safe!

Beaver's Bend State Park Open for Memorial Day

After unseasonable rains and flooding, Beavers Bend State Park is open for Memorial Day weekend.

McCurtain County offers something for the family including a museum with a dinosaur, nature centers, golf and antique shopping.

There are several lodging options: Log cabins in mountain pines, cottages, bed & breakfasts and luxury resorts.

McCurtain County, www.mccurtaincountygetaways.com promotes itself as Southeast Oklahoma's destination for weekend getaways and family vacations. Source: Tulsa Business Journal, staff