So I’ve mentioned that Austin is great for healthy living but I haven’t really given any exact reason on WHY it’s so great for healthy living. Well here’s the first reason, the fitness activities here are endless and I’m ready to prove it
LiveStrong
Austin is bike friendly.
Overly bike friendly, as in
1) Lance Armstrong lives here
2) Bike lanes are specifically designated on all roads
3) Bike theft in Austin probably exceeds that of car break-ins
4) I’m sure half the city commutes to work via bicycle – even at 105 degree temperatures
5) I’ve joined the bike community, even though it means lugging my bike up and down endless flights of stairs from my apartment, which is a workout in it self.
Had to get a new bike, left the old in my apartment basement – it’s up for grabs if anyone wants to take it for a spin! Beware of the breaks…and uncomfortable seat…and it squeaks
Although I’ve joined the bike community I’ve yet to purchase a bike rack, but luckily for me M<3 lets me tear apart my bike and shove it in the back of his car.
So after I carry it down the stairs, disassemble it, shove it in the car I’m only half way to my goal of going for a bike ride in Austin. After the pre-workout, workout I make the 20 minute trek down to Town Lake, unload the bike, curse as I try to reassemble it and ensure the breaks are working, get my playlist set to jam to, and hop on my bike I’m ready to zoom around the Town Lake path.
Gotta love the ATX views
City skyline peeking through the trees on the Town Lake path
I love the action packed biking adventure of Town Lake: weaving in and out of pedestrians, stopping on a dime to avoid running over puppies, dodging speed bumps (aka stray kiddies) and sweating my butt off in the sweltering heat. Afterwards, I rewind and do the post-workout, workout of disassemble, shove, drive, unpack, reassemble, and carry up.
Super Sweaty Biker Babe!
Some how Austin’s biking habit has rubbed off on me and I can’t help but love it! Although, I think I’ll love it even more when I invest in a bike rack and the cooler temps arrive!
supATX
That’s Stand Up Paddle boarding for those of you thinking I’m trying to be a bit ghetto and saying “S’up Austin”
That’s not me, I can stand without the spotters (Boo-Yah!)
So stand up paddle boarding is exactly what it sounds like.
You stand. On a board. And paddle.
Yes its fun. Yes I like it. Yes I want one. (Future X-Mas gift?)
So I only tried it once so far, but I have a daily deal coupon I bought to go again and I can’t wait! It’s so relaxing and serene out on the water. I loved kayaking in high school but this is even more fun and is even more of a workout than kayaking. It works your core, your legs, and your upper body without putting a lot of strain on your muscles. It’s absolutely fabulous. Now I just have to find a way to do it more often.
Random water views of Austin that I could be enjoying on a SUP.
So the best part about supATX – they offer lots of SUP adventures (Check out their site!)
1) Full Moon paddle boarding – A little romantic moonlight paddling
2) Happy Hour paddle boarding – It involves a 3 mile paddle followed by a happy hour within food and appetizers afterwards
3) Bat Watching paddle boarding – Austin is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the U.S. and a popular nightime activity is going to watch the bats depart for their nightly hunt
Sidenote: M<3 and I went to experience the bat flight and those stupid bats apparently weren’t hungry the night we went because they never took off. Either that or the news channel was a bit off on the bat departure time.
4) Yoga paddle boarding – Yes, you are doing downward dog, tree, and warrior 3 all while balancing on the paddle board in the rippling water. Try that for a core workout!
I’ll keep you all posted on how many times I splash into the water once I try Yoga paddle boarding
Which brings me to my next point…
Nature’s Bikram Yoga
I’m sure you didn’t know this but Austin practices Bikram yoga all year round since we average +365 days with above 100 temps. No need to heat a small yoga studio when Mother Nature’s heating the whole city for you!
Austin not only houses a huge bike community but also a huge yoga community as well. I attended Yogasm this past week – which was more like Yog-onna have a heat spasm.
This reminds me of the hippie Dirty Dancing lift.
But seriously, this was ah-mazing. Hundreds of people coming together to do yoga in the park. It was put on by Lululemon – so of course everyon was rockin’ Lulu right and left. Before the actual event there were healthy living vendors like Zico coconut water (Oh My-Yogasm the chocolate coconut was delish!), Luna bars, tons of yoga studios (scored a bunch of free yoga passes *woot woot*), and lots of health food vendors literally begging everyone to try their weird (but insanely good) samples!
I love free samples and coupons! Must have gotten it from my Mom
So, at the festival, there was an hour and a half of community yoga. It was a round-robin type yoga practice where 8 different Austin yoga teachers took a turn leading. It was great to have so many different yoga styles in one session, super sweaty, and a pretty awesome experience to be a part of.
Post yoga mats laid out
Relaxing, trying to cool down before Nature’s Butt-Kicking Bikram session
Yes, I stopped yoga-ing and was a creeper taking photos in the back because I thought it was really cool.
So this Yoga event is something I’ve been dying to experience and I’m so happy I was able to participate in such a unique yoga practice. There’s another 2 day yoga festival being held in October that I’m already looking forward to!
Keeping Austin Weird
So these are just some of the cool healthy living things that Austin has to offer. I know Rochester has SUP, I know it has Yoga, and I know I can bike in Rochester, but the fact that I’m doing it in Austin where the WHOLE city actually embraces and supports all of these activities, is the reason why doing it here is so much more special and fun.
The fact is, when in other cities, a severe love of Yoga especially doing it on a Paddle Board would be seen as weird, in Austin, it’s actually just normal.