If you are reading this over breakfast, you’re probably not among the 46,000 runners competing this morning in the annual Bolder Boulder. But you don’t have to feel guilty: Everyone should exercise in their own way, and at their own pace and in a way that keeps them coming back for more.
Here in Colorado, we’ve got a few motivational advantages, namely great weather and great scenery. And there’s no better time to take advantage than summer. Here are 10 ideas for staying active and staying interested. We bet some will surprise you.
1. Natural selections
Burn calories and learn about ecology, wildlife and local history while hiking trails in the 40,000 acres that make up Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks land. The city hosts an ongoing series of hikes, classes and programs catering to kids, the wheelchair-bound and hard-core hikers. Bike tours also are included. All the programs are free and open to the public. For a full list of summer activities, visit ci.boulder.co.us and click on “Departments” and then “Open Space and Mountain Parks,” “popular picks” and “free nature hikes.”
If you’d rather hike the Flatirons on your own, pick up maps, brochures and other information at Chautauqua Park (Grant Place and Baseline Road, Boulder), which is usually open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
2. Fun with Fido
Most pooches are eager to exercise, so consider signing up for such events as the 2-mile Lucky Mutt Strut on June 11 at Washington Park. A benefit for the MaxFund no-kill shelter, the strut starts at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $25 in advance or $30 the day of the race. Participants get a T-shirt and goodie bag. For more information, call 720-482-1578 or visit maxfund.org.
For other places to take your dog, visit hikewithyourdog.com/besthikes.html
3. Garden variety
Slip on your sneakers and take a walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens each Tuesday morning from 7 to 9 a.m., June 6-Aug. 29. The American Association of Retired Persons is the presenting sponsor, but the walks are open to all ages and are free. Also free are tai chi classes from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. each Tuesday by the Tai Chi Project.
To kick off the fitness walks, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will lead a 1-mile fitness walk beginning at 10:45 a.m. June 7 at the gardens. The “Spring into Health” event will also feature exercise trends, health screenings and chair massage from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1005 York St. Space is limited, so attendees must register by Wednesday at any Denver Parks and Recreation Center. The $5 fee includes all sessions, a tote bag and snacks. Additional information from Highland Senior Center, 303-458-4868.
4. Climb a tree
Most kids learn to climb a tree using hand holds and muscles, but tools can help you enter the leafy world aloft more easily. On June 11, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a certified instructor from South Suburban Parks and Recreation will teach the fundamentals of tree climbing, including using ropes and safety equipment, at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive in Littleton. The class is for ages 7 and up (those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.) The fee is $29 for adults and $24 for youths under 16 (rates are $24 for adults, $19 youth for those in the district). More information at 303-730-1022; to register, visit sspr.org or call 303-347-5999.
5.Sail away
Colorado gets flak for being landlocked, but youths and adults who want to learn to sail can choose from among 70 classes offered by Community Sailing at Standley Lake in Westminster and Cherry Creek Reservoir in Aurora. The organization hosts one-week learn-to-sail camps, racing camps and drop-in programs. Sessions for youths ages 8-17 are Monday through Friday June, July and August; adult programs are held on weekends. For details, call 303-757-7718, or go to communitysailing.org
6.Tree pose in the park
Who says yoga has to be done in a sweaty studio? Summer’s the perfect time to take your sticky mat out for air. Yoga on 6th will begin offering its 5:30 p.m. Sunday power yoga class in Washington Park on June 4. The drop-in fee for a 90-minute session is $18; students can bring a cooler and have a picnic after class. Go to yogaon6th.com for details. Corepower Yoga also will be offering classes this summer. Visit its website at corepoweryoga.com for times and locations.
The confident yoga student can do sun salutations without an instructor or class, but if you will feel more self-conscious than blissed out in such a public setting, just try your routine in the backyard for starters. Namaste.
7. Ladies, hit the links
A dozen golf courses in Colorado are participating in the second annual Women’s Golf Week, June 3-10, hosting clinics, on-course instruction, receptions and seminars. Some events are free, others have fees. Visit playgolfamerica.com for information.
Kennedy Golf Course starts its program a little early, hosting its fourth annual Women & Golf Day on Thursday at 10500 E. Hampden Ave. The event, sponsored by The Colorado Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America, is so popular it is offering two sessions, at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., featuring five 30-minute clinics. The $20 fee includes clinics, lunch and a goodie bag from Cherry Creek North. For reservations (sessions fill up fast), call 303-996-1599 or visit coloradopga.com
8. Ride, run or raft
The Mary Carter Greenway offers an 8-mile multi-use trail and whitewater boating on the South Platte River in Arapahoe County. Part of the Denver area greenway system, the trail is friendly to both families on outings and individuals intent on serious exercise. Good places to park are at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive in Littleton, Littleton Golf and Tennis Club at 5800 S. Federal Blvd. and Englewood Golf Course, 2101 W. Oxford Ave.
The “soft” trail of crushed granite is good for walkers and runners, while the concrete trail that runs parallel to it caters to cyclists and inline skaters. “The idea is to separate the high-speed traffic from the more casual walker,” says Jean Flynn of South Suburban Parks and Recreation. Boat access to the river is off C-470 west of South Santa Fe Drive, where there is a turnaround in which boaters can unload and then move cars to parking spaces.
9. Trail mix
It’s easy to get restless in the city in the summertime, but when there’s only time for a day trip and not a vacation, where do you go to de-stress? The Colorado State Parks system offers help in the form of “Steppin Out with Colorado State Parks,” an online publication featuring trails in eight parks along the Front Range. The guide features maps, distances and degree of difficulty. Also listed are the surface type, which ranges from natural to asphalt, a description of the trail and directions to the trailhead. To download a copy, visit parks.state.co.us, click on “About Parks,” scroll down to “Publications” and click on “Steppin’ Out with Colorado State Parks.” For admission to the parks, you’ll need a daily or annual parks pass. Information on those is also at parks.state.co.us
10. Different spokes
Fifty years ago, the League of American Bicyclists sponsored the first Bike to Work Day. High gas prices this summer will give commuters extra incentive to leave the car in the garage on Bike to Work Day, which is June 28 in Denver this year. An estimated 18,000 people participated last year, stopping along their routes for breakfast and other perks. For details and registration, visit drcog.org.
Cyclists who would rather confine their trips to the weekend can look for organized rides such as the June 17 Greenwood Village GooseChase, which offers 15-, 30- and 42-mile cycling routes (info at goosechase.org) or visit bicyclecolo.org, which has links to more than 30 cycling clubs and organizations.
