Rejuvenate for Summer: Part II: Run Around

Last post's subject gave tips on venturing into the backyard and preparing your body for outdoor spring cleaning. If you're looking to getting past the garden and taking advantage of the paths around the neighborhood, running is the perfect way. The Twin Cities has been named as one of the best cities to run around in, thanks to the beautiful lakes and Mississippi river. Whether you're an avid runner or enjoy a brisk walk around the block, we've got a few pointers for you before you go...

There are a lot of ways to prepare yourself to avoid injury, key word is *stretching*.... A LOT

Great foods to help you fuel your runs (yum!):

Eggs - contains all the crucial amino acids your hard-working muscles need to promote recovery

Sweet Potatoes - have manganese and copper, minerals that help make healthy, functioning muscles 

Whole Grain Bread/Pasta - eat this over white bread/pasta to promote weight-loss and still get the carb-fuel in

Bananas - the potassium helps regulate blood pressure while the carbs give natural energy

 Low-Fat Yogurt - Calcium is crucial to building bone-mass!

Check out the link Running A Thousand Miles for more food advice

Minnesota's heat and humidity can quickly leave you parched. Don't forget to hydrate no matter how hard or easy the run is!

For motivation, get ready for one of these upcoming races:

5K Beer Run! every weekend until the end of June in Minneapolis

Heartbeat 5000 June 22nd in Minneapolis  

Midnight Sun Midnight Run June 28th along Lake Superior

Warrior Dash June 29th in Hastings 

Independence Day Races July 6th in Minneapolis

And many more options when you go to RunningintheUSA.com

Check out the Twin Cities Running Club for routes near you and The Running Room has a lot of great advice on training programs, races and getting the right gear.

Did you know that going barefoot is much more beneficial than jogging with traditional running shoes? Posture, balance improvement and less injury are very big factors to consider  for avid runners. For everyone out there who is anticipating the warmer weather as a sign to get out the running shoes and go for a good old fashioned jog, or just want an excuse to go barefoot, here's an infographic to show the growing trend of barefoot running @ Runningshoes.com
  

Do you have any running tips or marathons you'd like to promote? Shoot us an email: inquiries@greatbackrubs.com or a friendly Facebook message!

Earth Day 2013 - 10 Eco-Friendly Events

Pretty cool video, right? Now that you're fired up, Earth Day is this weekend and there are all kinds of great things to do to help your community - and the Earth! If you're searching for things to do this for Earth Day, look no further:

• Party for the Planet over at Como Zoo Park and Conservatory, April 19th - 22nd

• Mother Earth Fest at the Wellstone Center, April 20th

• Grow a green thumb and learn how to garden

• Earth Day Celebration at Midtown Global Market April 21st

• Head to the Birchwood Cafe for delicious local, sustainable and organic dishes

• Rain, snow or sunshine, join the Minneapolis Recycle Run April 21st. Free Kids Run too!

• Retail therapy? Pop some tags at Planet Thrift - 25% off your entire purchase on April 22nd

• Nab some fresh produce and thank your local farmer at The Farmers' Market 

• Get a free Earth Day Cookie! 

• And who could forget The Backrub's Get Active and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint deal this month: Anyone who bikes, walks or takes the bus to The Backrub gets $5 off any massage. Valid anytime you want to walk/bike/bus in! 

"The earth is what we all have in common." -- Wendell Berry

Pedal Your Stress Away

Have you gotten your bike out yet?

Today's post has tons of info on the stress-release and planet saver that is The Bike. So get inspired to grab your set of wheels and start pedaling!

FACTS:

• Bikes are more cost-effective than cars- no fuel, cheaper to make, buy and maintain AND they save taxpayers money by less road ware

• Studies show that bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time off at work

• Since bicycling produces zero fuel emissions, you're decreasing your carbon footprint and reducing the pollution every day that you ride

• Cycling actually forces you to regulate your breathing, as well as to breathe deeper to expel any lingering CO2 – both key methods used to alleviate stress

• By pedaling your wheels, you can burn 52 calories in just five minutes of cycling at 14-16 mph. If your route takes you uphill or faster to move with traffic, that's even more

• The repetitive action of pedaling involved in cycling can help your brain release outside stresses in the same way that mediating on a phrase or a word is used in classical mediation 

• Cycling isn't as hard on the knees like other types of exercise

• Moving up in the pack, making it over a particularly tough climb or completing your first century are all great stress reducers because they allow you to feel that you have accomplished something

Want Your Own Set of Wheels?

• There are tons of new and used bike shops, online and off. Try Craigslist  for bikes costing $1 all the way up to $1000+ - make sure you give it a spin before buying it
• MasterBikeFitters.com has an extensive article on how much you should spend on a new or used bike

• If you want a simpler version, Ehow breaks it down for you without so much detail

• Don't forget Nice Ride! Even if you own a bike, you won't always have it with you. These make it easy to hop on and pedal off wherever you are. If you have it for under half an hour, it's free!

Be Safe!

• Wear a helmet and, if you're riding at night, reflective gear
• Check out The National Center For Safe Routes To School for resources on getting kids to school via bike
• If you're sharing the road with vehicles, brush up on the rules here
• The MPCA has daily forecasts on how clean the air is around you. You can sign up for alerts here. If you do find the air to be particularly polluted, hop on a bus for half of your journey- bikes can be placed on the front rack
• On April 20th the Mother Earth Fest takes place at the Wellstone Community Center in the Twin Cities - they've got a Bike Repair 101 and Basic Safety classes taught by experienced bike mechanics. Find out more at motherearthfest.org/bike-village 
• Stay hydrated!

Don't Know Where To Bike?

• Bikemap.net lets people share their biking routes and lets you create your own
• Cyclopath.com is personable, letting you type in your address and end point
• The Metro Transit gives you integrated travel options for when you want to use your bike and the bus
• Or, just explore your community! You never know what's around the corner

Need Some Motivation?

• We've mentioned 30 Days of Biking on our Facebook page- grab a bike and use it every day for 30 days starting this April. Even if you haven't signed up, they hold events in the Twin Cities every Saturday until the end of the month. Check out their website for more info 30daysofbiking.com or try hosting your own event and encourage friends and family to cycle every day for 30 days
• BikeBrain is an app to help you figure out how many calories you burned, your distance and speed and even lets you share photos
• Minnesota Iron Man Bike Ride is Sunday, April 28th. There's still time to sign up as an individual or team
• The 2013 National Bike Challenge runs from May 1st until September 30th - anytime you hop on your bike, you log it into the website via an app or your computer. Many work organizations do this to motivate their employees to get healthy and save money

Last but not least, save $5 when you visit The Backrub by way of bus, walking or biking- during all of April - just mention this post!

Still Want More?

Sign up to Bike Walk Twin Cities E-news for weekly updates and biking events near you.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for monthly tidbits on National Stress Awareness Month & Earth Month - and let us know what you think inquiries@greatbackrubs.com