Vida Fitness U Street is the only gym in Washington that offers rooftop cycling. Photographs by Melissa Romero.
Vida Fitness’s cycling class left me feeling like most spin classes do: sweaty and exhausted. But there were a couple major differences: It lacked the claustrophobic conditions typical of small cycling studios, and sunscreen application was just as important as hydration. The class, after all, takes place outdoors.
Vida Fitness on U Street is the first gym in the area to offer cycling classes on a rooftop. For those tired of riding in the dark, the outdoor stationary cycling class is a nice alternative just in time for summer in Washington.
Local running stores in Washington offer summer running programs to train for fall races, such as the Marine Corps Marathon and Army Ten-Miler. Photograph via Shutterstock.
It’s hard to believe the spring race season is already almost over, but there’s no rest for the weary. Local running stores are gearing up to help runners train for big fall races such as the Marine Corps Marathon. We got the rundown from running coach Paula Arevalo, who volunteers for and leads a number of running groups in the area.
Fleet Feet Run Fit Training Program
Location: Fleet Feet Sports (1841 Columbia Rd., NW)
Perks: Weekly e-mail support, happy hours, pre-race pasta dinners, a T-shirt, and a 10 percent discount at the store
The 16-week Run Fit training program begins Saturday, June 29, and is designed for all levels. It trains runners for either the Marine Corps Marathon, the Baltimore Half Marathon, the Army Ten-Miler, or the 5K Race for Hope DC. Runners meet three times a week for a long run, a track workout, and a tempo run. The store hosts a free fun run and information session this Sunday at 9 AM. $149 for early registration until June 15.
Danielle Reyes leads a small group of hikers through a 15-minute yoga session in Montrose Park. It's all part of the new program Yoga Hikes DC. Photographs by Melissa Romero.
Washingtonians are such a fitness-loving bunch that hybrid exercise classes have become the norm. Barre and cycling? Been there. Yoga and Pilates (a.k.a. Yogalates)? Done that. I thought I’d seen all the city had to offer, until I stumbled upon the new program Yoga Hikes DC.
For the past three weeks, those who frequent Rock Creek Park may have come across a small group of yogis practicing their tree pose or Warrior II at the foot of the creek. Or maybe they’ve drawn stares in Dumbarton Oaks as they stop for a quick Downward Dog before setting out once more on one of the many winding trails.
This week’s food diary may be the most unconventional diet featured yet. MyBootcamp and Revolve DC’s indoor cycling instructor Grant Hill told us his high-calorie diet, which he says is needed to achieve his performance goals, might not be what we expected. “You might be surprised when you don’t see ‘low-fat’ this or ‘whole-grain’ that in my diet.” Things we did see? Raw liver, kelp, and kombucha. But we’ll let Hill’s food diary do the talking.
Breakfast: Coffee blended with coconut oil and grass-fed butter, plus supplements, water, and canned organic sweet potato. “I start each day with Bulletproof Coffee, which consists of high-quality coffee—I use Larry’s, which is shade grown and lower in mycotoxins than you’ll find in abundance with conventional beans—blended with coconut oil and grass-fed butter such as Kerrygold. I modify mine slightly because I find my stomach is happier with coconut milk than with butter. I add some local raw honey, but if you have weight-loss goals, don’t take this cue from me.”
Saturday's Zooma Half Marathon and 10K in Annapolis suffered some major mishaps, including race courses that were short by .25 miles. Photograph courtesy of Brae Blackley.
The seventh annual Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon and 10K on Saturday suffered due to 80-plus-degree weather and significant mishaps that left runners hot and bothered.
Just hours after Saturday’s morning race, runners took to Zooma’s Facebook page to complain about being misdirected on the course, lack of volunteers at aid stations, and missing out on free post-race yoga and massages due to long lines.
Perhaps the biggest issue, however, was that both the half marathon and 10K courses were short by a quarter mile. Mid-race, Zooma founder Brae Blackley was informed by volunteers that runners weren’t able to make a turn down to City Dock due to a parked police car. The organizers wrote on their Facebook page, “Runners, we are aware that due to misdirection on the course both the half marathon and 10K are about .25 miles short today. We know this is frustrating, and we are so sorry this happened.”
Local running coaches Julie Sapper and Lisa Reischman of Run Faster Farther recommend wearing a hat and hydrating before and after a summer run. Photograph via Shutterstock.
Last week marked the unofficial start of Washington’s humid summer—as evidenced by our T-shirts soaked through with sweat by 7 AM. So what’s a runner to do? Because getting up by 4 AM to avoid a running meltdown does not sound appealing.
First things first, hydrate.
It won’t do you much good to hydrate in the middle of your run if you haven’t had a glass of water all day. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 16 to 20 ounces of fluid at least two or three hours before running. Then continue to drink periodically during the run.
To avoid cramping and to replenish electrolyte loss, local running coaches Julie Sapper and Lisa Reichmann often take some salt tabs—they recommend Enduralytes—or drink V8.
However, be careful that you don’t over-hydrate, they warn. If your stomach is sloshing while you run, wait a bit before drinking again.
We are now accepting nominations for the 2013 Excellence in Nursing Awards. Photographs by Chris Leaman.
Know an area nurse who goes above and beyond, whom you would call a credit to the profession? Tell us why.
Washingtonian is looking for the best military and civilian nurses and nurse educators in Washington for our 2013 Excellence in Nursing awards. To nominate someone you know, fill out our nomination form. Winners will be profiled in the October issue of The Washingtonian.
Not sure what to do or have a question? Contact Mary Yarrison at myarrison@washingtonian.com.
Kombucha is fermented tea, which undergoes a similar brewing process as beer and vinegar. Capital Kombucha, a DC-based company, works out of Union Kitchen in NoMa and uses local ingredients. Photographs by Melissa Romero.
For those unfamiliar with kombucha, the idea of gulping down a bottle is often met with a grimace. Fermented tea? Uh, thanks, but no thanks.
But recent GW business graduate Andreas Schneider and his two partners in Capital Kombucha are out to prove naysayers wrong with their fermented, probiotic iced tea. Because kombucha is fermented, “people get the idea it’s going to be gross in some way,” says Schneider. “So we’re making something that’s tasty and appealing.”
Is "broga" coming to DC? Sculpt DC owner Madhuri Nayak says yoga can be a beneficial cross-training method for men who are active runners and CrossFitters. Photograph via Shutterstock.
Guys, count the number of times you’ve bragged about your flexibility at the gym or challenged your workout partner to see who is more limber. Yeah, didn’t think so.
But who hasn’t complained about stiff shoulders and a sore back after neglecting a warmup stretch? If touching your toes is more challenging than maxing out on the bench, it may be time to refresh your workout regimen.
A few years ago, a couple of “bros” outside of Boston, Robert Sidoti and Adam O’Neill, noticed this lack of flexibility in men, along with the increased case of injuries that simple stretching could help prevent. As their girlfriends and wives headed off to yoga classes, they saw a potential cure for their sore muscles: “broga.” The idea, they explain on their website, is for a guy to be able to go to a yoga studio without feeling intimidated by the soccer mom on the next mat while she’s balanced in crow’s pose and he’s struggling to get one foot off the ground. Currently, the yoga world is dominated by females, who make up about 72 percent of the yoga-practicing population. Broga offers “an accessible yoga-based fitness program taught from a man’s point of view.”
Drybar will be at Bar Method and ZenGo Fitness in Bethesda this weekend with free gear and prizes on hand. Photograph by Melissa Romero.
Local fitness studios ZenGo Fitness and Bar Method are teaming up with Drybar this weekend by offering class-goers free Drybar gear and prizes after their workouts.
Folks from Drybar will be at ZenGo and Bar Method before and after certain weekend classes, giving out Drybar water bottles and hair ties. (Hint: hold onto those hair ties—they may get you a free blowout.)
Here’s when you can snag the free gear this weekend:
