Words on Wellness » biking http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness Your extension connection to nutrition and fitness Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:52:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Pushing the Pedal http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/2011/05/27/pushing-the-pedal/ http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/2011/05/27/pushing-the-pedal/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 15:02:13 +0000 Kristin Taylor http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/?p=412 bikersYou hear about “going green” in your daily life and reducing your carbon footprint. One way for you to get a little greener is to ride a bike. May is National Bike Month. This is a great excuse to get off your couch or from behind the wheels of your car and enjoy the thrill and fun of riding a bike.

Cycling isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for you. Casual pedaling burns about 500 calories per hour (for a 150-pound person), all while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine of spring and making some extra Vitamin D for your bones.

Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet, adjust the bicycle to fit, check the tires and brakes, and be sure to wear white or bright colored clothing so other riders and drivers can see you while having fun this summer on your bike.

Get the whole family involved and ride this May.

]]> http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/2011/05/27/pushing-the-pedal/feed/ 0 Just ‘Tri’ It http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/2011/03/22/just-tri-it/ http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/2011/03/22/just-tri-it/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:50:43 +0000 Kristin Taylor http://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/?p=247 Training for a triathlon is one way to add variety to your workout routine. A triathlon consists of swimming, biking, and running. You don’t have to be a star athlete; triathlons come in all shapes and sizes, from the sprint-distance triathlon to the Ironman distance. If you’re motivated and do the training, you can cross the finish line.

There are many small, local sprint-distance triathlons that are great for your first experience. Contact a local sporting goods store or running club to see if they have a list of races in your area. If you don’t want to complete the entire race, organize a relay.

For more information about triathlons, visit BeginnerTriathlete.com. For more information about sports nutrition, visit ISU Extension’s Eat to Compete Sports Nutrition website.

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