BOSTON'S FITNESS COMMUNITY IS BOOMING
THE BOSTON HERALD
People are moving their bodies and pumping up their heart rates — from before the crack of dawn, to long after the sun sets — all over the city and region.
All types of workouts. All athletic levels. All ages.
After more than two months of my weekly podcast “Healthy Hub,” I’ve seen the wealth of fitness options in Greater Boston — with exercise groups and special events for everyone.
I come from a long-distance running background, so I’ve joined groups that head out for 5-mile fun runs and end the run at a bar.
But there’s so much more out there, as I’ve discovered through my podcast:
Yoga enthusiasts recently rolled out their mats at 6 a.m. at the Paradise Rock Club in Allston, followed by an electric dance party with glow sticks, beach balls and conga lines — a nontraditional workout before heading to work or school.
Last Friday night, a crowd gathered in the middle of Assembly Row in Somerville as salsa music blasted through the speakers. An instructor showed them the basic salsa steps before they danced on the street for hours.
Runners packed a Beacon Street sidewalk in Brookline on a Saturday afternoon, anxiously waiting for a Green Line trolley to arrive. Once the T came, the runners sprinted toward Boston — seeing if they could beat the T over a 3-mile stretch.
The Greater Boston fitness community is booming. People are enjoying fun exercise and building tight-knit workout communities across the region.
Beyond the plethora of fitness groups, I’ve also interviewed inspiring people who help put everything into perspective.
Just when you think you can’t accomplish something, talk to Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray. In early 2018, the 64-year-old running legend completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Just think about that feat for a minute.
Later in 2018, he underwent triple bypass open-heart surgery but still ran the Boston Marathon last April.
“My motto in life is, ‘Anything is possible,’ but you have to take the steps to get there,” McGillivray said on Healthy Hub.
I’ve only scratched the surface in the first 10 episodes of the podcast. I can’t wait to meet all the other fun groups and motivational people in our region.