Taking your exercise outdoors offers unique benefits for physical, cognitive, and emotional health.
This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
Why work out in a fitness center when you can get a great cardio workout enjoying fresh air and great views?
Of all the opportunities for outdoor exercise around NOVA, hiking may be the most versatile — and one of the most beneficial for your body, brain and mood. It can even impart a sense of awe. “I find hiking very inspiring,” says Cindy Morrow. “We are surrounded by beauty!”
Cindy and her husband Gene have enjoyed hiking together for the duration of their 49-year marriage. When they moved to the D.C. area from the Ozarks in Missouri in 2014, she says, “We were happy to see there are mountains, rivers and amazing hiking opportunities.”
The Morrows are part of a small hiking group of future residents of The Mather, a Life Plan Community that will open in Tysons in 2024. The group gets together every month or two for a day hike, most recently in Sky Meadows State Park in Virginia. “Hiking is more fun with a group,” says Cindy. “For one thing, it makes us put something on the calendar and go. The Mather group allows us to make friends with so many interesting people!”
A Walking Workout
Hiking — even on flat land — will exercise muscles including your quadriceps, hamstrings, lower leg and hip muscles. Hiking on an unpaved, slightly uneven trail will also engage the core muscles in your torso. Like any other cardio workout, hiking is good for your cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as sleep quality and weight loss. (A brisk hike can burn up to 550 calories per hour.) And because walking is a weight-bearing exercise, it also helps build bone density.
Step Up to a Better Mood
Walking is good for your brain, as well as your body. Through simple exercise, your body begins to release proteins and chemicals which can help lower stress levels and have positive benefits on memory.
Another benefit of hiking is the release of endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are chemicals released in the brain that minimize any physical discomfort, blocking the feeling of pain and causing a natural “feel good” rush.
Hit the Trail, Not the Treadmill
Research shows that taking your exercise outdoors compared to working out in a gym offers unique benefits for physical, cognitive and emotional health:
- Multiple studies have shown that regular exposure to “green areas” can cause our bodies to relax and let go of stress, as well as ease anxiety. One study found that people in nature had slower heart rates and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol than those who spent time in the city.
- Walking or exercising outdoors has also been proven to strengthen short-term memory. Simply spending time in nature is also associated with improved concentration and attention spans.
- Studies have linked time spent in nature with lower levels of inflammation, reduced hypertension and even a stronger immune system.
Research found that people who run outside exert more energy than treadmill runners; they also enjoy it more and therefore will run for longer periods of time.
Want to try a hike? The Morrows recommend Catoctin Mountain Park, Great Falls Park, “anywhere along the Shenandoah,” and Rock Creek Park, among many others.
The Mather, projected to open in Tysons, VA, in 2024 for those 62 and better, is a forward-thinking Life Plan Community that defies expectations of what senior living is supposed to be. With an enviable urban neighborhood location, the community offers easy access to the area’s parks and hiking trails.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
A Junction Bistro and Bar is on its way to Merrifield, ready to pay homage to the area’s cinematic past.
Drawing its name from the railroad ties of Alexandria’s Del Ray, where the original Junction Bakery and Bistro opened in 2016, the regional business adapts each of its locations to the neighborhoods they serve, Managing Director Noe Landini says.
A formal vote won’t come for another month, but several Fairfax County supervisors indicated support yesterday (Tuesday) for using routes 29 and 50, respectively, as the official names for the roads known for now as Lee and Lee-Jackson Memorial highways.
The Board of Supervisors directed county staff by a 9-1 vote to prepare a resolution for its next meeting on Sept. 13 endorsing Route 29 and Route 50 as the new names after a year-long review process that included a community task force and public surveys.
Look Out for Spotted Lanternfly — “While there are still no sightings of the spotted lanternfly in Fairfax County, it is getting closer, and experts are on the lookout for it. This summer the invasive pest was found in nearby Loudoun County…The insect feasts on more than 70 plant species, though its preferred host is the tree-of-heaven.” [DPWES]
FCPD Detective Destroyed Evidence of Rape — Fairfax County police are reviewing dozens of unsolved sexual assault cases after the victim of a rape in 1995 learned that a detective had destroyed all physical evidence in her case, including the rape kit. Police now say they believe the woman’s account and that her case was handled inappropriately, but she says the department needs “to somehow be held accountable.” [The Washington Post]
Longtime Fairfax Symphony Leader Dies — “William Hudson, a pianist and conductor who led the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra for 36 years, establishing it as a leading regional orchestra in the capital area, died July 12 at his home in Vienna, Va. He was 89. The cause was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, said his former wife, Denise Battistone.” [The Washington Post]
Tysons Corner Center Owner Reports Retail Resurgence — “Macerich…noted that distress in the retail industry has slowed dramatically after a pandemic-spurred wave of closures in 2020…Macerich said its leasing activity in the second quarter reflected retailer demand at levels not seen since 2015.” [CNBC]
Vienna Police Share Results of Increased Traffic Enforcement — “After a noticeable increase in stop sign violations, the Town of Vienna Police Department had a directed enforcement initiative during the month of June…During the Stop Sign Enforcement Campaign, officers worked a total of 469 events utilizing stationary observation of stop signs, which generated 219 stop sign violations and 74 other violations.” [Vienna Police]
Local Meal Service Company Gets New HQ — MightyMeals, an overnight meal delivery company that grew out of a Franconia restaurant in 2015, has leased a 16,000-square-foot commercial unit at 7669 Limestone Drive in Gainesville for its new corporate headquarters. The space is seven times larger than its current 2,400-square-foot cooking prep warehouse in Burke. [Washington Business Journal]
Signs for Renamed Vienna Street in Place — “Vienna officials have replaced street signs on the former Wade Hampton Drive with new ones reading ‘Liberty Lane.’ The switch was done in early July ‘with little fanfare’ (as requested by residents), town officials said in the government’s monthly newsletter.” [Sun Gazette]
Bus Planned to Upcoming Innovation Center Metro — “OmniRide is hoping to take advantage of the forthcoming 66 Outside the Beltway toll lanes, and for the first time, its passengers could be getting one-seat trips to the Dulles area by the end of the year. The transit provider is hoping to start a commuter route that would take riders from Balls Ford Road to the Innovation Center Silver Line Metro stop in December” [Inside NoVA/WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Humid throughout the day. High of 90 and low of 71. Sunrise at 6:13 am and sunset at 8:19 pm. [Weather.gov]
A developer that specializes in “live/work lofts” has set its sights on a pair of Merrifield office buildings being vacated by Inova Health System.
The buildings at 8110 Gatehouse Road and 2990 Telestar Road will be renovated and repurposed, respectively, as live-work units and workforce housing under a rezoning proposal that Fairfax County received from Madison Highland Live Work Loft Services LLC on July 25.
John Foust will step down from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors after 2023, concluding a 16-year run representing the Dranesville District.
Foust announced at the board’s meeting this morning (Tuesday) that he will not seek a fifth term in office next year, when all 10 seats will be on the general election ballot that November.
“I will have much more to say about this as time goes by,” Foust said. “…For now, I just want to say it has been an absolute honor to serve on this board for the next 15 years. I just love it. I want to assure my constituents…that I and my staff will continue to work hard to represent you until my term ends on Dec. 31, 2023.”
Fairfax County is exploring being the first Virginia locality to create a “green bank” as a way to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
In a presentation to the Board of Supervisors’ environmental committee last week, county staff said a green bank can help spur investments in clean energy.
While the long-term vision for McLean Central Park continues to take shape, community members can expect to see a more immediate change later this month.
Work will begin in mid-August to replace an aging, wooden bridge in the park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd) with a fiberglass bridge that will last longer and require less maintenance, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced last week.
GW Parkway Rehab Prompts Closures — “Rolling single-lane closures are coming to a busy portion of George Washington Memorial Parkway starting today (August 1) and continuing through Friday (August 5). Impacted will be the seven-mile segment of the GW Parkway between Spout Run Parkway in Arlington and the I-495 interchange in McLean.” [ARLnow]
Wolf Trap Road Closed for Route 7 Project — “Starting on or about Aug. 2 and continuing until Aug. 19, Trap Road will be closed at Route 7 while crews continue to build the improvements in this area. Drivers will use Towlston Road for access between Trap Road and Route 7. All residences, businesses and other public facilities will remain accessible.” [VDOT]
Patrick Henry Housing Project Advances — “The Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 27 endorsed a proposal to replace the Patrick Henry emergency family shelter in Seven Corners with a new building providing permanent supportive housing. The new four-story facility, called Patrick Henry Place, will have 16 units.” [Annandale Today]
FCPS Mostly Staffed But Still Hiring — Fairfax County Public Schools will interview candidates for teacher and counselor positions both in person and virtually on Thursday (Aug. 4). Superintendent Michelle Reid said last week that classrooms are 97% staffed, and there are “plans in place to address the remaining vacancies” before the new school year starts Aug. 22. [FCPS/Twitter, WTOP]
County Gets Money from Opioid Settlement — “Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) announced July 29 that payments were heading out to Virginia’s 133 counties and cities as the first installment of the settlement with McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health…Fairfax County — the commonwealth’s largest jurisdiction by population — is entitled to 8.672 percent of the latter total, or $352,630.” [Sun Gazette]
Clifton Restaurant Prepares for Reopening — “Nearly three years ago, the decade-old, highly acclaimed restaurant Trummer’s on Main completed a major renovation and menu overhaul to reopen as an American bistro, hoping to pivot from its reputation as a special-occasion spot to something more approachable…Fast forward two-and-a-half years and Trummer’s is completing what it set out to do, led by a new executive chef, Zack Ridenhour” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Herndon IT Company Looks to Grow — “Fairfax County is the ideal location for Herndon-based IT solutions provider Iron Bow Technologies’ new 35,600-square foot headquarters, said Rene LaVigne, president and CEO of Iron Bow… ‘We’ve recently relocated to new offices in February to accommodate our employees in this new era of hybrid work,’ said LaVigne.” [Fairfax County EDA]
Discount on Bicycle Storage Available — Fairfax County is currently offering a 50% discount on memberships for its secure bicycle lockers, which can be found at the Wiehle-Reston and Herndon Metro station as well as the Stringfellow Park and Ride. Anyone interested can use the code FFX50 to get the discount. [FCDOT]
Vienna Youth Players Musical Sells Out — “All remaining shows for ‘Shrek The Musical’ are officially sold out. There are no more tickets available for purchase online or in person on show night. Thank you, Vienna, for supporting the arts and for supporting all those who help make shows like this possible!” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Humid throughout the day. High of 89 and low of 75. Sunrise at 6:12 am and sunset at 8:20 pm. [Weather.gov]
A 27-year-old man exposed himself multiple times at shopping centers in the Tysons West area last week, Fairfax County police say.
The man was arrested last Tuesday (July 26) after allegedly exposing himself twice in front of a woman and juvenile who were shopping in the clothing section of the Walmart in Tysons West (1500 Cornerside Blvd.) that day.
Police were called to the scene around 6:45 p.m., but the man had left the department store before they arrived.
