The weather in Boston is finally changing, and we are feeling the sun for the first time in what feels like ages. It’s that time when everyone is outside—doing homework, sunning, playing sports. When we aren’t in class or work, we want to spend as much time as possible outside. What about bringing your workout outside, too? Here are 6 ways you can get out of the Plex, stay close to campus, and enjoy the weather while you get ready for bikini season.
Go for a walk or run around the Res.
The Res is one of the most beautiful spots near campus—especially at springtime. The loop around is about 1.56 miles (says Wikipedia), so it’s the perfect distance to burn some calories while taking in a gorgeous view! Even if you don’t want to run the distance, grab a friend and talk while you walk, and you’ll get all the same great health benefits!
Play Frisbee, soccer, or even just a game of catch outside
If you walk around campus on a nice spring day, you see tons of people outside playing a pickup game of soccer or a heated competition of Kan Jam. Grab a group of your friends and start a game of your own. You will burn calories without even realizing it!
Play tennis
The Plex actually has 6 outdoor tennis courts that are available to anyone with a BC ID! You just have to reserve the court (up to one day in advance) by calling (617) 552-0797. Grab a friend, let the Equipment Desk know you’re there when you’re ready to play, and go outside and enjoy playing tennis!
Go for a bike ride
There are beautiful neighborhoods around BC, so break out the bike and go check them out! If you don’t have a bike on campus, you can rent a bike from Hubway! They don’t have a station super close to Boston College yet, but there are still some convenient locations! You can rent a bike for the day, a few days, a month or more! It’s a great way to expand your BC bubble a little further.
Hang out on the Charles River
The Charles River is the perfect spot close to campus for all things water sports, like canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing! There are a bunch of companies available for varying prices, but here are some sites to get you started: Canoeing and Kayaking at www.paddleboston.com, windsurfing at www.amcboston.org/windsurf, and sailing at www.community-boating.org.
Walk around Boston.
Boston is pretty walker-friendly, and there are so many amazing sights you can see—from the North End to Downtown and beyond! Even just walking around will help you stay in shape! Check out the Freedom Trail while out in Boston—it’s a 2.5 mile trail that shows you 16 historical sights and brings you through some of the most gorgeous views of Boston!
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut_Hill_Reservoir
http://blog.castlesunlimited.com
http://blog.kanjam.com/2009/08/page/2/
http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/rec/about-us/courts.html
http://www.wnyc.org/story/286932-five-lessons-for-seattle-bike-share-from-bostons-hubway/
http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/Archives/ED101sp07/esarah/landmarks%20-%20scenic.html
http://thetinpot.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/6-reasons-you-should-take-your-workout-outside/run/