outdoor fitness

Alum Rock Park hiking trails

 in Fitness / General Fashion  tagged fitness / hiking / outdoor fitness / staycation by

wearing: adidas sweatshirt / gaiter / spring nail polish / backpack / water bottle / sweatpants / hiking boots (sold out, similar here) /

Alum Rock Park is a large outdoor recreation area in San Jose, California. This park is the oldest municipal park in San Jose, dating back to 1872. It’s located on the eastern side of San Jose and offers playgrounds, picnic areas, multiple hiking trails, and a visitor center with camps and activities where visitors can learn more about the wildlife in the area. In addition to being a great place for outdoor fun and education, there is a historic aspect to the park!

The Alum Rock Mineral Springs were very popular in the early 1900s. While the mineral springs are now defunct, the remnants can be found along the hiking trails and provide a beautiful addition to the natural surroundings.

The hiking trails in Alum Rock are not too difficult, and are perfect for families. We enjoyed hiking through the park and occasionally stopping to take pictures of each other with the ruins from the springs. It was extremely relaxing and beautiful. I cannot believe we hadn’t visited Alum Rock Park before! It’s perfect for a day of fun, exercise, and a little education.

If you are local to the Bay Area, I highly recommend visiting Alum Rock Park; especially if you have children. The park gets very busy, so I recommend going early; before 9am. This way you can enjoy the park stress-free. Love that!

Have you been to Alum Rock Park before? What are your favorite spots? We parked by the visitor center and went on the hiking trails from there.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Fitness routine winter 2021

 in Fitness / General Fashion  tagged fitness gear / fitness tips / outdoor fitness / winter 2021 by

home fitness gear winter 2021

Home fitness gear for winter 2021 from top left: backpack (I cannot live without mine!) / weight set (I use this one all the time) / yoga mat / soft beach towel / workout top (I love mine!) / water bottle (I have one in red and love it) / yoga socks (I wear these and love them) / running shoes / adidas leggings /

Whew! It’s cold out there! When the temperature drops, I tend to try and move my workouts inside. Unfortunately, our gyms in California are outdoor only right now, so I am bundling up and working around the cold!

I am in a fortunate situation where my gym has moved a lot of fitness classes online during the pandemic. This has been a godsend since I can attend classes at home, in addition to going to the gym in-person for outdoor fitness. It really has given me a lot of options which work well with my schedule.

If your gym has been closed, I recommend finding an online fitness option so you can still attend classes. It really makes a huge difference, and helps keep you motivated and on track. Love it!

My fitness goals at the moment include reducing stress, shedding my quarantine weight, and staying healthy. So, in order to accomplish this, I am mixing up cardio with interval (HIIT) workouts, and weekly yoga. I have lost ten pounds since May! Love!

Without further ado, here is how my balanced fitness schedule:

Sunday: Yoga (online or in-person depending on weather)

Monday: U-Jam (cardio, online class)

Tuesday: The Drop (HIIT style, online)

Wednesday: 30 min walk outside (light cardio)

Thursday: Tabata and Core (HIIT style, online)

Friday: Cardio kickboxing or Ignite (cardio or HIIT style depending on Saturday)

Saturday: rest day or hiking with the family (weather permitting, we take a two hour hike)

If we are able to go hiking on Saturday, then I opt for either a rest day, or an Ignite class, on Friday. My goal is to have one rest day each week, three cardio days, and two HIIT days. I have been going into the gym one day per week. The rest of the week I either opt for an online class through my gym, or I head outside for a walk or hike.

It’s important to get outside, and breath in the fresh air; even when there isn’t a pandemic! There is something calming about nature. I love being able to enjoy it.

If you are trying to put together a weekly fitness routine, I recommend scheduling three cardio sessions, two HIIT sessions, and one yoga session each week. If yoga isn’t your thing, opt for a workout which includes stretching and core exercises such as Pilates.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your workout!

XOXO

Cathy

Marin Headlands Kirby Cove Road

 in Fitness / General Fashion / Travel  tagged fitness / hiking / outdoor fitness / staycation by

One of things I love about the San Francisco Bay Area is all of the history you can find; in almost every corner. While our history is not as deep as other areas, we still have pockets with remnants of our past; and it is important to learn about it as well as share it with the next generation.

The Marin Headlands is rich with history. While exploring the area, you may come across sites from around 1900, WWII forts, and Cold War relics. This is in addition to beautiful views, nature, camping grounds, trails, wildlife, beaches, and more. It’s truly a destination you cannot see all in one day. When we visit, we choose one little spot, and explore it.

We decided to explore the Kirby Cove area of the Marin Headlands. This area is normally overrun by tourists; but during the cold winter months, we are able to park easily and explore stress-free.

PRO TIP: Arrive before 9am during the off-season so you can park where you want to, and avoid crowds.

The points of interest we explored were Battery Spencer, Ridge Battery, and Battery Wagner. We also hiked along the Kirby Cove Road. This road leads to an amazing beach which is less busy than beaches such as Stinson and Muir; as long as you follow my pro tip above.

Kirby Cove Road is wide, which makes it a great trail for hiking right now when social distancing is so important. It’s really easy to keep your distance from others. We enjoyed the unparalled views of the Golden Gate Bridge, beach, ocean, bay, and general nature. It really is a must-see hiking area; especially if you are local to the Bay Area!

The Marin Headlands is really easy to find. If you are coming from the north on 101, take the last exit off the freeway before the bridge, and follow the road into the headlands. If you are coming from the south, take the first Sausalito exit off the bridge and follow the signs; they will take you right into the Headlands.

Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring a backpack filled with snacks, water, and lunch. Always bring your trash back out of the trail. There are plenty of trash and recycle cans in the parking areas.

I hope you enjoy exploring the Marin Headlands! Remember, the best time to visit is in the off-season, when tourism is down. Also, arrive before 9am so you can easily park.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy