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BICYCLING IS A GREAT WAY to be active and get exercise without putting strain on your joints.
While it is often seen as a recreational activity, bicycling is also an excellent way to commute to school and work. With May being Bike Month, here are a few highlights of the benefits of incorporating cycling into your daily routine: 1. Cycling is great for improving physical and mental health, including cardiovascular health. Spending time outside in one of the many wonderful parks or bike trails in our region can aid in improving mental health. 2. Trails such as the Chessie Circle Trail, the Slippery Elm Trail, and the University Parks Trail offer great opportunities to get exercise. The trails in our region are continually being expanded and improved upon with the goal of connecting our region through multi-use paths. Please visit TMACOG’s Map Portal (https://tmacog.org/gismap-portal) to check out our region’s existing and upcoming bike facilities. 3. Cycling is great for those trying to incorporate more exercise into their daily routine to increase cardiovascular strength and help reach the caloric deficit that is often needed to lose weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention go into detail on the benefits of physical activity on their health benefits webpage (https://www.cdc. gov/physicalactivity/basics/pahealth).
4. Depending on your location, cycling is an excellent way to get to work or school. Cycling is a great alternative to using a car to get to work. Cycling, complemented with transit services, can help get you to some of the more distant places to work or shop. More information can be found on TMACOG’s Walking and Biking page (https://tmacog.org/transportation/ walking-biking) and Bike Month page (https://tmacog.org/ transportation/walking-biking/ bikemonth).
Would you like to get involved in the regional planning process for walking and biking? Please contact me at nagisetty@tmacog.org for more information.
Raj Nagisetty is a TMACOG Transportation Planner. ✲
