Health and Active Living

Native Women Running Founder Verna Volker Gets a Running Start on Social Change

Posted 12/06/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Verna Volker | Photo by Jaylyn Gough, courtesy Hoka One One

Running is something that Volker picked up later in life, shortly after the birth of her third child. “I didn’t start until about 12 years ago, when I was at my heaviest, about 200 pounds. We had just moved from Nebraska to Minnesota, and I had a preschooler, a toddler and a newborn. But, in Minneapolis, I noticed that there was a really good trail and park system, so I saw people running a lot and thought, ‘I should try that.’ I started running, but I was so clueless. I didn’t even know how to shop for shoes, but I just kept running.”

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Verna Volker | Photo by Jaylyn Gough, courtesy Hoka One One

Native Women Running Founder Verna Volker Gets a Running Start on Social Change

Posted 12/06/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Running is something that Volker picked up later in life, shortly after the birth of her third child. “I didn’t start until about 12 years ago, when I was at my heaviest, about 200 pounds. We had just moved from Nebraska to Minnesota, and I had a preschooler, a toddler and a newborn. But, in Minneapolis, I noticed that there was a really good trail and park system, so I saw people running a lot and thought, ‘I should try that.’ I started running, but I was so clueless. I didn’t even know how to shop for shoes, but I just kept running.”

Left to Right: Waides Ashmon III, Ashley Jones, MaShant Ashmon, Ian Mackay and Vasu Sojitraa | Graphic by RTC

Here Is Some Inspiration to Keep Up or Create Your #TrailMoments Momentum!

Posted 10/14/21 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

We all know how difficult it can be to create or maintain healthy habits! That’s why the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy team launched our #TrailMoments 21-Day Challenge—so an entire community could band together and keep each other motivated.

Met Branch Trail | Photo by India Kea

Reimagining Public Spaces

Posted 10/12/21 by Ryan Chao in America's Trails | Tagged with COVID-19, Demand for Trails, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living, Mode Shift, Route of the Badger, Trail Moments, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Last year, when the team at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) was elbow deep in defining the elements of our next strategic plan, a global pandemic had upended the world, and calls for justice were bringing focus to the deep and far-reaching impact of racial inequities. In that moment, we explored the strengths of our movement, our role in bringing solutions to these significant social challenges and the opportunities ahead. What we found captured our imagination and brought reason for hope.

Oklahoma River Trails | Courtesy Oklahoma City Community Foundation

Oklahoma’s Oklahoma River Trails

Posted 10/06/21 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Health and Active Living, Oklahoma, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

Despite the city’s sprawling nature and 680,000 residents, it has a small-town feel, partly due to roughly 90 miles of trails through 10 connected routes. These routes, including the well-loved Oklahoma River Trails, bring people to the neighborhoods, parks, world-class attractions and the flourishing downtown region.

Graphic by RTC, Photos courtesy Hyderabad Randonneurs and TrailLink user fredjerina

A Student of Biking: Learning to Love Trails

Posted 09/15/21 by Ugesh Egala in America's Trails, Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Health and Active Living, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Bike rides clear my mind and help me focus on the rest of the day. For me, quick physical activities during the weekdays are now based around trails—a positive lifestyle change that I would encourage for everyone.

Photos courtesy Dale Majors and TrailLink user protoolned, graphic by RTC

How To Long-Distance Bike Tour With (Six!) Young Kids

Posted 09/03/21 by Dale Majors in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Trail Businesses, Trail Moments, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

I know it’s intimidating to plan a route that will be safe for your family while offering sufficient camping and have other important necessities like access to grocery stores close to the trail. We’ve found that good rails-trail routes can be very forgiving to those new to bike touring. We’ve learned so much since then and wanted to share some of our hard-earned lessons to make things easier for you.

Photo by Lisa Watts, graphic by RTC

The Great Bike Shortage? For Me, It Was the Great Bike Summer!

Posted 09/02/21 by Silvia Ascarelli in America's Trails | Tagged with COVID-19, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, Schools and Young People, Trail Moments, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

In late May 2020, during the early days of the COVID-induced Great Bike Shortage, I stood in line with a neighbor to buy a used bike. Her first bike. My neighbor Shahreen is in her late 30s and didn’t know how to ride a bike, so she asked me to teach her. And so began my Great Bike Summer.

Photo by Shawn Gossman, graphic by RTC

How a Rail-Trail Helped Save My Life and Redirect My Focus

Posted 08/06/21 by Shawn Gossman in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Health and Active Living, Illinois, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

That first time I rode on the rail-trail, I fell madly in love with it and cycling. I also found my first hiking trail while riding the trail. I then started hiking and eventually created a YouTube channel to show friends and family where I hike and bike.

Photo courtesy Thresa Giles and Albert Grant, graphic by RTC

Older, Wiser and Faster: A Friendly Competition Among Family

Posted 06/30/21 by Thresa Giles and Albert Grant in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Florida, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Although our first ride together was only 5 miles, the after-effects were excruciating: muscle pain, fatigue and a few choice words. But despite the Florida heat and the muscle pain, we were not deterred from riding. We became a daily fixture on the sidewalks of our neighborhood. Soon, we became known as “the riding couple” on the weekends.

MaShanta Ashmon on Michigan's Clinton River Park Trail | Photo by Rachel Walker | Graphic by RTC

Finding Health, Healing and Hope on the Trail

Posted 05/13/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with COVID-19, Health and Active Living, Michigan, Trail Moments, Why Use Trails?

After a long day of being in the house, sitting in front of a computer for seven hours, the only thing I wanted to do was close down my Zoom and go outside and ride my bike. I think that kept me sane. It truly gave me something to look forward to.

Washington's Olympic Discovery Trail | Photo by John Gussman

What’s It Like to Ride the Great American Rail-Trail? Just Ask These Trail Trekkers.

Posted 05/07/21 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails, Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Great American Rail-Trail, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

To commemorate the anniversary of the launch of the Great American, RTC talked to several long-distance bicyclists who have taken on the trail already—or are about to—to learn about their experiences so far, and why they’re tackling it the way they are.

Fun Run 5k on the W&OD Trail in Northern Virginia | Courtesy RTC

How to Train for a 5K or 10K Using Rail-Trails

Posted 04/05/21 by Emilia Benton in Health and Wellness, Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Rail-trails are an especially great option for training for that first race for a variety of reasons. For one thing, many of these trails are paved, flat or with a very light grade. They’re free to use, often close to home and easily accessible, making them an excellent option for anyone who loves to be outdoors.