Staying Fit on a Shoestring: Six Weeks of Fitness Fun for the Working Austinite!

If you’re working full time and trying to save money, it can feel impossible to stay fit. Gym memberships cost way more than potato chips, and most boot camps take place during regular business hours. What’s a working Austinite to do?

Take the ActiveATX Fitness Challenge! Spend the next six weeks completing the six free, fun workouts listed below. Not only do these opportunities take place outside of normal business hours, but also, all six of them will cost you six dollars total! And, best of all, at the end of these six weeks, your wallet will be fatter and your waist be skinnier. So get out there and start moving!

Rogue Raffler
Meet up at Rogue Running Thursday August 26th at 6:55 p.m. for a social, after-work race and happy hour. Right before the race begins, the Rogue staff will reveal several checkpoints around Austin, and runners will have three minutes to plan an hour-long route that hits as many of the checkpoints as possible. At each checkpoint, the Rogue staff will give each runner a ticket, and they will have an hour to collect as many tickets as possible to enter in the post-race raffle. After participants return to Rogue Running with their tickets, the happy hour will commence, complete with free beer, delicious food, and fun prizes. Work out, develop your strategic mind, and make new friends all at the same time!
Cost: Free

Rowing with Flywheel Fitness
Flywheel Fitness is holding a Rowing Foundations class this Saturday September 4th at 10:30 a.m. This class will teach you the basic indoor rowing technique and will prepare you for other Flywheel classes. If you already have some rowing experience, wake up a little earlier this Saturday and try out their All Play Rowing class at 9:30 a.m. Make sure to RSVP by clicking the “class schedule” icon on Flywheel’s homepage and then signing up for a session that works for you. Get ready for a workout that is both high-intensity and low-impact!
Cost: At Flywheel, your first class is free.

Swimming Barton Springs
Savor the last few days of summer! Head to Barton Springs during the early morning or late evening and swim the length of the pool four times. Bring your goggles so you can watch the fish and search for salamanders as you swim. After you finish, relax in the deep end with a float or lay out under the sun. Arrive before noon or after 6 p.m. on Saturday to avoid the crowds. Make sure to turn off of Barton Springs Road onto Stratford and park on the back side of Zilker to avoid weekend parking fees.
Cost: $3 entry fee.

Barefoot Bliss
Don your running gear and drive to the north side of Zilker Park, but don’t bother to bring your shoes. Spend 30 or so minutes running barefoot through Zilker, enjoying the soft sensation of the grass against your toes. You can run the perimeter of the park a few times or you can zig-zag through the park as you please. As you jog, take in the sights around you — the beach volleyball games, dogs frolicking through the field, lovers on a picnic, the Zilker Zephyr Train, and the sun setting over the lake.
Cost: Free

Ruta Maya Yoga
Want to stretch out your sore muscles or unwind after a long week at work? Head to Ruta Maya Coffee Shop where yoga class is free with a coffee house purchase. There are classes all week, with Family Yoga for Kids at 10 a.m. and Hatha Flow yoga at noon on Saturdays. If yoga isn’t your thing, Ruta Maya offers Tai Chi on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Check out their website for more details and information on the free Community Wellness Classes.
Cost: Free with coffee house purchase

Take a Hike
By now, it’s October, and Austin should be cooling down. Take advantage of the temperate weather and hike the Upper Barton Creek Greenbelt. You can begin your trek at either the Gaines Creek trailhead, on the Mopac frontage just south of 360, or at Trail’s End at 1710 Camp Craft Road. Make sure to leave your valuables at home: these trailheads are hot spots for car burglaries. This three-mile hike boasts views of Sculpture Falls and Twin Falls, a plethora of wildlife, and of course, the “Hill of Life,” the steep, 400-meter incline that leads up to Trail’s End. For the best views, the thinnest crowds, and the coolest weather, arrive around 7 a.m., just after sunrise. For extra credit, bring your bathing suit so you can swim in the wake of Twin Falls.
Cost: Free