Note: This post was originally published on August 22, 2008.

Since moving downtown, I find myself walking 300% more than I ever walked living in the burbs. I walk for my health, pleasure, shopping, eating out, grabbing a drink and running miscellaneous errands. With rising gas prices, walking all helps on the budget.

I noticed that cities are starting to be ranked and graded on their “walkability”. A site called Walk Score, gives downtown 50309 a score of 89 out of 100 possible points. Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.
Here are general guidelines for interpreting a score:

• 90–100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
• 70–89 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Fitness | Maps | Walking

Note: This post was originally published on August 22, 2008.

Brenton Skating Plaza is now offering bike rentals. Explore Des Moines’ scenic trails and experience Downtown in a whole new way! Mountain, Road, and Hybrid bikes available for rental (one hour, 1/2 day, full day, or 7 day rentals) starting as low as $12 per hour.

I’m very excited to see that we can now rent bikes downtown for two reasons:

1. I don’t own a bike, but sometimes get the inkling to want to go for a bike ride.
2. I just got back from Provincetown last Saturday and had rented a bike there for the week and had a great time riding it and exploring the Cape.

According to local news reports Des Moines’ first bicycle rental facility opened this week at Brenton Skate Plaza. Brenton has teamed up with Bike World to rent out bikes during the ice skating rink’s off season and in an effort to draw more people downtown, specifically to the downtown trails and views along the Principal Riverwalk.

Rentals are available seven days a week, weather permitting, until the ice skating rink opens back up in November. They are hoping the bike rental season to run annually from April to November.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Biking | Fitness

It started just a couple of weeks ago, but Des Moines is taking a less from the City of Chicago, that lessen being offering free yoga in the park for area residents.

On Saturday mornings, beginning at 9am, June through September, you can go to Gray’s Lake and take a free yoga class. No experience or pre-registration is required. Parking available at the north-side beach.

Check out some pictures from last week’s event, courtesy of Tina Johnson, your downtown gal and others on Gray’s Lake Park Facebook page.

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Fitness | Neighbors

Gym F/X 418 6th Avenue – Suite 110, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Phone: 515-288-1111 Website: www.gymfxandtannging.com  Current Gym Hours: Monday – Friday 5am – 9pm Saturday 8am – 5pm Sunday 9am – 1pm Current Tanning Hours: Monday – Thursday 10am – 7pm Saturday – Sunday Closed

Gym F/X Fitness and Tanning is located in the historic Liberty Building on the corner of 6th and Grand in downtown Des Moines. The gym is located on the 1st floor, tanning salon and juice bar is located on the 2nd floor or skywalk level.

Gym Equipment:

40 Pieces Cardio Equipment Cardio Theatre w/Flat Screen Monitors Selectorized Circuit Training (FAST and effective) Strength Equipment – Complete line of Precor strength equipment, 35,000 lbs Olympic Free Weights

Tanning Salon:
6 Bed Tanning Salon Including 3 Stand- Up Units High Pressure Facial Tanning All GYM F/X Members save 15% on tanning session packages. 5 Levels of Tanning Available

Juice Bar/Nutrition Center:
GymF/X offers food to go at there Juice Bar which features APEX meal Replacement Products along with an exclusive line of nutritional APEX supplements that are recommended with your goals and lifestyle in mind.

This gym is perfect for both those that work downtown or live downtown. The gym has a full staff of professional trainers, full-size locker rooms and showers. For more information on the gym contact Doug Van Wyk at 515-288-1111.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Business Spotlight | Fitness | Liberty Condos

Staying fit downtown has to be one of the best advantages to living downtown because it’s so easy. For one thing you can walk most everywhere you need, either outside or through the skywalk and if you prefer to bike, we now even have bike rentals downtown. With the Principal Riverwalk coming, walking or biking downtown will be even better.

For downtown gyms we have basically two places, the Downtown YMCA and Gym F/X Fitness & Tanning. I belong to Gym F/X, it’s on the first and second floor of my building, the Liberty Building. I’m happy to say that since joining the gym and moving downtown where I’m way more active, I’ve lost 10 pounds and 8 percent body fat in the last six months.

When joining the gym, I signed up for their LivFit 10 Week Training Program. It’s basically a 5 component system that covers: food intake, cardiovascular training, taking supplements to eliminate nutritional deficiencies, resistance training and application of programming. With this program I was signed up for the BodyBugg and had a personal trainer, Jeff Zelenovich, to assist me through the program. I had done so well on the 10 week program, I’ve continued on using BodyBugg program for another year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Biking | Fitness | Liberty Condos | Skywalk | Walking

Since moving downtown in March, I find myself walking 300% more than I ever walked living in the burbs. I walk for my health, pleasure, shopping, eating out, grabbing a drink and running miscellaneous errands. With rising gas prices, walking all helps on the budget.

I noticed that cities are starting to be ranked and graded on their “walkability”. A site called Walk Score, gives downtown 50309 a score of 89 out of 100 possible points. Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.
Here are general guidelines for interpreting a score:

• 90–100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
• 70–89 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Dining | Fitness | Grocery | Maps | Walking