COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
As the sun shines over Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia, a light breeze cuts through the trees. Geese squawk, birds sing, and a massage therapist loosens up a woman's tired muscles under a canopy of shade.
This is the relaxing side of what's called Lori's Adventure Day, a multi-sport workout event Lori Lapin holds several times a year.
"So many people are stuck and they think they only have to go to a gym to work out," Lapin said.
Lori is a fitness expert who designed her Adventure Days to give participants a total body workout in a fun, group environment that literally will stretch them in all directions.
"I've incorporated nutrition, a healthy lunch; I do a little lecture about exercise and have a massage therapist come. So, it's really a full day of just everything from wellness to fitness to nutrition," Lapin said.
The Adventure Day includes mountain biking on the trails. A person's skill level does not matter. An instructor helps explain technique and each person can go at her own pace. Pam Boggs is one of the event's many benefactors.
"I think the thing I've gotten out of it mostly is just being able to come of the my box and do something I've never done before. I've never been on a mountain bike and I did it. We were out there an hour and a half. We made it through. And it was wonderful," Boggs said.
Adventure Day includes running through the breathtaking scenery of the woods and it's not just a simple jog through the park.
"We did circuits through the woods. So, we would run three minutes, stop and do pushups, dips and squats and all those different things and then keep running," Lapin said.
Yoga Instructor Brenda Way led the group through yoga specifically targeted for athletes. It was a welcomed stretch after all the activity.
"I don't normally run, so I got dragged around the lake," said Bhavna Vasdeva. "And what's not to love? I'm walking, running, jogging, crawling, but it's just fun to be with other people. I love doing things in groups anyway."
Being active in groups builds camaraderie that eases the pain of the workouts, showing fitness is fun.
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