You find them everywhere—city parks to country roads, mountain peaks to coastal beaches; they don’t mind getting dirty, and they certainly don’t act their age! Along with their youthful glow, they like to hang in clusters, and they smile A LOT!
Most will tell you it’s the fresh air, the tranquility and serenity that keeps them enthused. Scientists might say it’s connected to the Biophilia Effect, while others will say it’s all about the Negative Ions—(oxygen molecules with an extra electron). Fresh air found in natural environments such as a mountain meadows, streams and lakes, or the ocean and beach, is rich in negative ions. These negative ions have a positive effect on our neurotransmitters and have been linked to improved sense of well-being, heightened awareness and alertness, decreased anxiety, and a lower resting heart rate.
What’s more, you also do your lungs a favor when you exercise outdoors: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air in the U.S. is two* to five times more polluted than outdoor air (meaning the outdoor air is 75% less polluted than indoor air!).
*NOTE FROM EPA: “Indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally, more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels.”
Here at Rendezvous we think it all makes sense.
You see, outdoor sports and fitness is really a personal event—where you can’t help but tune into the sights, sounds, aromas, and feeling you get when you connect to Nature. It doesn’t matter how “good” or accomplished you are at an activity, it’s the fact that you show up!
