The snow is falling and the
air is crisp. No more are the colorful
leaves peeking out from under faded grass.
It is that time of year again: time to go sledding! Excitement builds with every step as you
near the crest of the hill. Peering
over the edge your stomach fills with butterflies and your cheeks sting with a
biting chill. You’re not quite sure if
this hill is conquerable, but you already went through all that effort of
climbing the towering beast. You will
sled down and you will be victorious if it’s the last thing you do.
Besides the adrenaline rush
of going 25 miles per hour on a cookie sheet, sledding has lots of other
benefits for your body and mind. As you
climb up the hill, the snow, heavy winter clothing and dragging a sled behind
you all combine to make quite the cardiovascular and leg workout.
“On our last snow day I went
sledding at Cooper Farm with a group of friends. The hills were gigantic and we had so much fun. The only bad part was having to climb back
up, but at least I got a workout,” said freshman Megan McKillip.
While sledding may be a fun
way to get exercise, certain precautions must be in place before heading out to
the slopes.
Some helpful reminders to
keep you all safe on your snow day adventures: when sledding make sure to go
somewhere free of posts and many trees, wear lots of warm clothes in layers,
keep scarves and other items of clothing tucked in to avoid getting caught on
something or getting pulled under the sled and make sure nobody is in your path
when you start down the hill.
All in all, sledding is a
great way to work those icicles out of your veins on a cold winter’s day and
keep your legs climbing more than the school’s flights of stairs.
1. Laura Dodge School (3535 Maplewood Blvd.)
2. Bemis Park (off of 40th and Cuming)
3. Benson park (72nd and Military)
4. Memorial Park (60th and Underwood Ave.)
5. Harvey Oaks (150th and Center)
6. Prairie Lane (120th and Center)
7. St. Roberts (120th and Pacific)
8. Candlewood (124th and Webster)
9. Tomahawk Park (96th Fort)
10. Elmwood Park
(802 S. 60th St.)