I’m a foul-weather gym member. The Meredith Matthews YMCA  (just off 23rd in the Central District) has a great facility and low rates—and they allow me to join and cancel at will with no fees. This allows me to workout outside when I want, and inside when the weather shifts.  I prefer to spend as much time outside as possible in the summer, and to integrate my workouts into the rest of my life as much as possible.

If you’re looking for a great workout in our neighborhood, check out the stairs running east-west on the streets between 15th and 17th. I created a Google map to give an idea of stair locations and the route we take.  Be creative and explore the area—I usually incorporate a few hills in addition to the stairs.

Depending on how much time I have (and how Tica’s feeling) we’ll walk or jog the stairs while heading north, then slow down and head south towards home along a less steep route.

It’s a great workout with some breathtaking views. I put some of my shots from this area in the Beacon Hill Blog Flickr photo pool—share yours!

Much thanks for all the hard work neighbors and volunteers have been putting in to make these stairs usable!