Summer Fit: The summertime guide to living well

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If you're living in London this summer and want to take advantage of your free time to exercise, this city has many "sweet spots" that make getting fit fun.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
London is home to two particularly great running stores: Running Room and Runners' Choice. Both are specialized running stores that also have a wide selection of triathlon gear, running magazines and tons of meal supplements like protein bars, energy bars and carb-replenishing drinks and gels.

RUNNING ROOM
620 Richmond St., 519-438-8550
runningroom.com
The Running Room hosts free run groups on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 8:30 a.m. They also hold walking and running clinics, and all programs by the Running Room follow their unique training system. Visit their website for a list of races taking place across Ontario.

RUNNERS' CHOICE
207 Dundas St., 519-672-5928
runnerschoice.on.ca
Runners' Choice also hosts free run groups on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. This store is known for its Runpiker series of fun runs that take place across Ontario throughout the summer. Visit their website for details.

MAKE A SPLASH
The best way to cool off on a hot summer day is going for a dip in one of London's many public pools — and it's great exercise, too! For more information about local pools, swim times and memberships, visit tinyurl.com/londonpools.

LONDON AQUATIC CENTRE
1045 Wonderland Rd. N.,
519-661-4455
tinyurl.com/LACinfo
Located in the west end of London, the Aquatic Centre is a world-class swimming and diving facility and has been host to many top-level meets, including the 2001 Canada Summer Games. Besides an Olympic-sized swimming pool and an adults-only swirl pool, the Aquatic Centre also has an indoor aquatic climbing wall.

SOUTH LONDON COMMUNITY POOL
585 Bradley Ave., 519-661-0920
tinyurl.com/SLCPinfo
An awesome whale-shaped pool with a "Guppy Pool" hot tub makes this indoor pool a whale of a time! It also has a 10-foot tall aquatic rock-climbing wall and waterslide. This pool is wheelchair accessible, featuring a wheelchair ramp from the deck all the way into the water.

CARLING HEIGHTS OPTIMIST
COMMUNITY CENTRE
656 Elizabeth St., 519-661-2525
tinyurl.com/CHOCCinfo
The fitness facility at the Wolseley Barracks has a full-size gym and exercise facilities, as well as a gorgeous pool and an aquatic rock climbing wall!

PUMP IT UP

For the indoor exerciser, there a number of gyms available in the city. For those athletes who crave the combative adrenaline rush, there are even gyms that specialize in mixed martial arts training.

ADRENALINE TRAINING FACILITY
1794 Dundas St., Unit 1, 519-451-8880
adrenalinemma.ca
This is the city's only fully functional Mixed Martial Arts and athletic training facility. It's home to Mark "The Machine" Hominick, Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout and Alex "Pecker" Gasson.

ATHLETIC CLUB
755 Wonderland Rd. N., 519-471-7181;
3198 Wonderland Rd. S., 519-686-8777
theathleticclubs.ca
A popular London workout gym, The Athletic Club offers great facilities and a variety of classes. Both locations are open 24 hours a day, five days a week.

GOODLIFE FITNESS
201 King St., 519-433-0601;
775 Adelaide St. N., 519-438-4135;
1205 Oxford St. W., 519-471-4200;
825 Oxford St. E., 519-434-3331;
1925 Dundas St. E., 519-451-9026
goodlifefitness.com
This is just a list of the five closest clubs to Fanshawe College - there are 11 GoodLife Fitness Clubs across the city. Many offer classes, swimming pools, squash courts and more.

FITNESS FORUM
900 Jalna Blvd., 519-681-1123
fitnessforum.ca
This gym offers group fitness classes, a variety of equipment, an indoor pool and whirlpool, four international squash courts and even a nutrition program - think of it as one-stop fitness shopping.

GOLD'S GYM
4465 Wellington Rd. S., 226-289-4653
goldsgym.com
A gym that offers a cardio theatre, wellness centre, swimming pool, classes and more, open 24/7.

SUFFER-SYSTEM FIGHTING TEAM
1472 Dundas St., 519-860-3742
An MMA training camp that will really whip your butt into shape. They have plenty of classes and training programs that will get you to your fighting fittest.

YMCA
382 Waterloo St., 519-667-3300;
1050 Hamilton Rd., 519-451-2395;
920 Sunningdale Rd. E., 519-667-4400
ymcawo.ca
The amenities vary by location, but their pools, workout facilities and much more make the Y a great place to get fit.

CHOW DOWN
What good is an exercise program without access to great selection of healthy food? London's markets are great sources for fresh produce, especially if you take the organic route. Check out the selection of lean meats, dairy products, healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables at these beloved London markets.

COVENT GARDEN MARKET
130 King St., 519-439-3921
coventmarket.com
In the heart of downtown, this is a great place to chill with friends, grab some free-trade coffee and shop around too. Prices are a little more expensive than Food Basics, No Frills or Price Chopper, but the market offers an exquisite tea store, a nutrition and supplement store and tons of fresh, local produce from family farms. This market also has a massage clinic on its upper level.

SUNRIPE MARKETPLACE
744 Adelaide St. N., 519-433-4141
This market specializes in produce, a variety of meats, bread products, desserts and ethnic ingredients. Sunripe is famous for its high-quality food and the freshness of its produce.

Now that you're armed with all this information, go out and get fit! Running, swimming, working out at the gym and taking a trip to the markets — you're sure to find something you like as the city has plenty to offer for the healthy-minded. Good luck!