Did you overindulge a little on turkey and pumpkin pie at yesterday’s Thanksgiving gathering? Whether you’re feeling an itch to get active in recompense—or whether leading an active life is an important part of your routine any time of the year, the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business offers ample opportunity to stay fit.
Today’s Fridays from the Frontline column, from second-year MBA student Lydia Hackert, outlines the wide-ranging options that surround Darden and the Charlottesville community for exercise of all kinds. Now, fitting a regular workout routine into the hectic schedule that you’ll need to keep up as an MBA student is a different challenge all together—but as Hackert attests, you can certainly do it at Darden if you want to. Our thanks to Darden and Hackert for allowing us to share her post with the Clear Admit audience.
The following post has been republished in its entirety from its original source, “Discover Darden,” the school’s full-time MBA blog.
Living the Active Life at Darden in Charlottesville
by Lydia Hackert, Class of 2018
I have never been great at sitting still for very long. As a kid, my parents signed me up for sports, as many parents do, as an outlet for all that energy. Even now, I’m always looking for my next athletic endeavor, and both Darden and the broader Charlottesville community have provided ample opportunities to do that while working towards my MBA here.
Charlottesville is often noted for its proximity to Shenandoah National Park and a host of other great outdoors activities. But there are so many things closer to home, including incredible outdoor running and biking trails, world class fitness studios, and ways to even be a little more creative with your activities.
The streets of Charlottesville offer a great setting for runs of all distances. A jog around UVA’s main grounds is both historic and picturesque as you cruise by Mr. Jefferson’s original campus (but don’t let any Hoos hear you call it a campus!). Along the Rivanna Trail—a 26-mile dirt trail that loops around the city of Charlottesville—it’s easy to forget that you’re even still in town while you’re on a run, walk, or taking out that mountain bike you love.
The countryside roads of Charlottesville are also a great venue for long bike rides. While Darden doesn’t officially have a Cycling Club, it’s not hard to find others who are up for a ride on Friday or Sunday mornings.
If sweating it out in a fitness studio is more your scene, there are some great options around town. Zoom cycling and FlyDog Yoga are favorite spots of Darden students thanks to their proximity the school, and Barre.[d], a local barre class studio, is owned and operated by a Darden student! Many of the studios are locally owned and operated, so visiting any of them is a great way to get your sweat on and get to know the local community.
There’s no doubt that Charlottesville has a lot to offer for whatever level of activity you’re seeking. But what makes that experience so special here in Charlottesville is that you always have a Darden classmate who is looking for a similar adventure or wanting to lead their own.
Outside of the official sporting clubs that Darden offers, such as Soccer Club, Run Club, and Golf Club, there always seems to be someone organizing a new event. In the picture above you can see some of the Darden crew planking during a Saturday morning sweat session at the UVA track. There’s also a group of students who get together once a week to swim laps at the North Grounds Gym Pool. Still some other creative Darden students stay active through regular visits to the local climbing gym!
If you find yourself down in Charlottesville for a class visit, interview or vacation, ask around and I bet you’ll be able to find your favorite activity and meet some great folks along the way.
