Walk, run Ciclovia to better health

In an era when people find themselves bombarded by all sorts of messages from all sorts of sources, it’s pretty easy to get jaded and tune it all out.

That’s why the teenage volunteers of Building Healthy Communities East Salinas are making the big gesture of closing down a major street on Oct. 9 in the heart of Salinas.

The street-closure event, better known as the 4th annual Ciclovia, will turn 1.5 miles of normally bustling Alisal Street -- from Main Street to Sanborn Road on Oct. 9 -- into the exclusive domain of walkers, runners. joggers and bicyclists -- just about any mode of transportation that’s human powered.

The Salinas Ciclovia, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is taken from the Spanish term for “bike path” and is an idea lifted from Bogota, Colombia which in 1976 was credited for shutting down some of its streets to promote health and exercise.

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Since then the idea has caught on in many cities around the world, including San Francisco, which runs about 10 Sunday Streets programs a year.

According to Alejandra Silva, a local Building Healthy Communities intern and an organizer of this year’s event, Ciclovia Salinas will feature a range of fun activities for participants of all ages, including:

• Live entertainment,
• Fitness and dancing classes,
• Informational booths
• Art galleries 
• Raffles

Bike valet service will be available at the event, as well as a children’s area.

Silva noted that Ciclovia Salinas is made possible with support from the City of Salinas, the Community Foundation of Monterey County, the California Endowment, Building Healthy Communities East Salinas, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, and Monterey-Salinas Transit.

(Disclosure: The California Endowment is the main funder of the the Californian Media Group’s Community Health Reporting Project.)

Dr. Dana Kent of the Natividad Medical Foundation said she is a big supporter of Ciclovias.

“I got to participate in Ciclovía in Bogotá, Colombia a number of years ago," Kent said. "It takes place on Sundays and it was such a joyful, fun event for people of all ages. I learned that a side benefit was a marked improvement in air quality in Bogotá  by having the Ciclovía street closed to motor vehicles.”

Kent’s colleague at NMC, Dr. John Silva agreed.

Silva said NMC will have a team at Ciclovía again this year and is partnering in a health booth with the Monterey County Health Department and Walgreen’s Pharmacy (Sanborn) to provide bicycle helmet safety information.

Silva said they also will be providing free flu vaccines and a raffle for two bicycles donated by Dr. Wendell Harry.  NMC’s team includes volunteer Family Practice Residency physicians and volunteers from Alisal High School’s Health Academy and CSUMB’s pre-medical program.

“Ciclovía provides an opportunity for people to try recreational activities, perhaps even discovering something new," Kent said. "Studies show a person is more likely to stick with a physical activity if he/she enjoys it.”

And, naturally, both Kent and Silva agreed that physical activity has many benefits, including lowering weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol; lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke; and lowering the risk of certain cancers.

The doctors said physical activity can also help decrease stress and depression, improve one’s energy level and quality of sleep, improve muscle and bone strength, and improve balance. It may also help improve memory.

Kent and Silva said they also hope the event stimulates more people to watch their weight and to exercise each day with an eye toward the prevention of diabetes -- a coming tsunami of the chronic disease is expected to hit Monterey County over the next five to 10 years.

For more information about Ciclovia Salinas, please contact Alejandra Silva at (831) 717-1384 or email CicloviaSalinas@gmail.com, or visit Ciclovia Salinas’s Facebook page.

Californian reporter and columnist Jeff Mitchell covers community health and life in the Salinas Valley. His work is supported by a generous grant from The California Endowment. Email him at jemitchell@thecalifornian.com. Follow Mitchell on Twitter @CivicChronicles