I’m not a runner.  I like to think of myself as a really supportive Rooster for the Healthy Hen.  One thing she enjoys about running is the simplicity of it.  All you really need, in its purest form, is a pair of running shoes.  So for years, I watched her pack up the baby jogger and her shoes into our minivan (I like to call it the Hoop Ride, it makes me feel just a bit more hip) and take off running from all sorts of destinations:  hotels, campgrounds, the kids’ schools, you name it.  She would wear a regular watch, and just decide how much time she was going to run for.  When she would get done, she would make an educated guess on what her pace was, the distance she ran, that sort of thing.  The only time she usually knew her true pace and distance was running with her sister, who a few years ago got a Garmin Forerunner, which they used to help train for a marathon.  Read the rest of the story...

This past week we took a whirlwind trip up to Bozeman, Montana.  If you have been there, you know it is about an hour north of Yellowstone National Park and a paradise for those who love outdoor activities – both winter and summer.  Generally, the Healthy Hen House leans towards the summer activities, so we did not expect a lot of outdoor fun in March, but we lucked out on this trip.  It was sunny and in the 60s, so the whole area was full of springtime energy and worthy of being this week’s Healthy Highlight.  Below are a few of this amazing town’s amenities:  Read the rest of the story...

There is something magical, sometimes even transforming, about a goal.  Little goals lead to bigger goals, and bigger goals are built by achieving the little ones.  So naturally, as a lifelong runner, inspiration was flooding out the door when I flipped to the back of this month’s Runner’s World magazine and read about Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, a NASA astronaut.   I couldn’t lace up my Asics fast enough to run outside.  I was filled with inspiration from an incredible woman who had a very big goal.   There is nothing quite like seeing this brilliant, modest, fun mother achieve her lifetime dream of going to space.  And the things she has accomplished along the way, including an incredible level of fitness, are mind-boggling!  Read the rest of the story...

Not long ago, on a gray and cold day ,I decided that we needed to walk the toy poodle.  It had been a “”hair-pulling” day, and rather then head to the kitchen to start the mystery meal of the evening I thought we’d (okay mostly me) all benefit from a little neighborhood trek.

Approximately 200 yards from the house, the two chicks started slipping and sliding on the ice.  For a moment, I hesitated, but ultimately decided not to tell them no.  My internal conversation went something like this: “Playing on the ice could be dangerous, one of them could fall,”  and “Let them go, try not to over-manage a little outdoor fun.”  So, with a turn of my back, I silently continued on my way.  Read the rest of the story...