Even before I became a runner, running was a part of my family’s life. I can remember early Sunday mornings when my dad would return home from his weekend 12-mile run. My sisters’ and I would greet him with a tall glass of iced tea. We would stand back and wait for him to finish the glass in one gulp, and then give us the “Lipton Iced Tea, ‘Ahhhhhh!'” To me, that “Ah” was the reward for hard work.
When I think about all the years of running I’ve logged, I realize there have been different seasons in my life that have allowed for various levels of effort. Through it all, though, there has been a certain satisfaction that is the natural result of hard work. After I got married and we had our first two children, I enjoyed racing and pushing myself. I had the benefit of youth on my side (although I know I didn’t truly appreciate it then), and could run a lot of miles pushing a baby jogger. Running mostly 10Ks, I was able to train hard and I even squeezed out a sub 40-minute 10K for a personal best. I would often meet a friend of mine, Greg, at a track near the hospital where he worked, to do interval training. I recall one workout he named “Zeus” after doing it with a man that was more like a Greek god than a human! Those days I could manage tough workouts without feeling totally zapped of my energy the rest of the day. [Read more…]
My five-year old and I came up with this quick chicken salad recipe by adding whatever veggies I had available to a rotisserie chicken. I usually don’t buy this kind of chicken because, with a big family, it never seems to be enough (except Costco has large ones). However, we made it work! You can use plenty of other kinds of veggies.
If you have not had the pleasure of reading Christopher McDougall’s Born To Run, I highly recommend you indulge in the experience. And it is an experience! Part cultural anthropology, part running physiology, part fitness, part anatomy, and part philosophy, Born To Run is one of my favorite books. You definitely don’t have to be a runner to enjoy the book. My only warning is that you might not want to put it down, so schedule your reading of the book accordingly! It is one of those story’s that you are sad to finish. Even my 16 year-old finished the book in a few days. Following is a link to Christopher McDougall’s website: 
I did the 
You Can Laugh Without Leaking was the name of a talk that I recently attended. Lead by a gynecologist and a 
So much for best laid plans! When the alarm sounded off in my ear this morning, there was no way I was getting out of bed. Even a second blaring of the alarm 10 minutes later was not going to arouse me. When I set the alarm last night, it was 10 pm. That was right before Thomas, my 16 year old, asked for help with the second paragraph of the paper he was struggling to write. About two hours later I emerged from the bonus room (he was still furiously writing), only to remember the email I needed to send before I went to sleep. At about 12:45, I finally fell into bed. 
The kettlebell seems to be all the rage! I recently went to a course where the instructor showed us various moves to do with the versatile kettlebell. Apparently this unique piece of equipment (imagine a weight shaped a little like a cow bell) has been around for over 300 years! Like any weight equipment, it is important that it be used correctly to avoid injury. In fact, whenever I see someone using it, I feel the need to stand back a few feet because it always seems like the weight of the kettlebell will cause someone to hurl it as they swing it. I know that is unlikely…but you never know! 
9 Kid Fitness was featured on WBT Radio’s “Health Headlines” show on Sunday, March 13, 2011! Listen to the 8-10 minute segment to hear Whitney (that’s me) interviewed by the “Bod Squad” (
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