Healthy Living March 2012

HEALTHYLIVING| A PUBLICATION OF THE PENINSULA DAILY NEWS |

Community gardens in Sequim and Port Angeles

PLUS: AQUA ZUMBA

HALF MARATHON TRAINING

andA VISIT WITH THEOWNERS OF CLARK FARMS

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Volume 8, Issue 1 n March 2012

Healthy Living

We’re always on the lookout for article ideas to include in our quarterly Healthy Living publication.

If you have an idea for a story, please let us know. Professionals in their field are invited to contribute informative and edu-

cational articles or columns for consideration in Healthy Living. For more information, email Jennifer Veneklasen, section editor, at:

[email protected]. Note the period between the first and last name.

We cannot guarantee publication due to space and content considerations. If your submission is accepted, we reserve the right to edit submissions.

John C. Brewer, editor & publisher Steve Perry, advertising directorSue Stoneman, advertising operations manager

Articles & Submissions

Published by the PENINSULA DAILY NEWS www.peninsuladailynews.com | 360-452-2345

Main office: 305 W. First St., Port Angeles, WA 98362

features

community gardens | 6

clark farms’ grass-fed beef | 8

Jennifer Veneklasen, editor Brenda Hanrahan, editor

training for a half marathon | 10

2 MARCH 2012 | HEALTHY LIVING | PENINSULADAILYNEWS.COM

COVER PHOTO: Community Organic Gardens of Sequim (COGS) by Pam Larsen. Turn to Page 6 to learn more about COGS and about the Port Angeles Victory Gardens.

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Healthy LivingAqua Zumba classes have arrived at public pools in Port Angeles and Sequim. The people who move to the sounds of upbeat Latin-inspired music in these classes promise that they are a fun way to get a great workout.

“I love the energy and the upbeat music,” says Tracy Smith while waiting for an Aqua Zumba class at William Shore Memo-rial Pool, 225 E. Fifth St. in Port Angeles.

Georgia Nickerson takes classes at William Shore and Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center (SARC), 610 N. Fifth Ave. in Sequim.

“I love Aqua Zumba,” she says following a class at SARC. “The instructors are great and classes are so much fun.”

Zumba is a dance fitness program based on salsa and other Latin dance moves performed to Latin and world music beats that has been gaining popularity since its inception in 2001.

Zumba dances are modified and adapted to the aquatic envi-ronment without losing the basic flavor that makes land-based Zumba classes so much fun, says Becky Maltbie, an Aqua Zumba instructor at William Shore Memorial Pool.

“Aqua Zumba is a Latin dance party in the shallow end of a swimming pool,” Becky explains.

“Aqua Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin and international rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fit-ness program in the water that will blow you away.”

aqua zumba, a trend worth trying

PENINSULADAILYNEWS.COM | HEALTHY LIVING | MARCH 2012 3

Without losing the basic flavor that makes land-based Zumba classes so much fun, Aqua Zumba instructor Becky Maltbie adapts Zumba dances moves to the swimming pool environment.

continued next page >>

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Becky received her land Zumba certification over a year ago and started teaching Aqua Zumba classes in September 2011 following an additional certification process.

Aqua classes offer low-impact aerobic exercise compared with land Zumba classes, which are very high impact.

“You receive the same intense workout and calorie burn, but the water provides low-impact resistance, which is great for people recovering from joint, hip or back injuries and for older people,” Becky says.

“You get a great cardio workout when you give it your all and keep your arms, legs and your core engaged during the workout.”

Class participants say anyone who loves the water and wants a great workout will enjoy Aqua Zumba classes.

During classes, partici-pants work on aerobic endurance, muscular resistance, flexibility and joint mobility.

“I can’t participate in land Zumba classes because I am recovering from hip surgery, but I can take Aqua Zumba classes and receive the same health benefits,” says Bobee Ward of Port Angeles.

Another benefit of Aqua Zumba is a decreased working heart rate com-pared with similar inten-sity on land.

“Your heart rate in water is 13 percent lower than it is on land, but it has the same energy con-sumption,” Becky says.

“Heart rates are lower in the water than on land at an equivalent oxygen consumption.”

Increased lung capacity and increased bone den-sity are also listed as health benefits.

Aqua Zumba instruc-tors demonstrate move-ments outside the pool in front of pool participants and cheer them on as they complete difficult portions of the routines.

“I get a great workout on land too,” Becky says wiping sweat from her brow during a class.

“But they have more fun in the water and are definitely cooler.”

Class participants say they like that dance moves including the Zumba shuffle, hamstring curls, squats, kicking and twist-ing are done underwater. >

AQUA ZUMBA continued >>

Andie Grams and Marilyn Parkinson participate in Aqua Zumba classes at Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center (SARC). Aqua Zumba offers the same intense workout and calorie burn as land Zumba, but the water provides low-impact resistance which is great for people recovering from joint, hip or back injuries and for seniors.


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The typical land-based Zumba dance steps, including the cha-cha, merengue, salsa, reggaeton and mambo, need to be more exaggerated and slower in the water, so the water tempo is half the land tempo.

“No one knows if you miss a step because you are in the water,” Tracy says. “There’s no pressure to perform moves exactly right and you can go at your own pace.”

Tracy has been taking Aqua Zumba classes at William Shore Memorial Pool since October and credits the calorie-burning routines for her recent weight loss.

“Aqua Zumba classes combined with Weight Watchers helped me lose almost 40 pounds,” she says. “The water classes are easier on my joints, but I really get a workout thanks to the water resis-tance. You are working hard, but you don’t have to sweat it out. It’s easy on my joints and classes are incredibly fun and motivating.”

Eighty to 90 percent of your body weight is dis-placed in the water when the water is at your chest level creating less impact than land Zumba moves.

“Yet your body works four times harder than on land,” Becky says.

“You are dealing with the resistance of the water rather than gravity. For even more resistance, per-form Aqua Zumba standing with the water at your collarbone level instead of at your chest.”

Aqua Zumba classes in Port Angeles are an hour long. In Sequim, classes last 45 minutes.

Mountain View Swimming Pool in Port Townsend hopes to be able to offer classes soon.

“You will definitely get a workout,” Becky says. “Come join in the fun. Aqua Zumba is addictive

and we have so much fun that you barely notice that you are really working hard.”

— STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRENDA HANRAHAN

• Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center, 610 N. Fifth Ave. in Sequim

Tuesdays and Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

For class fee and other information: 360-683-3344 or www.sarcfitness.com

• William Shore Memorial Pool, 225 E. Fifth St. in Port Angeles

Mondays and Wednesdays: 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6:15 a.m. – 7:15 a.m.

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• Mountain View Swimming Pool, 919 Blaine St. in Port Townsend, hopes to offer classes soon.

Phone 360-385-7665

Tracy Smith, foreground, has been taking Aqua Zumba classes at William Shore Memorial Pool since October and credits the calorie-burning routines combined with Weight Watchers for helping her lose almost 40 pounds.She calls the classes, which include dance steps like the cha-cha, merengue, salsa, reggaeton and mambo, incredibly fun and motivating.


finding classes | AQUA ZUMBA

In the summer of 2010, a group interested in food security, sustainability, gardening and community health began to meet and envision an organization that would empower people to grow their own food.

A number of the people who had created the Vineyard Community Garden, situated on land donated by the Olympic Vineyard Church at the corner of Ahlvers Road and Peabody Street, were part of those talks.

Together the two groups created Port Angeles Vic-tory Gardens (PAVG), an umbrella organization with a mission to help people to grow food through access to community gardens, tools and education.

The term “victory garden” was coined during the World War II when public food supply was limited, so people took to growing their own food, says Jill Zarzec-zny, one of the organization’s founders.

While PAVG was still in its beginning stages, an opportunity arose from the city of Port Angeles to con-vert a vacant city lot on Fifth Street into a community garden.

“We jumped at the chance to create a garden in such a central location,” Jill says.

By January 2011, volunteers were breaking ground, by March gardeners were being signing up for plots and by May the Fifth Street Community Garden hosted a grand opening.

A long list of sponsors including Hartnagel Building Supply, North Olympic Land Trust, Airport Garden Center, The Home Depot and many others pitched in the effort, making them truly “community gardens.”

“Neither garden would have come to be without the generous donation of land, time, resources, energy and expertise by many individuals, businesses and organi-zations,” Jill says.

Two gardens, many handsThe Vineyard Community Garden will enter its

fourth growing season this year. A very large garden, it has 60 garden plots, eight tree plots, a central gather-ing area and several compost bins for converting gar-den waste into rich soil amendment. >>

TOP: Chloe Corey at the Vineyard Community Garden.MIDDLE LEFT: The front of Fifth Street in full bloom, August 2011. Plants were donated by Airport Garden Center. (photo by John Danks)BOTTOM LEFT: The Home Depot volunteers digging post holes for the main fence at the Fifth Street Gar-den, March 2011. (photo by John Danks)ABOVE: Climbing beans at Community Organic Gardens of Sequim. (photo by Pam Larsen)

green spaces

Public gardens in Port Angeles and Sequim provide a place where people come together to grow food and community.


“This garden has hosted families with young children who have had as much fun playing in the dirt as their parents have had growing food for the dinner table,” says Marilyn Harbough, another of PAVG’s founders.

Beginning gardeners, uncomfortable with taking on plots alone, have partnered with oth-ers to share the experience and share the har-vest, she says while adding that, “as a bonus to growing great vegetables, they have grown great friendships.”

Marilyn says that children and teachers from BoBaggins Daycare and Learning Center have been digging, planting, laughing, playing and bringing smiles to the faces of fellow gar-deners at Vineyard over the years.

Although there are many gardeners who have been tending their plots since the garden’s inception in 2009, Marilyn says several others participated in a community garden project to learn gardening basics so they could then culti-vate garden space at home.

Since the beginning, some plots have been maintained for charitable donations, but in 2011, the Vineyard Garden had a larger-than-usual excess of available plots which were planted or seeded with donations from local garden centers and tended by Vineyard’s own gardeners, with help from community-service workers under the supervision of gardener Bob Shaffer.

“Through his commitment and hard work, we were able to deliver hundreds of pounds of fresh, nutritional, organically grown produce to the Port Angeles Food Bank,” Marilyn says.

Marilyn describes the Fifth Street gardeners as “a wonderful mix of people.”

Among that mix last year, the garden’s first, were preschool children from the adjacent First Step Family Support Center and a group of nearby office workers who collectively gardened two plots during their lunch hours.

She says one man framed his plots with an innovative moveable greenhouse cover, all the while offering his elderly mother a peaceful place to gather plentiful dandelion greens already growing in the garden.

“A mother and her 10-year-old son actually grew corn to maturity during last summer’s cool weather; an experienced, creative gardener amazed everyone with ripe tomatoes in July; a local carpenter raised a healthy harvest and contributed his expertise to garden construction projects,” Marilyn says.

One of Fifth Street’s senior gardeners was able to comfortably garden in raised beds designed and built by the architect of both of the community gardens, Hank Gibson.

Plots were also set aside and tended to deliver produce to the Port Angeles Food Bank plus supervised community-service workers pro-vided many hours of labor toward maintaining

the garden.These gardens are green spaces, and not

only provide plants that produce air and food, but also serve as inflow points for rainwater helping the city minimize its combined sewer overflow problem, says Port Angeles City Councilman Max Mania.

“Allowing rain water direct access to soil is the best way to address our overflow issues,” he says.

“I’d also argue that gardens are aesthetically much, much more pleasing than almost any other form of ‘development’ on any given plot of land, and thus add to the value of the homes and properties near them.”

The gardens give the community a place to interact and provide a means for social service organizations to grow or harvest foods for local low-income residents.

In its simplest form, Jill sees community gar-dens as a place where people come together and grow food — the most basic human need.

“At a time when it is difficult to figure out exactly where our food comes from — let alone how its grown or what chemicals and gunk are used to grow it — it’s empowering to be able to grow it ourselves,” she says

Although North Olympic Peninsula residents are lucky enough to have a thriving community of local farmers that offer a bounty of the best produce available, Jill says the ability to grow your own food is just one more way to make the area a healthy and self-sustaining place.

Not to mention that growing your own organic produce for $35 a year is great for the pocketbook.

Metaphorically, Jill says that people involved with PAVG are growing community.

“As a recent transplant, I found it a bit diffi-cult to meet people in Port Angeles. It’s amazing what connections can be made with hands in the dirt or in a discussion about the best way to use all of that kale!” she says. “Working with others to create a beautiful space makes you feel like part of something bigger.”

Getting involvedBoth gardens are welcoming new gardeners.

Plots are currently available for the 2012 grow-ing season.

Details and information can be found online at www.pavictorygardens.org or by calling Robin Gibson at 360-457-3744 for the Vineyard Com-munity Garden; or John Danks at 360-809-3301 for the Fifth Street Community Garden.

Each gardener is expected to give eight hours of volunteer work in communal areas around th garden per year. Gardeners receive water, access to tools and gardening classes once a month.

— STORY BY JENNIFER VENEKLASEN

There are two Community Organic Gardens of Sequim (COGS).The Fir Street Garden is located in a field behind St. Luke’s

Episcopal Church, 525 N. Fifth Ave. The June Robinson Memorial Garden is located on the corner of

Sunnyside Avenue and Spruce Street. Each garden features numerous in-ground 10-foot plots and 4-foot

by 8-foot raised beds that community members can lease for $45 per year to grow organic vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits and flowers.

The fee includes organic gardening classes, access to tools, water and garden supplies and a variety of seeds.

Organic gardening practices must be used. Some community work hours to help keep community areas of

both gardens well-tended are required.“After four years, the Fir Street Garden has become a wonderful

and unique gardening community,” says organizer Liz Harper.Many of the gardeners have had their plots or raised beds for

several years and feel a real sense of community with the garden. “Gardeners take excellent care of the community areas as well

as their own plots,” Liz says. “They often share recipes and garden-ing stories, meet at the garden to work on their plots or have lunch and feel the garden has had a positive and sometimes profound effect on their lives.”

At time of publication, there were three plots left at the Fir Street Garden and five plots and four raised beds at the June Robinson Memorial Garden.

People interested in a plot or raised bed at the Fir Street Garden should phone Liz at 360-683-7698, and those who want a plot at the Spruce Street location should phone Anne Holgerson at 360-683-4139.

Gardening classesClasses are free with community garden plots, but they’re also

offered to people who want to grow their food at home for just $30.Classes will be taught by Pam Larsen, a COGS founder and

experienced organic gardener.“It seems there’s ever more interest in healthy food and the sur-

est and least expensive way to get what you want it is to grow it and to grow it without chemicals,” she says.

Classes will be from 10 a.m. to noon for 10 consecutive Satur-days beginning March 10.

People will get the basics for a successful first year garden, grown without chemicals. In addition participants will tour two organic gardens so they can see the different ways people approach growing organic food.

Those interested in classes should phone Pam at 360-582-1106.

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From their living room window off East Ander-son Road in Sequim, Holly and Tom Clark can keep a watchful eye on their herd.

The Clarks built their farmhouse four years ago, anticipating a grittier lifestyle than they’d been accustomed.

Holly’s happy attitude is reflected in the living room’s bright green walls, bold throw pillows, plant life and large windows draped in white fabric, while cement floors and easily-washed furniture slipcovers keep mud from the pastures at bay.

Their path to the cattle farming life was paved with Tom’s long-held dream, years of hectic sched-uling and poor nutrition.

For 19 years Holly taught science in the Port Angeles School District, working 60-hour weeks, while Tom stayed booked as a contractor building houses year round.

For years dinners for the couple and their two kids consisted of drive-through from fast food chains, ready-to-eat meals, processed foods from the grocery store and anything else deemed quick and easy.

“We were relying on everyone else to feed us,” Tom says.

As the family’s stress and pace continued to spin out of control, their health showed signs of decline.

“We seemed to be tired all the time, stressed and unhealthier than we had ever been before,” Holly recalls.

Their son Jack, at age 14, was 60 pounds over-weight, and Holly was tagged with a form of ulcer-ative colitis.

She began to have flare ups, bloating, inflamma-tion and low energy while teaching.

Doctors put her on Asacol, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and then sulfasalizine. She was allergic to the sulfa-based drug and had a severe allergic reaction that caused her neck to swell, lips to turn blue and memory to lapse.

“I don’t remember a whole month,” Holly says of the time when she was using the medication.

“It was scary. And a wake up call.”It was then, in 2007, that Holly started

researching nutrition and with the help of help of acupuncturist Pat Flood, her focus became heal-ing through food. The Clarks changed what they ate, eliminating fast and processed foods.

A heap more veggies including leafy greens found their way into meals as well as coconut oil and gar-lic, pastured or grass-fed meat and wild fish.

Whole grains like brown rice, turnips or parsnips also play a prominent role.

Positive changes in their diet had a ripple effect. As their health turned around, Holly and Tom found the motivation to leap into a new career.

Although most of his adult life had been spent in construction, Tom had always dreamed of returning to his childhood roots in farming. >>

Tom and Holly Clark look over their herd at Clark Farms, 863 E. Anderson Road in Sequim.

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The Clark family has a long history on the Peninsula. Since 1853, the family engaged in all manner of farming and money-making ventures — from race-horses to tulips and turkeys to timber — on land north of Sequim.

Tom’s passion for farming began dur-ing childhood while helping his Uncle Elliott Clark, who owns his own farm in Joyce where he raises beef cattle and timber. Tom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science-meats manage-ment from Washington State University in 1988 and spent a year in Australia, working on a 100-percent grass fed dairy farm. That internship in Australia 20 years prior helped lay the groundwork for the Clarks’ new farming operation.

“We had a mission and a goal but not really a solid plan for our business,” Holly says.

A family friend told the couple about a 2009 EcoAgricultural Conference in St. Louis — the Clarks attended and were totally inspired.

They listened to speakers and found an abundance of resources to help them on their journey. They learned there were a multitude of formulas that could preserve Clark Farm’s pristine beauty, make their family healthier and have the potential to make money, too.

Holly and Tom returned from St.

Louis, put their Port Angeles home on the market and worked out a land lease with Tom’s parents. They set out to raise 100 percent grass-fed beef free of antibiotics, hormones and steroids.

Their animal husbandry was and still is centered on preventive care and a stress-free environment where cattle are grazing herbivores. Animals move over a mile a day to keep them healthy, happy and their hooves in shape.

Along with taking great care in the diet and exercise of their animals, the Clarks also make caring for the soil and ecosystem a top priority.

They don’t use chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and the pastures are diverse in plant species to ensure animal and soil health.

Pigs help keep menacing plants in check. Currently Clark Farm’s pigs are working in fields that have too much thistle and wild barley — the pigs eat it down, aerate the soil and replenish the soil with a more diverse fecal flora.

Tom and Holly also raise their own hay and sell it to locals.

Their large, 113-acre parcel is home to no more than 72 cows at a time — a small number of animals by most farm-ing standards.

Because the animals get lots of exer-cise, the result for consumers is a much

leaner animal.When it comes time to slaughter a cow,

Tom will move the rest of the herd into the woods to prevent the stress they feel.

“They [the cows] are our livelihood,” Holly says.

“And we respect them immensely.”The Clarks lost $116 on the first ani-

mal they harvested. Part of the problem, Holly says, was that they didn’t realize just how high-quality their meat was.

“We knew raising animals on pasture was a good thing we just didn’t know how good until we read the research,” Holly says.

Grass-fed beef isn’t easy to come by, and on the North Olympic Peninsula. Tom and Holly were the first 100 percent grass-fed beef growers to sell by the cut in Clallam County.

After adjusting prices to reflect the meat’s quality, and after a steep learning curve, the farm is on its way to fiscal health, the couple says.

The Clarks have found there is indeed a market for top-quality, sustainably raised meats in Port Angeles and the surrounding areas.

“People are educated,” Holly says. “And they are tired of the food system.”

Twenty years ago, the couple readily admits that their farming venture would have failed.

But documentaries like Food Inc., locavore movements and big increases in food-related diseases and childhood obe-sity have all contributed to a growing awareness that it matters what people put into their bodies. And it matters maybe more than anything else.

“Currently we are in a food system where food travels on average 1,500 miles to end up in the grocery store were consumers can buy it,” Holly says.

She says that the number one foods subsidized by the government are corn, wheat, soybeans and dairy — foods that in excess are linked with obesity and heart disease.

“We are seeing the health of America deteriorate from diseases caused by poor nutrition,” Holly says.

“But, people are becoming more aware of the problems we and our food system have created,” Holly says.

She says that locally, there is a grow-ing niche for locally distributed food of high quality that supports small farmers like them who are working toward a sus-tainable community, clean environment and clean food.

Slower paceFarming is a whole new way of life for

the Clark family. “We now concentrate on what is

important to us now — better health, our children, friends and our commu-

nity,” Holly says. Ninety percent of the family’s meals

come from raw foods traded or grown themselves.

Though she acknowledges that they still have a long way to go, Holly says she has personally lost more than 30 pounds. Her main goal was to have more energy and prevent inflammation flare ups. She has accomplished both and has not been on any medication in three years.

Jack, 18, went from being a 230 pound high school sophomore to a lean, 170-pound college freshman at the Wash-ington State University.

Maddie, 14, loves her role on the farm. She can be found at the Port Angeles Farmers Market helping her parents sell the family farm’s meat.

Tom gets to do what he absolutely loves to do — farm and raise animals.

Holly calls him the “cow whisperer.” Thankfully, Holly and Tom feel they

weren’t too late to instill what they feel is a better value system in their children.

“Material things come and go but health and happiness are something you need to work at every day for a long quality life,” she says.

“I see my kids valuing this, too, and it makes me feel like we made the right choice to do what we are doing.”

One of the great joys for Tom and Holly are hearing stories from their cus-tomers who have met health challenges with nutritional healing — Clark Farms’ meat being part of their healing diets.

After 21 years of teaching in Clallam County, Holly says she knows it takes a community to raise kids, and now as a farmer she see it takes a community to raise food as well.

“Local is where it’s at for the health of us as individuals, the community and the U.S. economy,” she says.

She and Tom feel blessed to be a part of that local movement.

— STORY AND PHOTO BY JENNIFER VENEKLASEN

In Port Angeles, buy Clark Farms beef at Good To Go Grocery and Saturdays at the Port Angeles Farmers Market.

In Sequim, find them at Hardy’s, The Red Rooster Grocery and Nash’s Farm Store. Meats are also available at Agnew Grocery, Sunset West Co-op in Clallam Bay and at the Joyce General Store.

If you’re eating out, try Alder Wood Bistro in Sequim, Old Mill Cafe or Gabby’s Gourmet in Carlsborg, Kokopelli Grill or Bella Italia in Port Angeles.

Climate, soils, healthy grasses and tender care create a bold flavor.


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When two busy moms from Port Angeles lace up their running shoes, they are doing more than training for their first North Olympic Discovery Half Marathon.

Jennifer Wendell and Krisy Henry rely on running to keep them healthy and fit, but also to take a moment from their hectic schedules just for themselves.

The women will join dozens of other half-marathoners for the event, held Sunday, June 3.

The 13.1094-mile race starts at the Agnew soccer fields, located halfway between Sequim and Port Angeles, and fin-ishes at City Pier in downtown Port Angeles.

Jennifer, 38, depends on weekly runs to clear her head and keep her fit enough to keep up with her 5-year-old son, Kaisen.

“I had ran before, but I got serious about it after my younger sister had a health scare,” Jennifer says.

“The closer I get to 40, the more I think about staying healthy for my son.”

Jennifer started training in June 2010 to participate in the Relay for Life, and continued running leisurely following the cancer awareness and fundraising event.

This March, she will participate in her first 10K during the 40th anniversary Mercer Island Half Race.

Jennifer says although she looked healthy and fit before she started running, she quickly found out how out of shape she was.

“After those first few runs, I really felt it,” she says. Jennifer credits her new running partner, Kelly Townsend,

for being a constant inspiration.“He ran his first full marathon last year and has helped me break through men-

tal and physical blocks during our Sunday morning runs,” she says.The duo meets on most Sundays at Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy in

Port Angeles to run with other members of the North Olympic Running Club. The club meets twice weekly and offers a training progression for those who

want to participate in the North Olympic Discovery Marathon, half marathon, 5K or 10K, but people who are not participating in the events can join the group’s year-round runs.

“Running with the club has been wonderful because the other runners keep you motivated,” Jennifer says. “I try to fit in a couple runs a week, but it is difficult because I have two jobs and am a single mother. I look forward to my runs so much that I usually find a way to make the time.”

Since starting to train for the half marathon, Jennifer is watching her diet and has become more aware of her overall health.

“I try to eat better and get enough sleep and generally be more healthy because I want to be healthy for my son,” she says. “My mom has had some health and weight issues and she has now joined the half marathon. I hope to be able to return all of the support and enthusiasm she’s given me.”

For Krisy, 33, running provides a quiet time for reflection and prayer.“My runs provide time to pray, do something for myself and be proud of myself.

Running alleviates stress and helps me to be a better person, mother and wife to our four kids,” she says.

Krisy was inspired to lace up her running shoes about 3 1/2 years ago to partici-pate in the Swedish SummeRun & Walk for Ovarian Cancer, a benefit to raise funds and awareness for ovarian cancer.

“My mom is a two-time ovarian cancer survivor,” Krisy says. “During the run I felt a little funny, sort of off. It was during that run that I realized I was pregnant with my youngest son, Fletcher.”

Krisy also leads a group — Run For God — through her church, The Crossing Church. The group started in September 2011 and participants completed their first 5Ks in December.

“I had been running for a while and had been looking for a shirt that said ‘I run for God,’” Krisy says.

“When I Googled the phrase, I ran across a running group and took the idea to my pastor, and he said ‘go for it,’ so we started our local running group.” >>

Training: Runners tackle the half marathon

As the mother of four children, all younger than 9, Krisy Henry

says the difficult part of running is not the

run, it’s getting out the door.

She is currently training for the North

Olympic Discovery Half Marathon to be

held in June. Krisy also leads a

group, Run For God, through her church,

The Crossing Church.


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Krisy said finding the time to run takes effort.“The difficult part is not the run, it is getting out

the door. With four kids, it is sometimes a struggle to carve out time for a run, but it makes you a very effi-cient runner,” she says. “If I have 20 minutes, I use the full 20 minutes. I schedule runs around my husband and children’s schedules, and with a little juggling I always find time to run.”

This January, she ran every day with the goal of log-ging 96 miles.

After surpassing that goal, she aimed for 110 miles and ended the month by running 123.5 miles.

“Running helped me lose some of my ‘baby weight’ between kids, but it has become so much more,” she says. “Running is a priority, a way of life. I don’t want my kids to learn that laziness is an option. I want fit-ness to be something that comes naturally, just some-thing you do every day.”

For the most part, Krisy trains by solo, although she sometimes runs with her oldest daughter, Raegen, 9.

“I am a terrible running buddy,” Krisy says with a laugh. “Runs are my ‘me’ time, but I will make an exception for my family when scheduling allows.”

Earlier this year, Krisy and her husband, Tyson, participated in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Dis-neyland, which marked her first half marathon.

“It is so rare that Tyson and I run together, let alone take a trip alone together,” she says.

Krisy says the Disney run is helping her prepare for the North Olympic Discovery Half Marathon.

“My girls, Raegen and Olivia, who is now 6, have participated in the Kids Marathon, so it is about time mom entered a race,” Krisy says. “My husband is run-ning too, so it will be a family event.”

Krisy says she hopes to beat her 2-hour 35-minute time set during the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.

“There were so many people there that we were shoulder to shoulder and it was 70 degrees,” she says of the race. “I would like to do 2 hours 15 minutes or bet-ter in the Olympic Discovery Half Marathon.”

Krisy said regardless of her finish time, she is looking forward to crossing the finish line to see her family, including her children — Raegen, Olivia, Bennett, 4, and Fletcher, and mother, Shelby Conklin, cheering her on.

Both Krisy and Jennifer encourage others to try run-ning, especially those who have never tried the sport.

“It really isn’t as hard as it seems” Jennifer says. “And it is so much fun, I didn’t think it would be this much fun, but it truly is.”

Krisy said the key is to start slow.“You are not going to be able to run a half marathon a

few days after you start, but you can get there,” she says. Both women advise new runners to invest in good-

fitting running shoes to prevent shin splints, blisters and other foot and leg-related injuries and ailments that plague runners.

Krisy just purchased a running watch that tracks time, pace, calories and heart rate when paired with a heart rate monitor.

Runs are stored in memory so she can review and analyze the data to chart improvement.

“It was a special purchase for me because it is rare that I can splurge on something so frivolous for myself, but this watch is amazing,” she says.

“I’ve only had it a week and I can already tell that it will boost my training.”

Jennifer is saving up for a similar watch and relies on her trusty iPod to keep her energized during runs.

“The great thing about running is that you already

have most of what you will need,” Jennifer says. “But little things like upbeat music, a breathable shirt and insulated quick-wick pants make runs more enjoyable.”

Jennifer says crossing the finish line in June will be something she will always remember.

“My goal is to finish and be to alive when I do so,” she said laughing. “But I am a little competi-tive and will want to fin-ish with a good time.”

Both women plan to con-tinue to train following the half marathon and eventu-ally complete the marathon portion of the race.

“That’s the goal,” Krisy said. “Start slow and build up to where you want to be.”

For more information about the North Olympic Discovery Marathon, visit www.nodm.com.

For details about the North Olympic Running Club, phone 360-452-6216.

For information about Run for God, email Krisy at [email protected].

— STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRENDA HANRAHAN

Training: Runners tackle the half marathon

Jennifer Wendell depends on weekly runs to clear her head and keep her fit enough to keep up with

her 5-year-old son, Kaisen.She and her running partner, Kelly Townsend (shown in a photo with Jennifer on Page 2), meet most Sundays at Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy in Port Angeles to run with other members of the North Olympic Running Club.


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Healthy Living March 2012

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