Kick off Event May 18 at Hellyer Park

By: Mike Coleman

Santa Clara County is a beautiful place to live, but how many of us get outside to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us. It seems that too many of our waking hours are spent indoors in the office, sitting in traffic and then hanging out in the house watching T.V. or looking at the computer screen. Our too busy lives have contributed to our lack of exercise, high stress levels, and obesity and related health problems.

Perhaps the solution to some of these issues is just getting outdoors for a nice walk. The Santa Clara County Parks along with Santa Clara Public Health and Kaiser Permanente San Jose have collaborated to develop Healthy Trails as a means to encourage individuals and families to access the County Park trails, exercise and enjoy the beautiful outdoor settings that surround us.

Healthy Trails is a fitness challenge that encourages people of all ages and abilities to walk, run, ride, or roll their way to fitness on at least five of the 21 featured Santa Clara County Parkland trails. Participants can register to receive the Healthy Trails Guide booklet and trails log. The guide includes trail information, maps, handicap access, safety and health tips and trail and park features such as plants and wildlife. Registration is easy and its free. It is also free to use any of the Santa Clara County Parks. The Coyote Creek trail, Grant Ranch and Santa Teresa Park are just some of the local trails that are a short drive from the Evergreen area.

For those who sign up for the Healthy Trails challenge they will receive a motivational gift of a colorful bandana and when they complete a minimum of five trails they can submit the trails log to receive a completion reward. The groups sponsoring this activity are hoping to maximize participation by all residents and have provided all the materials in the three main languages spoken in Santa Clara County, English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

The Healthy Trails challenge has been in place since 2007 but Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation and their partners, Kaiser Permanente San Jose, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department Nutrition and Wellness and Steps to a Healthier Santa Clara County will host a Healthy Trails Hike and Bike Launch Event at Hellyer County Park in San Jose on Sunday May 18. The launch will feature health, nutrition, physical activity and outdoor recreation information as well as lots of giveaways, a free raffle and free refreshments and a hike and bike along the adjacent "Healthy Coyote Creek Trail"

Over 3000 people have already registered for Healthy Trails and here's how you can too: Online: www.parkhere.org click on Healthy Trails and then on registration or call (408) 355-2201 Monday through Friday 8:30-11:30 and 12:30-4:00 pm.