The verdant rolling terrain and sparkling blue waters of Leelanau County beckon full-time and seasonal residents alike to lace up their running shoes and hiking boots, clip into their road bikes, dust off their clubs and racquets, and hoist their kayaks in search of exercise and recreation. So why, with all the resplendent natural beauty and enviable outdoor temperatures of this area, would anyone dedicate three hours a week indoors in a gym? The answer comes as a question posed by fitness expert and personal trainer, Stacy Jago, owner of Sleeping Bear Bay Club in Maple City. “Well…how do you want to be when you’re 80? How about 90?” An avid outdoors woman herself, Jago elaborates, “So we can hike and bike here, we get outside and that’s great. But if you don’t have the strength and mobility, which are two different things, you may not be able to continue those pastimes as long as you’d like.”

