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Mothers power on

Matthew Piper, OF THE RECORD STAFF

After giving birth to her second child in March, Whitney Kozlowski was surprised to find there were no local group workouts geared to mothers and their babies. So she filled the vacancy herself.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the certified trainer invites mothers to bring their strollers to Willow Creek Park at 9 a.m., where she leads "boot-camp-style" workouts that last 60 minutes and include a mix of drills, cardio and strength training. "Power Hour @ the Park" is held outdoors and accompanied by music, and Kozlowski said the workouts are as easy as taking candy from a baby.

"It’s kind of exercise in disguise," she said. "You’re out in this beautiful park, and time just flies by."

Kozlowski, whose other child is about 2½ years old, set her sights on completing three post-pregnancy triathlons during the 2010 summer, culminating in the TriUtah Jordanelle Triathlon on Aug. 21. Before it ever occurred to her to start a new fitness class, she began to train on her own at the park. Recently, though, she had the thought that she might as well invite others to join in her weekly routine.

"I wanted to seize the summer," she said with two of the triathlons behind her. "The worst-case scenario is nobody shows up, and then I’m working out with my baby anyway. I’m not the fittest person out there, but I have the enthusiasm for things like this."

She first visited Park City while working for the United States Olympic Committee during 2002 and "fell in love," she said. She and her husband bought property in 2005 and decided to move in permanently last October. "We were kind of looking for a change," said the now-concierge at Hotel Park City.

Although a love for activity and the outdoors led her to Park City in the first place, she left behind the epicenter of the national fitness scene in her old home of San Diego. There, she said, many programs like hers already exist.

"For new moms, it helps to give some order to the day," she said. "That really went a long way for me."

Classes usually draw between three and five people, and Kozlowski estimates that about 15 have attended since she began the classes little more than 2 ½ weeks ago. She has only advertised the classes through a newsletter for area moms, and expects it to get more popular as word continues to spread.

The babies often sleep during the workouts, she said, and many of them will play in the park after the session is over. The group experience is important for her clients, who provide mutual support by sharing the perils and joys of motherhood. "It’s also nice when the talk is not about kids at all," she said.

Introductory classes are free, and the cost is $8 per class afterward. For $80, mothers can get an unlimited pass, and a $35 five-class punch pass is offered. Mothers with babies should bring jogging strollers, and participants are also welcome to come without their babies in tow.

Call Kozlowski for more information at 534-729-9245 or e-mail her at whitneywhite@me.com.

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