I have never run a marathon. I have never been to space. But when I look up at the sky on Monday, April 16th, it will be with respect and reverence for astronaut Sunita Williams. Even though she is 210 miles above Boston, living in orbit on the space station, she will be running in the Boston Marathon.

I don't know about you, but I think that is just super cool. Astronauts are required to exercise while living on board the space station to prevent muscle and bone density loss. The microgravity of space doesn't tax their muscles or the bones so without regular exercise their muscles would atrophy and their bones would become weak.

Sunita, a Massachusetts native, has been training for the Marathon with 4 weekly runs, divided into 2 short and 2 long runs. On April 16th, she will not only run 26.2 strapped to her space station treadmill, she will also circle earth not once, but twice. Why is she doing this, you might ask? Her answer - to encourage kids to start making physical fitness part of their daily lives.

Well, I am inspired. We may not all be astronauts, or marathoners, but we can make physical fitness part of our daily lives.

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