In many ways, Highlands resident Karen Koehler believes her life truly began as she approached her forties.
Now 52, the four-time Canadian dryland dog racing champion is living her best life; one jam-packed with continuous learning, movement and outdoor activity inspired by the unlikeliest of rebirths two decades ago.
Koehler was an outdoor educator turned school teacher in 2004 when she and her partner, Rob Sargent, went in search of a four-legged companion. Having recently bought a home in the area, they wanted to expand their family and settled on a retired sled dog.
Even at 10 years old, Robbie was an active dog – Koehler recalls taking him on daily outings immediately after bringing him home. After adding 11-year-old Arctic a year later, she dabbled in competitive racing. Her first event was a skijor race at the Pinestone in 2004.
She built momentum from there, becoming a more competitive racer towards the end of the 2000s. By then, Robbie and Arctic had retired, with Koehler adding Tease and Finney to the family. Together, they dominated local circuits. Wanting to test herself against the best, Koehler cast her gaze up the ladder, competing in her first world championship event in Norway in 2011.
It was an eye-opening experience. Lining up with her powerhouse Alaskan sled dogs, Koehler said she struggled to keep up with the competition. It forced her to look within. The answer, she felt, was taking every aspect within her control to the next level while keeping it fun – focusing on nutrition and physical training, while acquiring more puppies from Norway.
Fast forward to 2025 and Koehler is a celebrated competitor, still turning heads on the track. Away from competition, she’s developed her skills further, becoming a personal trainer and certified health and life coach, while also running activities at Haliburton Forest through Yours Outdoors. She uses her own personal experiences to show people it’s never too late to turn their lives around – providing they put in the work.
“When we get close to 40, people will say things like ‘oh, I can’t do that, I’m too old now’. I’m proof that’s not the case, I’ve had my best years in my 40s and 50s,” Koehler said, noting she’s got two upcoming talks – one at the Dysart et al branch of the Haliburton County Public Library July 30, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and another at the Minden Cultural Centre Aug. 20, from 2-3:30 p.m.
“We were built to move – we have legs, not a mushroom stem… yet 70 per cent of the population is considered sedentary, they make no effort to put activity into their lives,” she said. “For most people, the biggest obstacle they have to overcome is the one in their mind.”
The talks will centre on what Koehler sees as the three keys to unleashing strength, joy and fulfillment in life. Key focuses include finding happiness through movement, adjusting everyday thinking from what she calls fixed mindsets, believing you are stuck where you are, to a growth mindset, where you active move towards your dreams, and strengthening body and character to get there.
She started hosting talks virtually in October, working with several County-based clients to inspire positive developments in everyday life.
“Almost everything in our lives – our relationships, health, fitness, career, spirituality, money, they all go together and what we’re doing in one area influences everything in terms of our habits… but there are ways we can build small confident steps to be the best that we can be.
“Once positive energy starts flowing and people feel stronger, it can be easy to stagnate. So ongoing support is vital – most of us don’t make it past six weeks when trying to make a big change. A lot of times, it can take months to make real change,” Koehler said.
The sessions cost $15 to attend, with proceeds being donated to the Minden Community Food Centre and 4CS Food Bank in Haliburton.
Her message is a simple one – if you want to improve your life and heal, just move.
“The pain you’re feeling in your body, we can learn from. My hands are fine after years of suffering, that’s because I learned what worked for me, how to take care of myself. You just have to figure out what your body needs – it wants to heal and it wants to move, the two together are power,” Koehler said.
For more talk and ticket information, visit bunchomomentum.com. Snacks will be provided by Country Bakery and Minden and Haliburton Foodland.
