Spring into Action!

Spring is the perfect time of year to start making positive changes in our lives.  The days are getting longer, the weather is nicer and we get to see the world around us come to life as the plants pop out of the earth and leaves open on the trees.  With all this new energy around us and the sweet smell of spring flowers it is also the perfect time of year to get out of the house and start exercising more often!  Even if you have a home gym it can be extremely motivating to get outside and soak up some sun; which has its own happy benefits! (Just be careful not get burned!)

If you are at all like me or the many people out there who find it difficult to get things going, the best way to get into a routine is to start small and preferably with a friend or two for added motivation.  One of the biggest mistakes people make is to go all out on their first attempt at exercise and get burnt out or hurt before you even get the ball rolling.  Walking 20-30 minutes a day is a fantastic way to start yourself out.  As you start to feel better about simply taking the time out of your day to do that you can start walking faster and/or longer each week until you build up to a full session of brisk walking or jogging depending on your goals.  

I like to register for local races to keep me motivated.  They hold me accountable for my training and allow me to have a social element on race day!  I love love love getting together with a giant group of people (almost ALL of which are strangers to me) and sharing the gift of health and camaraderie on race day.  I don't ever expect to come in as #1 but it's a wonderful feeling to keep pushing myself and others towards new goals and hearing your fellow racers and spectators cheering all around you throughout the tough patches is so worth the time and effort I put in during my solo training sessions.

Happy Spring!

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