One of my list items of things I want to do by my 25th birthday is to train for and participate in 3 5k races. Yesterday began my training.

While on our shopping trip this weekend, I picked myself up a few toys to get me pumped, and therefore inspired, to get my widening butt out of this office chair and get my heart beating. I got a shiny new pair of Nike Lunarglides+ 2 and a Nike + iPod kit.

I love running. I began running in high school and for a very long time I ran daily, sometimes twice a day. It is a great stress-reliever and a perfect time for me to spend some time inside my head sorting things out and dealing with what's going on in my life. Running not only makes me physically fit, but also contributes greatly to my mental fitness as well.

After high school I had a knee surgery to fix some damage done over the years that began when I danced when I was younger. Then college happened with me working 2 jobs and taking a full load, not to mention the freshman 40. Then came Lily. Then another knee surgery to fix the same knee again.

It wasn't until I healed completely from this second surgery that I got back on the pavement. And I trained for my first-ever 5k, which I ran last Halloween, not to mention that I lost all that early-college weight as well as my baby weight (and boy was there a ton of that). Enter senior project, the holidays, and then our big move, and needless to say I haven't been back out.

Well it's time. Yesterday I headed out and did a bit over a mile before I almost killed over. Today I'm resting, as my legs are so sore that I'm sure watching me go up and down the stairs is at least a bit humorous.

To set a hard goal, I signed up for my first of three 5k races. I signed up for Free to Breathe, a 5k race in Boone on October 17th to raise money for lung cancer research. I will be doing the race as a non-competitor, as I will not delude myself into thinking I'll be up to par by then. That gives me about 7.5 weeks to getting a bit over 3 miles without dying. That is my goal.

Other than running, David and I have a tennis date set for tomorrow. Not to mention my weekly yoga classes. I'm feeling really good about this!

So, my first goal is set, and I'm ready to go. I have some other plans for this race that I will announce soon.

What do you do to get/stay fit?