Prepare your body

I've registered for the Five Boro Bike Tour (my 2nd time) and today I got an email letting me know that it's only 24 days away.

YIKES!

Now I exercise most days of the week, so I should get too worried, right? The last time I did this race - oops, sorry Joe, I mean TOUR, I had not been on my bike for probably a decade. And I didn't train. I just showed up.

But isn't showing up half the battle sometimes?

With record breaking temperatures this week, we are thinking summer. Maybe you've already unpacked the shorts and are eyeing the bathing suit.

Beautiful weather can inspire you to get out and get moving. So whether you're embarking on a 42 mile bike tour without training, or simply committing to a new exercise routine, there are a few things you need to think about to prepare your body. That was the theme of one of the Five Boro emails sent weeks ago which I hadn't bothered to open until now. These tips were loosely inspired by that email....

If you're new to the world of exercise, start at the beginning. Everyone needs to start somewhere. So dust off your bike helmet, or sign up for a Jazzercise membership, or call a friend to go for a walk (better yet - do all of the above!) A varied workout routine is more likely to keep you interested and on track.

Make a date with yourself to exercise. Check off 60 of those required activity minutes by making a plan. Your schedule will always be full, there will always be laundry in the basket, and there's always going to be some excuse not to do it.

Step it up a notch. Once you're on a roll and exercise has become a habit, keep it fresh. Try new classes, use heavier weights, or give yourself a challenge - like riding 42 miles!

Start small, start now and prepare your body -- not for bathing suit season, not for summer weather, but for LIFE!

Here's Team Checkered Flag at the Five Boro in '08.

Go team!!