Take it Outside

The midpoint of a calendar year is a great time to re-assess your short-and long-term fitness goals. Have you reached the goals you set back in January? If not, let’s move outside of the box, or in this case, outside of the gym. Take advantage of the outdoor athletic events in your city! Participating in an organized run or bike ride can be the perfect complement to your fitness programming.

Every year, I add several events into my training program. The benefits of participating in an event include having a specific goal to aim for, increasing your adherence to your fitness regimen, and increasing your confidence levels.

I’ll be completing two events in 2009. In September, I’m participating in the Nautica Triathlon in Malibu, California. But my first event of the season was a 200 km cycling fundraising event, The Ride to Conquer Cancer. This inaugural, history-making, event raised $6.9 million dollars for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

The ride really pushed both my physical and mental limits. But it was a specific, realistic and attainable goal that has opened my eyes to how much I can actually physically accomplish.

If you’re not sure how to start training for an outdoor athletic event, help is as close as a personal trainer. Find a trainer who is willing to work with you outdoors; it will provide situation-specific dynamics to your event training and will also give you a new perspective on how fitness can fit seamlessly into your life.

I have participated in numerous fundraising athletic events, all benefiting cancer research. You may contribute to my latest effort at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/aedugyan