Five Ways You Can Celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month. With the climbing temperatures and the first hits of summer, this is the perfect time to get active. If you have had a relatively inactive winter, perhaps you can use this month to fold regular exercising back into your routine. If you have been staying active, then May is the perfect month to push yourself to conquer new challenges. Here are five ways to celebrate National Physical Fitness & Sports Month in style.

Sign up for a road race

Running is the perfect way to get active (or stay active), and May is a great running month. As the weather warms up and the trails shed any last vestiges of snow or ice, now is the time to get out there and start making miles. To keep yourself motivated, sign up for a road race. Countless businesses and organizations throughout the United States sponsor road race events in the spring and summer. Memorial Day weekend is an especially favorite time for these kinds of activities. Look for one near you. If you are getting into running, a 5K or 10K race is a good challenge. If you’ve been running for a while, test your boundaries with a marathon or a half-marathon. Either way, have fun!

Join a local sports group

Getting into fitness can be a terrific way to meet people and make new friends. Look for a sports group, team, or league near you that appeals to your talents and interests. Depending on where you live, you could have a wide range of options available to you, some rival (like soccer or ultimate frisbee leagues) and some not so competitive (local biking or running groups). Either way, getting involved with a group will help you stay motivated because you’ll be accountable to others as well as yourself.

Pick out a cool place to hike

Sometimes, getting active can be as simple as taking a walk in the woods. Set aside some time on a Saturday or Sunday for a hike, then research cool hiking spots near where you live. From recreational trails to nature reserves to national parks, there are no wrong answers here. Just get out there, hike a few miles, and enjoy the scenery.

Bike to work for the month

If possible, pledge to bike to work for a month. Not only is this kind of commitment a fantastic way to get your daily exercise, but it’s also an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint. You don’t necessarily have to bike to work every day—especially if it’s raining. However, challenging yourself to do it once a week or so will honor the spirit of National Physical Fitness & Sports Month and might even encourage your co-workers to get involved.

Get friends or family members together for a physical activity

Next time you get together with friends or family, skip dinner or the trip to the bar and arrange a physical activity. A bike ride along the coast; a pick-up game of ultimate frisbee, a family baseball game. These kinds of events are all a lot of fun and provide great bonding experiences—all while getting your heart rate up.

There are countless ways to celebrate National Physical Fitness & Sports Month. The five ideas discussed above are just that: ideas. As long as you are finding some way to get active this month, you are playing your part. Just remember to have fun! The goal of National Physical Fitness & Sports Month isn’t to force people to exercise but to get them excited about exercising. This month is your chance to find something that you will hopefully want to keep doing even after May has come and gone.