So did yesterday's and Tuesday's glorious warm weather cheer you up and put a little "spring" in your step? And while enjoying a little time outside, did the reality that Spring Break and your summer vacay are right around the corner sink in...accompanied maybe, just maybe, by the thought that you aren't quite in the shape you'd like to be? We get it. Maintaining your fitness during the winter is tough, and it's no surprise that during this winter -- the coldest with the least amount of snow in close to three decades, according to local meteorologists -- many of us have gone into hibernation mode.But with spring comes renewal. I see the end of winter as an opportunity, an opportunity to kick-start your health for spring and summer. So we at Fitness on the Run (FOR) are challenging our FOR members and our Alexandria community as a whole to get out and get moving with our Spring Break Race to the Top.If you read enough of our blogs, you know we firmly believe a 30-minute minimum of exercise is non-negotiable. It's also what the medical community can all agree wards off illness, increases longevity, and puts you in a better mood, among dozens of other benefits.Anyone, yes anyone, can achieve it. We all get "busy," but we can carve out five rounds of 5-minute mini workouts, three blocks of 10 minutes, and, yes, even some 30-minute blocks.

• How much time do you spend per day checking out social media cumulatively?
• How much time do you spend checking email?
• How many excess trips do you make to the grocery store that you could have prevented with a little meal planning?

Thirty minutes is all I ask. So for the month of March, use those 30 minutes to complete a challenge and then send me your results, or better yet, come to FOR and take on our community of folks in pursuit of serious fitness.The "Race to the Top" is simple. Throughout the month of March, FOR members earn points for coming to see our bright shiny faces: 1 point for taking a kick butt FOR class, 2 points for a personal training session, and 3 points for referring a friend. The people with the most points at the end of the month will win a variety of really cool prizes like free months of classes, discounts, FOR gear, and much more.If you aren't a member of FOR (even though you really should be… ;-) ) you can participate, too. Just make up your own challenge. For example, if you do 10 push-ups you get 1 point, if you do 10 push-ups and 10 burpees you get 2 points, and if you do 10 push-ups, 10 burpees, and take a walk or go for a run you earn 3 points. See how many points you can earn by the end of the month. Go ahead: send your video to me with  a log in your iPhone of at least 50 points and I'll send YOU an FOR gift!So…to all the Fitness on the Run members out there, start signing up early for classes and/or personal training sessions throughout the month of March. You know from experience they fill fast as others are getting into spring and summer gear. If you aren't a FOR member but want to participate, you can start by trying out our Get Fit for Life package. You get three personal training sessions and a month of unlimited classes for $99. And if you do your own thing…build your own challenge and make it fun!