LS: I don't know if this will motivate others or not, but I would say don't over-think it and just sign up—preferably with a friend and not your very best friend who will forgive you if you bail. If you want to grumble and moan for the first couple weeks like I did, go ahead. Then zip it and start walking (or running, if that's the plan). Second, maybe look at your first event as sort of a test run. No pressure, no time goals. You're just there to check it out. Third, have fun! Encourage and be encouraged. (And don't forget to tell everyone you've never done it before so if you go for first place, they won't see you coming.)

Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN is an award winning registered dietitian, creator of The ZIED GUIDE blog and e-newsletter, the author of Nutrition At Your Fingertips, and co-author of Feed Your Family Right!, and So What Can I Eat?! with Ruth Winter, MS. Visit Elisa at elisazied.com and follow her on Twitter at @elisazied.

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