The Flirt Walk February 12
What’s involved? Ease in gently with a 5km power walk through Hyde Park that should get your heart pumping in more ways than one. The event is run by the British Heart Foundation in collaboration with the matchmaking agency Parship, so you’ll be expected to flex your flirting skills as well as your muscles.
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Training tip Power walk for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. If you’re pressed for time, break down your workouts into segments: two 15-minute sessions, for example, or three of 10 minutes.
Body benefits A brisk 30-minute walk works your cardiovascular system and burns about 200 calories.
Sign me up Visit www.bhf.org.uk/flirtwalk.
Anything else? If you’re not single enough to get away with flirting, it doesn’t mean you have to opt out altogether. instead, enter the 10km Love Run, held on February 11 in London, Newcastle and Cardiff. For details, visit www.ppuk.org.
MARCH
Heartfeat Ski Challenge March 9-12
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What’s involved? Whether you’re a wobbly intermediate or a steep’n’deep speed demon, this brilliant event involves skiing three top resorts — Chamonix, in France, Verbier, in Switzerland, and Courmayeur, in Italy — over 3 days, while clocking up as many vertical metres as you can for your team.
Training tip In-line skating — it mimics the actions you’ll be making in the white stuff.
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Body benefits By the end, you’ll have thighs of steel and a taut bum, as downhill skiing tones the lower body fabulously. You also burn calories more quickly at high altitude, so this is one holiday you should certainly return from fitter.
Sign me up You’ll need to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation. Call 0800 917 6976 or visit www.bhf.org.uk.
Anything else? Double Trouble Ski and Board Charity Challenge (March 22-25) at Portes du Soleil and Three Valleys. Call Promise Dreams on 01902 378597 or visit www.promisedreams.co.uk.
APRIL
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Flora London Marathon April 23
What’s involved? The most famous marathon in the world, this is one of those do-before-you-die events on every fitness junkie’s list. A hellish course, it takes the average runner at least 4 hours.
Training tip Start early. Mark this one up in next year’s diary, as you should train for a year or more before you put your body through the stress of running a marathon.
Body benefits Running will build your cardiovascular system and raise your metabolism, helping your body to burn off fat quickly. Expect to burn up to 630 calories per hour.
Sign me up Call the hotline on 020 7902 0189 or visit www.london-marathon.co.uk.
Anything else? If a marathon sounds like madness, head to the beautiful Phoenix Park, in Dublin, on April 9 for the Bupa Great Ireland Run, a more manageable 10km run, jog or walk. Visit www.greatrun.org for details.
MAY
The Moonwalk May 21
What’s involved? A marathon or half-marathon women’s power walk through the streets of London, wearing a customised bra, to raise funds for breast-cancer charities. The marathon kicks off with a warm-up party, counting down to the midnight start. Then there are bacon butties once you get back at dawn.
Training tip Add some light hand weights to your power walks to boost your upper-body workout.
Body benefits Walking for at least 30 minutes every day helps burn fat and works your glutes, sculpting a buff bum. Even if your pace slows in the early hours, you’ll burn at least 220 calories per hour.
Sign me up Call 01483 741430 or visit www.walkthewalk.org.
Anything else? Run for Moore is a series of six men-only 5km runs taking place in May to raise money for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. For more details, visit www.runformoore.org (live from February 6).
JUNE
London-Brighton bike ride June 18
What’s involved? Without doubt one of the most popular bike rides in Europe, this 90km trip starts in Hyde Park and ends on Brighton’s seafront. Most riders take about seven hours to complete it.
Training tip Interval training packs a serious fitness punch. If you want to improve fast, do eight four-minute intervals of pedalling at about 85% of your maximum, giving yourself 90 seconds to recover in between.
Body benefits As well as toning your thighs, the steep ride to the top of Ditchling Beacon, an 813ft hill that rears up towards the end of the route, will boost your calorie burn to 600 calories per hour.
Sign me up Registration opens on March 6 at www.bhf.org.uk/london-brighton.
Anything else? If you miss out on a place down south, enter the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride on June 17, a 113km scenic route along Yorkshire country roads. For more details, visit www.gybr.co.uk.
JULY
Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim July 23
What’s involved? A 2.25km sea swim between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers — that’s more than 90 lengths of a 25-metre pool.
Training tip Focus on your breathing before you get into the pool. Most people don’t exhale fully while underwater, so, when your face is out of the water, complete this process before inhaling again. Practise before you dive in. Yoga is also a great way to develop your breathing technique.
Body benefits It’s hard to beat swimming for all-round fitness. It burns up to 560 calories per hour, builds long, lean muscles and puts no stress on the joints.
Sign me up Call 01225 481601.
Anything else? If your sea legs aren’t up to such a long haul, why not enter the Race for Life instead? This is a series of women-only 5km runs across the country, held from May to July (www.raceforlife.org).
AUGUST
Michelob Ultra London Triathlon August 5-6
What’s involved? Triathlon is the fastest-growing multidiscipline sport in the UK and, with more than 10,000 entrants, the London event is the largest in the world. First-timers should choose the supersprint (400m swim, 10km bike ride and 2.5km run) over the Olympic, a gruelling 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.
Training tip “Buy a wetsuit at least two weeks before the race, so you can practise swimming in it, as well as getting in and out of it,” advises European junior triathlon champion Olly Freeman.
Body benefits It builds a balanced body. Alternating biking and running will help develop muscle groups in the legs; swimming will make you more lithe and supple, strengthen your upper body and increase your lung capacity.
Sign me up 020 7559 2929; www.thelondontriathlon.com.
Anything else? Say goodbye to sea level and tone your arms and legs climbing 2,709 metres and walking 41km in the Three Peaks Challenge (www.ndcs.org.uk) on the same dates.
SEPTEMBER
Ace Races One Day Adventure Race Sept 2
What’s involved? Mixed teams of three navigate their way to mapped checkpoints on foot and by mountain bike, on the way contending with surprise challenges and obstacles. Staged in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, the event takes 3-5 hours.
Training tip Sign up for the beginners’ training course (April 1 and 2) and learn about navigation, nutrition, kit and training techniques.
Body benefits Running over cross-country terrain is easier on your knees than pounding the pavements, and the ups, downs and unevenness of the route improve muscle tone, dexterity and core strength.
Sign me up Visit www.aceraces.co.uk.
Anything else? The Cancer Research UK 10, a series of 10km runs in the grounds of 29 stately homes across the UK, including Hampton Court, Alnwick Castle and Powis Castle. Visit www.cancerresearchuk10.co.uk.
OCTOBER
Bupa Great North Run October 1
What’s involved? Elbows at the ready: this race in Newcastle upon Tyne is Britain’s biggest running event and the world’s largest half-marathon, with 50,000 racers taking on the 21km course.
Training tip Don’t get stuck on pounding pavements — do a bit of cross-training and you’ll reduce the risk of injury. Mix it up with cycling or swimming so that you are working other muscles in the body as well.
Body benefits Apart from burning through the calories and giving your heart a great workout, running also helps stop your bones from weakening as you age, and can even multiply bone cells by as much as 2% a year.
Sign me up Visit www.greatrun.org.
Anything else? The Bupa Great South Run, October 22 (www.greatrun.org). The little sister of the Great North Run, a southern nancy’s version spanning 16km of flat roads in Southsea, Portsmouth.