I remember it just like it was yesterday.

And the first day I decided to try running was a day like yesterday — mild, sunny, fragrant with spring flowers and singing with bees and birds.

I’d driven through North Park on my way home from work past runners circling the lake singly or in groups of two or three. They looked so strong and free that I suddenly felt imprisoned behind my steering wheel and by my own inactivity.

As soon as I got home, I changed into a pair of gym shorts, an old T-shirt and my well-worn discount store cross-trainers and headed down my driveway. By the time I reached the road (about an eighth mile), I had pretty much reached my endurance limit. Wheezing and bent over with hands on my aching thighs, I wondered how all of those North Park runners made this look easy, enjoyable even.

Discouraged but not dissuaded, I kept going, and going — each day a little longer. By September, I ran my first race, a 10-miler around North Park Lake. Little did I know, I had begun a journey of thousands of miles and more than 30 years — a journey that’s not yet reached its end.

If you’re a reader of this column but not yet a runner, there’s no better time to break free of your prison of inactivity. Upcoming days are sunny and mild with bright chirpy mornings and long golden evenings.

I can’t tell you that starting a running program will be easy, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while. But I can promise that the rewards of physical, mental and emotional health surpass the investment in time, energy and sweat.

Seek professional help. If you have any physical limitations or questions, consult a running-friendly health professional for advice on starting an exercise program to fit your needs. And since shoes are the only equipment you require for running, visit a specialty store for a personal fitting by a professional.

Start small. Carve out a half-hour of time three days per week since that’s all you really need to see health benefits. That might mean getting up early before the rest of the family misses you or wearing your running clothes when you drop the kids off for soccer practice. Get creative, but be firm in sticking to your goal.

Take it easy. If you’re new to exercise, make your goal walking, not running for 30 minutes. Your pace should be quick enough to elevate your heart rate and breathing.

If you can successfully complete a half-hour of brisk walking, you’re ready to build short runs into your workout. Start with five to 10 minutes of walking to warm up. Jog for 10 seconds, then walk again until your breathing returns to normal. Repeat. Finish with a five-minute cool-down walk. As you become more aerobically fit, gradually increase the time spent running until you can complete the entire 30 minutes without walking.

Achieve your goal. Starting is hard. Continuing is less hard. Once you can comfortably complete 30 minutes of easy running three times per week, it’s time to look back at how far you’ve come and decide where running will take you next.

You may be comfortable running the same route on the same three days forever. Or you may be ready to explore the wider running world. Sign up for a local race or charity fun run. Lengthen one of your weekly runs or add an additional running day to further build endurance. Explore new running routes or try a trail.

Join in. There are more Americans running for fun than ever before. Chances are some of them are in your neighborhood. Running specialty stores, health clubs and park headquarters are good sources to find local running groups or events as are Internet and social media sites. And most runners are more than happy to share knowledge — running tips and techniques, training and trails.

Wherever or how far you run, it’s your journey. You won’t know where it leads unless you take that first step.

Upcoming events

Saturdays, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Runs, Valencia. Run on rolling country roads. 724-898-2525 or shoes@runpa.com

Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.: Mojo Trail Nuts Group Runs, North Park. Run on North Park trails. 724-772-2808 or info@mojorunningpittsburgh.com

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Butler Area Library First Annual April Fools’ 5k Run/Walk, Butler. Starts at Alameda Park Jaycees Shelter. cdreher@bcfls.org

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Friends of the Manor 5k and 10k, Pymatuning State Park. 724-932-3186 or muskie5k@yahoo.com

Saturday, 11 a.m.: Cook Forest Half Marathon and 5k, Cooksburg. Scenic run along Clarion River. 814-393-2081 or cookforest.com/marathon

Saturday, 10 a.m.: Prep4Pitt-3 Half Marathon and 5k, Sandy Lake. Run on paved bike path around Lake Wilhelm. 724-301-6775 or mctrails.org

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Not Another Polar Vortex 5k and 15k, Boston. Run on Yough River Rail Trail, also kids run at 8:30 A.M. 412-760-5302 or teambrunazzi@gmail.com

Sunday, 3 p.m.: Run or Walk for Someone Special 2 Mile or 5 Mile, Sykesville. 814-952-0490 or jcarc.org

April 9, 9 a.m.: Dirty Kiln Trail Races at Canoe Creek State Park, Hollidaysburg. Choice of half marathon or five miles of rugged trails. Register online at alleghenytrailrunners.com/dirty-kiln-trail-race or bmazur@intelmarx.com

April 9, 9 a.m.: Bigfoot ½ Marathon and 5k, Kittanning. Flat out and back course. briggle@rgsymca.org

April 9, 10 a.m.: Fool’s Run 10k and 5k, Indiana. The 38th running of this fast course with rolling hills. 724-349-0501 or jswauger@comcast.net

April 16, 9 a.m.: Be a Hero For a Hero 5k, Shippenville. Run at Clarion County Park. Participants encouraged to dress as superheroes, free registration for kids 12 and under. 814-223-1590 or amandacserr@gmail.com

April 16, 9 a.m.: Roaring Run Water Association Earth Day Dash 5k and 15k, Apollo. Online registration at runsignup.com or roaringrun@gmail.com

April 23, 9 a.m.: Patti J. Nelson Foundation 5k Memorial Run/Walk, Evans City. Challenging and scenic course along Patti Nelson’s favorite walking route. All kids ages 12 and under receive finishers’ medals. 724-538-9553 or Pattijnelsonfoundation.com

April 23, 9 a.m.: Superhero 5k Run and 1k Fun Walk, North Park. Participants encouraged to dress as superheroes. Costume contest, family activities. 412-760-0483 or pittsburghsuperheroes@gmail.com

April 30, 8 a.m.: Pittsburgh Marathon 5k, Pittsburgh. Registration closes March 31. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

April 30, 9 a.m.: Eden Christian Academy Warrior 5k Run/Walk, North Park. Starts at Boathouse. 724-251-1869 or cnsteele@comcast.net

April 30, 9:30 a.m.: Pittsburgh Kids Marathon, Pittsburgh. One mile run starts on Pittsburgh’s Northshore. Each child may have one adult accompany them. Also Toddler Trot for kids ages 2-5 at 11:30 A.M. and pet walk at 12:30 P.M. Registration closes March 31. Visit www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

April 30, 9:30 a.m.: 5k in the Forest Run/Walk, Tionesta. Also kids 50 yd. and 100 yd. runs at 8:30 A.M. 814-755-3302 or jcarll@forestareaschools.org

May 1, 7 a.m.: Pittsburgh Marathon and Half Marathon, Pittsburgh. Registration closes March 31. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

Race results

Brave American 5k, March 5: Griffin Mackey, 1st Overall M, 16:49; Kelly Stevens, 1st Overall W, 18:45; Paul Stugart, 1st 40-49 M, 19:59; Maggie Hutchison, 3rd 20-29 W, 24:19; Robert Pudlo, 21:32; Bill Kreke, 22:42; Leo Cardenas, 23:40; Bob Knobeloch, 26:25; Brianna Wilkinson, 27:29; Heidi Berkley, 28:47; Nicholas Krchnavy, 29:30; Angela Delune, 31:19; Jennifer Shondeck, 31:39; Alexander Donaldson, 32:18; Jennifer Toy, 32:41; Lindsey Hayes, 32:47; Kristi Hayes, 32:48; Molly Razum, 32:49; Douglas Berkley, 33:08; Joni Mulvaney, 35:01; Amanda Burns, 37:43; Gary Tipton, 38:29; Caeli Mulvaney, 39:31; Julie Casper, 39:33; Allison Smith, 42:59; Jennifer Stoops, 43:58

March Mad Dash 5k, March 12: Brendan Lawlor, 1st Overall M, 18:49; Tom Lammert, 3rd Overall M, 19:30; Liz Mahoney, 1st Overall W, 24:45; Marin Smocer, 2nd Overall W, 24:57; David Rishel, 1st 40-49 M, 20:49; Lindsey Woods, 2nd 30-39 W, 26:58; Lisa Arthur, 2nd 40-49 W, 28:27; Richard Guido, 2nd 50-59 M, 28:53; Barbara Ford, 2nd 50-59 W, 29:08; Craig Lavender, 27:39; Jordan Arthur, 28:26; Emma Lammert, 28:46; Michael Huth, 31:00; Jaime Foose, 32:25; Dusty Nolan, 33:57; Valerie Plummer, 42:51; Kory Bouch, 55:55; Amber Scholl, 55:56; Dara Sterling, 1:19:06; Jeffrey Sterling, 1:19:06

J.C.Stone 50k, March 19: Sam Skeels, 1st Overall M, 3:12:11; Nicole Gareri, 1st Overall W, 3:49:15; Mark Shipley, 1st Masters M, 4:01:48; Brian Buchan, 2nd Masters M, 4:10:07; John Armstrong, 2nd Grandmaster M, 4:29:41; Ann Cannoni, 3rd Grandmaster W, 6:10:10; Steven Nichols, 4:31:57; Jim Arthur, 4:45:33; Tim Tannert, 5:24:34; Katherine Colton, 5:50:52; Mary Siegel, 5:50:54; Amanda Hardt, 6:10:26; Chad Schwendemann, 6:17:45

Golden Tide Baseball 15k Run, March 26: Cory Neff, 1st Overall M, 58:50; Vanessa Snyder, 1st Overall W, 1:13:11; Talisa Dimmick, 1:22:46; Tanika Nickerson, 1:22:46

Golden Tide Baseball 5k Run, March 26: Noah Vongunden, 1st Overall M, 20:11; Misti Turner, 1st Overall W, 21:17; Devan Barrett, 1st 13-19 M, 21:09; Christian Bakaysa, 2nd 13-19 M, 21:09; Nate Turner, 1st 30-39 M, 21:13; Bob Straw, 3rd 40-49 M, 22:52; Chelsea Moore, 2nd 20-29 W, 25:43; Alaina Mccracken, 1st 12 & Under W, 28:57; Terri Johnson, 3rd 40-49 W, 31:15; Alyssa Bakaysa, 3rd 12 & Under W, 34:00; Alora Mcgovern, 3rd 13-19 W, 34:45; Noah Strickland, 21:43; John Shaffer, 23:19; Josh Terry, 23:45; Bryce Timko, 26:03; Robbie L. Tubbs Sr., 27:51; Jeremy Irwin, 28:02; Jake Mccracken, 28:07; Adam Straw, 28:18; Cross Bloom, 29:52; Tyler Dunn, 32:13; Avery Francisco, 32:15; Rj Olson, 32:15; Kerry Wallace, 32:18; Mason Gasper, 32:25; Cole Larock, 32:46; Emily Shaffer, 35:00; Broc Heitsenrether, 35:01; Patrick Dunn, 35:21; Christine Limbert, 35:33; Zach Mcclure, 35:35; Krista Mccracken, 36:25; Tracy Bakaysa, 38:17; Michelle Dunn, 39:22; Taylor Seger, 45:39; Garrett Shaw, 51:20; Chase Anderson, 51:20

Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA16056. Phone 724-352-4395. E-mail bigp16@connecttime.net.

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle.