Since Thanksgiving, the food pyramid in our house has been tipped on its side. Our normally health-conscious family has eaten more cakes, cookies and candy than we should. For the first time in years, we find ourselves going into the New Year with the resolution to get back on track, both with our eating and our fitness regimes.

Fortunately, we live in an area that lends itself to healthy eating and getting plenty of exercise. Between the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer's Market, Whole Foods Market in Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, Fresh Market and Trader Joe's all within a couple of miles of each other, we are blessed with a plethora of healthy food choices.

These stores offer not only great fresh produce, but organic and all-natural food choices as well. In addition, Whole Food Market holds cooking and nutrition classes on a regular bases to help their customers make more informed decisions about the food they buy and how they prepare it.

Food choice alone will not keep my family fit and healthy. For that, we need to continue to be committed to a regular fitness routine.

Luckily, there are a few events planned in Annapolis that will help runners start 2011 off right. For the past four years, there has been a Last Run of the Year organized by the city of Annapolis. As a sponsor for this event, Fleet Feet was disappointed to hear that the race would not be run this year. Instead of sulking about it, Fleet Feet stepped up to the plate and took charge. 

The event will run this year as a "fun run" with plans already in place to make it a real race next year. This year's event will be held at 4 p.m. on New Year's Eve and will feature both a 5k course and a 1-mile run for kids and their families. The course will guide runners and walkers through historic Annapolis.

Because Annapolis is a running town, it is not surprising that there is an additional running event available this holiday weekend. If you are not able to make it on Dec. 31, head down to the City Dock on New Year's Day for the "first run of the year." This event started with a handful of runners more than 10 years ago and has grown, the way all things running seem to do in Annapolis, to close to 200 runners last year. While this is not an organized run in the traditional sense, there is a start time of 9 a.m. on New Year's Day. It has also picked up an informal sponsor in City Dock Coffee, who has been known to provide coffee and orange slices for the runners. 

Having grown up in a small town in North Carolina, I marvel at our community. I am in awe of an town that boasts both specialty running stores, running clubs and just everyday runners who encourage everybody in our community to come out, join in and get fit. As a mom, I am thrilled to raise kids in a community that leads by example, showing my children what it means to lead a fit and healthy life.