It's time to spring into action and this month makes it easy. April's local A-list of activities includes a time trial, relay, and even an all-day display of body betterment—no fooling.

It's a crazy month for college basketball, but our definition of March Madness would be to spend it glued to the tube instead of heading outside and taking your best shot at a PR. Make sure there's room on your bracket for the following events.

It may be the heart of winter but, in this temperate town, that's no reason to put the freeze on fitness. You'll soon be hot to trot thanks to the following fun runs that stoke the heat of friendly competition.

Even though summer may be over, locals know that September in Santa Barbara is when things really heat up. The following events will help you celebrate the longer days before fall finally descends.

When life gives you lemons, run with it! Kick off the 21st Goleta Lemon Festival week by participating as a runner or walker in the Goleta Lemon Run 5K "Sunset In the Grove" on Sunday, October 7th at 3:00 pm. It will be a family friendly afternoon among the Goleta lemon trees to get you in the spirit of the Lemon Festival the following weekend. All proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Team In Training in the mission to cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

The race will be located on north Glen Annie Road just past the entrance of Glen Annie Golf Course. This is an 'out and back' course along the scenic Lemon Grove! General Parking is at Dos Pueblos High School. VIP parking can be purchased at Glen Annie Golf Course for an additional $5, spaces are limited.

As a part of your race entry you will receive an official Goleta Lemon Run 5k T-shirt as well as free admission to our after party burger bar up at Glen Annie Golf Course (adjacent to the race course). We will have the live music of David Courtenay, a raffle and the Lemon Run awards ceremony. There are 7 age group categories, we will give prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place male and female winners as well as to the overall 1st place winners.

The summer race season is fast coming to a close. These upcoming events will help you say sayonara with style.

Has the couch got you in its clutches? Show it who's boss by signing up for these sensational summer events that also care for a cause.

Alpha Imagine a World Walk and Ride

July 14, 2012                                       

Feeling flat about your routine ride? Crank it up a notch (or several) with the Alpha Resource Center's Climb the Canyons Cycling Classic. Part of a fundraising festival for the developmentally disabled, the 70-mile tour through the American Riviera explores scenic roads less traveled and treats cyclists to 7,000 feet of care-free climbing in the process.

 "Riders can expect a European classics-inspired route imitating the multiple short, steep climbs found in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège or Tour of Flanders," says event chair and ride coordinator Joshua Weitzman. There will be eleven climbs—none of them more than a mile-and-a-quarter in length—with most having maximum grades of ten to twenty percent."

If climbing's not yet your calling, there's also a 30-mile version that pedals past most of it. And for those just fine on foot, a family-friendly walk around Girsh Park in Goleta will coincide with the ride, followed by a barbeque.

For more information and registration, visit  www.AlphaSB.org/imagine

Run Montecito–Summerland       

July 21, 2012                        

Attracting our tony town's active A-list, the second annual Run Montecito–Summerland will be the place to see-and-be-seen while taking it to the streets in the fight against cancer. From the starting line at Café Luna in Summerland, the half-marathon meanders along such celebrated side roads as Sycamore Canyon, Cold Springs, and East Mountain Drive before looping back to Luna. Those who find that distance daunting can opt for the 5k and 10k courses instead. A percentage of the proceeds will go to Kidz for a Cure and the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara.

For more information and registration, visit  www.runsummerlandmontecito.com

Goleta Beach Triathlon  

July 29, 2012

Friendly to first-time triathletes and a perfect primer for Santa Barbara's race in August, Goleta Beach Triathlon welcomes the multisport-minded to the Good Land for a second consecutive year. The Olympic course consists of a .93-mile ocean swim, a fairly flat 24.8-mile bike, and 6.2-mile run on bike path and beach. The Sprint flies by with a 440-yard swim, 6.5-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run. Don't like the way you look in a wetsuit? Go for the duathlon's double dose of running with biking between. All entrants are asked to make a suggested donation of $5 to the Santa Barbara County Park Foundation.

For more information and registration, visit  www.goletabeachtriathlon.com

Attention runners! Want to run through the beautiful Carpinteria with a cause? Then sign for the 2012 Orchards to Ocean Run benefiting the students of the Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD). 

The run will take place on Saturday, March 10 at the Carpinteria Children's Project at Main in Carpinteria. This event is for all, from dedicated runners to children. Last year, more than 700 individuals participated in the run. "What makes this event different from others, is every part of the race is shared by our seven school sites, for example the Carpinteria Middle School sponsors the water on the course and has volunteers handing out water, while Canalino Elementary sponsors all the tasty foods," explains Patricia Alpert of the Carpinteria Education Foundation. Runners have their choice of completing a 5K, 10K, or 1 mile run. Entry for the 5K and 10K are $25 for early registration, or $35 on race day. For the 1 mile run the entry price in $10. However, student racers from CUSD may enter any of the races for a flat rate of $10. All those who participate in the race will receive a graphic T-shirt. The entry form for the run is found at www.carpeducationfoundation.org . The event begins at 7:00AM. The 10K race begins at 8:00AM and the 5K at 9:15AM. Lastly, the 1 mile race starts at 10:00AM.

"We are a team, all working on this event to benefit our school sites. I love being a part of this team, especially seeing our students running in their first Carpinteria event!" says Patricia Alpert. So come on out for a day filled with fun and fitness and to help support the Carpinteria Unified School District team!