Saturday, April 17, was a beautiful day to run in the Brian Mickelsen memorial race.

I joined hundreds of other Verde Valley and Northern Arizona residents taking advantage of an opportunity to exercise with others. Events such as this race — which honors the memory of the late Cottonwood city manager — encourage people in our communities to be more active.

I jog, but don’t consider myself a competitive runner, and I wasn’t alone. I saw the race as a chance to encourage myself and others to exercise.

You don’t have to be a marathon runner to take up jogging. You can enjoy the health benefits associated with regular physical activity simply by lacing up a pair of tennis shoes a couple days a week and heading outside.

I plan to again participate in the race next year, and I vow to run a little faster.