Seven ways to work off a New Year's hangover

For Mike Walsh, there's an element of Groundhog Day -- the Bill Murray version -- in New Year's Day. In the morning, he runs a race. Then he runs another in the afternoon.

"Yep, that would be me," says Walsh. "I do it most years, run both -- but I drive between them. Resolution is a classic, and that Godiva cross-country course is just a bunch of fun."

That would be the Resolution Run 5K, sponsored by the N.C. Road Runners Club, and the Carolina Godiva Track Club's New Year's Day Run. The two are stalwarts of what has become a very active Jan. 1 in the Triangle. Not only can you run in the new year, you can ride and hike it in, too.

Following Walsh's lead, you needn't stop at one event. Time your day perfectly -- and tune up your jet pack -- and you can have a very full start to the new year. For planning purposes, here's a chronological look. Events are free unless otherwise noted.

9 a.m. -- 8th annual Resolution Run, NCSU's Centennial Campus, Raleigh. Despite its ungodly early hour, the Resolution Run has become popular in its seven-year history, with well over 250 entrants last year. It's considered a fun run, not competitive, and includes a quarter-mile dash for kids. Details: $20, registration begins at 8 a.m. www.ncroadrunners.org/ResolutionRun.

10 a.m. -- 16th annual New Year's Day Ride, Cary. This began as a sleepy slog through western Wake County among a few friends, a way to shake off the countdown cobwebs from the night before and record some Day One miles. It has grown to a sleepy slog through western Wake County among several hundred friends. It's a 37-miler that advises: "Check your ego at the door and let's have a safe, steady spin." Pace? "Hangover recovery." Details: Just show up at The Spin Cycle, on Kildaire Farm Road just north of Cary Parkway, a little before 10. 460-9373, www.thespincycle.com.

10 a.m. -- Road Dogs 100K, Falls Lake and points north. Covet your ego and can't check it at the door? Then this 100K (62 miles) ride is for you. Pace is 19-20 mph; the Road Dogs motto: "We only drop our friends." You've been warned. Details: ncbikeclub.org.

11 a.m. -- Western Wake Greenway Ride, Cary. Prefer not to ride so much in traffic (and not so fast) but still want to get some miles in on the bike? Nearly half of this ride is off-road on the White Oak Greenway and the American Tobacco Trail. Details: Meet at the White Oak Church trailhead to the ATT, 1305 White Oak Church Road. www.tarwheels.org, click on "Calendar."

12:45 p.m. -- Sierra Club hike at Umstead State Park, Raleigh. If you're not into crowds and shy away from the Eno River New Year's Day hike (see 2 p.m.), this more intimate hike is planned by the Capital Group segment of the Sierra Club's state chapter. Details: 954-1442 or send e-mail to robert747@netzero.net.

1 p.m. -- Carolina Godiva Track Club's New Year's Day Run, Durham. Join Walsh for the second part of his New Year's doubleheader on this 8K run on the foot-friendly natural surface trails of Duke Forest. Did I say 8K? The course is actually just short of an 8K (which is 5 miles) -- it's 4.97 miles. Race commences from the Duke School for Children, 3716 Old Erwin Road, Durham. $5. Details: www.carolinagodiva.org.

2 p.m. -- Eno River Association New Year's Day Hike, Durham. "It's pretty much the same thing we've been doing," the association's Kathy Lee says of this year's hike. The association has been doing this hike longer than anyone can officially recall.

That may not sound like a good thing -- the same old thing part -- unless you've been on the hike and realize you don't mess with tradition.

No, dividing up to 500 people into just two hiking groups may not seem like the best of plans (ever been on a guided hike with 25 people, let alone 250?). But it all seems to work out, whether you do the 2-mile hike or the more ambitious 4- to 5-miler.

Hot refreshments follow in the picnic shelter. It's free, but donations are welcome to help with the association's efforts to preserve land along the Eno.

The hikes start and end at the big picnic shelter at Few's Ford Access, which is where Cole Mill Road peters out after traveling north for nearly six miles from Interstate 85.

Details: www.enoriver.org.