You’re exhausted after a long night of New Year’s Eve party-hopping. Your hair is a mess. You smell a little nasty.

So what’s your top priority on Jan. 1? Going for a run.

The idea might sound crazy, but runners will gather at Big Dog Running Company in downtown Columbus Sunday morning for a Resolution Run.

The free, casual run is open to all runners of all experience levels. You’ll choose your own distance and pace.

It’s an easy way to get an early start on your fitness goals. Rather than making lists and talking about 2012 resolutions, you’ll actually be springing into action -- before noon.

Sure, if you’re a new runner, you might not be able to do a half marathon Sunday morning. You might kick off your fitness program with a few aches, pains and mental obstacles.

But hey, at least you’re not sitting around watching TV.

I attended the 2011 Resolution Run. While the (relatively) early wake-up call wasn’t too appealing, I completed my run with a huge sense of accomplishment.

There’s something satisfying about pushing your physical limits while most of your friends are still asleep. Trust me, you probably won’t regret starting 2012 with the unique euphoria of a “runner’s high.”

And when you get home, feel free to crawl back in bed.

MORE ONLINE

The Internet is a valuable resource for meeting your 2012 fitness goals. Don’t know where to start? Try these websites.

RunKeeper.com: This social network for runners lets you “track, measure and improve your fitness.”

MapMyRun.com: Use this site to create workouts, set goals and follow your progress.

ColumbusRoadrunners.com: Visit this site to view a list of local races of interest.

Local running stores online: Big Dog Running Company (bigdogrunning.com) and Below The Knee (belowthekneeshoes.com) have websites with information on group runs.