With only a year and a half remaining before reaching the big 40, I have set a personal goal of getting in the best physical shape of my life. It's about longevity. It's about being able to keep up with my children. And yes, it's a little about ego - I'm tired of the love handles. I don't bring the 6-pack abs to the pool anymore... I bring the whole keg 
A month ago I bought a road bike - a Fuji Roubaix RC - and have been riding 20 to 30 miles a few times a week with some racing buddies in my community. It's very hilly where I live, and these guys have been riding and racing professionally for several years. It's been a great way to get in shape and I've teamed up with one of the guys to try and each lose 15 lbs by Christmas.
In high school I weighed 155 lbs and benched a solid 255 lbs. I don't think I'll ever be quite that lean, erm... skinny. But dropping back down to 175 from my current 190 will be very rewarding.
Along the way, my family will benefit from my increased energy level, and my wife will rest more assured in the greater chances of my staying alive longer.
What are you doing to get in shape this year? 
There are still two months left in 2006 - plenty of time to start working out or join a recreational sport club.
Down 10 lbs so far!
Thanks to my buddy Frank working out with me 3 times a week and doing a 25 mile ride every weekend, I've dropped 10 lbs in the last month. Ten more to go and I'll be right where I've dreamed of being for the last decade and a half!
We're planning to do Seattle to Portland next year as well, which gives us something to shoot for.
I've found that morning workouts are the only way to go for me. Afternoon workouts end up competing for family time: "Hi Honey, I'm on my way home from work and I was planning to stop by the YMCA to workout"... "Oh, it's been a long day for you?"... "Ok, well, I'll skip the workout and head home instead." Sound familiar?
But if I knock it out first thing in the morning (6:00 a.m.) then it's done and it doesn't have to compete with anything else that day. And guilt-free workouts are way more fun!