National Running Day: Inspiration to Run for Something

As many of you may know, I've been working on a project to raise money for Women's Health's Run 10 Feed 10. I'm so encouraged by the support that I've gotten so far, and am really appreciating seeing the giving spirit in my friends, family and coworkers.

The website that is running the fundraising efforts is a fantastic (and what appears to be a fantastically fun!) company called Crowdrise, designed specifically to make fundraising for something you believe in easy and entertaining. Trust me, their emails really are :)

With today being National Running Day, I decided to browse around the site, and see who else is "running for something". The process gives me the same rush as running on a long race course, looking at the shirts of the runners around me. People running to save the lives of friends and family members, people running to honor friends and family that may have already been lost, people running to celebrate overcoming their own personal challenge (including this beautiful story from my most recent race). Even though I grumble about running sometimes/often- the aches and pains, the cost of races, the inconvenience of travel- doing it in a way that makes a difference puts it all in perspective.

Check Out These Crowdrise Projects That Feature Great People "Running For Something":

-My Team Triumph: working to allow physically challenged athletes to participate in endurance sports. They have a race this weekend, so check them out!
http://www.crowdrise.com/mttbellinrun2012

-The HydroWorx Underwater Marathon: a fundraiser designed to allow runners to run on underwater treadmills, to raise money for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.
http://www.crowdrise.com/HydroWorxUnderwaterMarathon

-Youth Homes Run 4 Kids: this Montana group home cares for children whose families are in crisis, and they will be participating in the 2012 Missoula Marathon.
http://www.crowdrise.com/run4kids2012

-RMH Elliott Deedler Fundraiser: Elliott's dad Adam is running the inaugural Ann Arbor Marathon to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House that supported them during Elliott's bout of respiratory failure. Check out the project, it has 9 days to go!
http://www.crowdrise.com/deedler/fundraiser/emilydeedler

Happy National Running Day! What inspires you as you run? If you don't run, what causes do you work for or care deeply about?