Kara’s call to the starting line.

1. It’ll give you direction on your training. Once you commit to a 5k you know you need to get some speed in. Commit to a half-marathon? You’ll know you need to get some longer runs in.

2. You’ll make friends. On the starting line, during the race- you’ll meet new people to work with and run with. The more run friends the merrier.

3. Expos! Heading to expos is always fun! You get to see new product and discover things that might be good for your running. Plus you can try samples!

4. Seeing new places. The more races you go to, the more places you get to see. There’s no better way to see a city than by running through the downtown with no cars around!

5. Finding out what distances are right for you. Maybe you’ll find out you really love running the 5k and the speed work that goes along with it. Or maybe you’ll realize you were meant to go long. But you’ll find you like some distances more than others and that’s cool to find out.

6. You’ll get a chance to challenge yourself and set a goal. Whether or not you hit the goal, it’s fun to challenge yourself and see what you can do!

7. It can change how you see the world around you. Food? That's fuel for those hard sessions. Sleep? That's a critical part of recovery. Stairs? Perfect for stretching your calves. The world is your training playground!

8. You'll inspire the people around you to get active. Behavior, passion, commitment - they're all contagious!

9. Its an excuse to nerd out on runner science, wisdom, and storytelling. With so much information out there for runners, it's a great excuse to dive in!

10. The finisher photo - there's nothing quite like standing at a finish line with your friends or family members celebrating your hard work. It's a chance for everyone to celebrate your effort. Soak in the love, and be proud.