Why Do You Love Running? (The #RunChat Valentine’s Challenge)

My week was filled with interactions with the running community. I spent last Sunday morning helping out at race-day registration and packet-pickup for the Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon.

As I was leaving that morning, I snapped this picture:

I snapped the picture mostly because the “Weekend Hashtag Project (#WHP)” at Instagram was “hide and seek” so I included the following text along with the post:

“Between the home of the FSU Circus and the home of great college football, do you see the place where marathon dreams begin? #WHPHideandseek”

In response to this picture and text, my friend Ann of Ann’s Running Commentary asked me if I was dreaming of doing a marathon. I responded back that my real focus is still getting my 5K down to a sub-30:00 mark.  She used this conversation as a springboard to a video that talks about laying down a running foundation and sticking to our stated goals:

The people (like Ann), images (like the start line of a marathon), and connections (too numerous to describe) I encounter through running are some of the things I love about running. Runchat is encouraging us all, through a Valentine’s Day challenge, to share what we love about running. Sweetening the deal is the fact that there are prizes!

Runchat says:

The challenge is simple: make a list of 5-10 things you love about running. Blog about it and then post a link in our comments [at this post].

If you don’t have a blog? No problem. Create a Pinterest board titled “Things I Love About Running,” tag your pins with #RunChat and then leave a comment here with a link to your board. Runchat will feature some submitted pins and photos from blog entries on our Things You Love About Running board.

If you don’t have a blog and you’re not on Pinterest, head over to Twitter and finish this tweet: “One thing I love about running is ______. http://bit.ly/loverun13 #runchat” There’s no need to leave a comment for this as the tweet will post in their comments.

And YES, you can do all 3. And YES, you can do more. Feel free to create a YouTube or Vine video or post a photo of something you love about running to Instagram. All we ask is that you tag #runchat in your post in some way and then leave a comment here with a link.

(I am saving my image for my Wordless Wednesday, but if you just can’t wait (ha!), here’s the link to the Instagram image.)

All this love can turn into great prizes for you. Up for grabs are:

• A 3-month subscription (March-May) to StrideBox. StrideBox a is a monthly subscription service for runners that delivers a box of assorted of running accessories, nutritional products, and apparel.
• 2 boxes of StrideBox in March. (Be sure to check out StrideBox on Facebook and Twitter as well.)

• A $100 gift card to Tommie Copper. The gift card can be used on any of Tommie Copper’s compression gear, ranging from calf sleeves to shirts to gloves to so much more. Check out their full product line.

• #RunChat prize pack of a visor, sticker and 3 temporary tattoos.
• 3 #RunChat prize packs of a sticker and 3 temporary tattoos.

Entries must be received by 10 p.m. ET Feb. 14. Winners will be announced on or around Feb. 15.

Entries per person are limited to no more than: 1 blog post, 1 Pinterest board, 3 tweets, 1 video and 1 of any other way you can think of entering. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out last year’s contest. Blog entries from 2012 are not eligible for prizes.

Lastly, don’t forget to join #RunChat at 8 p.m. ET Feb. 10.

Paula Kiger

Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.