This week I was interviewed for an article focusing on people who race for charity. It was a great experience and the journalist asked me a few questions that really made me think about the why and how of charity racing. Although this is not my first race for a cause, it is certainly one that I am deeply connected to emotionally. However, emotional ties don't have to be at play to be able to support a cause that you feel connected to. Last year I raised money and ran Ragnar DC with a team from Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run is a fantastic organization that uses running as a tool to teach preteen girls about self respect and healthy lifestyle choices. I both agree with and feel connected to their mission and was able to follow up the Ragnar fundraising by committing to raise funds for the organization when I ran the Richmond Marathon in November. While discussing this with my interviewer she asked me why I thought so many people were joining the trend and participating in charity races. A very good question indeed! I believe we are witnessing a wonderful cycle of caring for ourselves and our communities. The overall number of people entering endurance sport events has risen dramatically over the past 10 years. With so many new runners, swimmers and cyclists come so many new stories and backgrounds. The diversity of the sport seems to be at an all time high. With this tapestry of athletes you find a certain number of people who were already involved in racing bringing their cause to the sport. On the other hand you find people with a cause who come to the sport in order to push themselves and bring awareness to an organization. No matter how you get involved, raising yourself to a new level of fitness and raising funds for a great organization is a trend worth sticking with!