Charity Challenge: Hogwarts Running Club

I can't think of a better way to kick off my spotlights for the 2016 Charity Challenge than Harry Potter and real motivation to be healthy! Have you heard of Hogwarts Running Club? Here's the description from their About Page: "Hogwarts Running Club (HRC) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that organizes virtual running events inspired by the wizarding world designed to promote walking/running, provide unique and awesome medals, and, most importantly, raise money for deserving charities in order to accomplish our mission of changing the muggle-world one mile at a time." Basically, it's awesome. I'm not a runner, but the idea of participating in a Potter-themed virtual 5k with my friends for charity is more than I can resist!

I feel a little bad featuring this run because registration for it is over, but this is the one in which I'm participating first: The "Always" 3.94 Memorial Run. This run is in memory of Alan Rickman (pictured below): the late, great, amazing actor who played Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies (among many other awesome roles). I've registered and ordered my t-shirt, and I finally took the Pottermore Sorting Quiz to discover my House at Hogwarts--it's Hufflepuff, which I suspected all along!

 

The official date for the run is Sunday, February 21, and some of the proceeds from the t-shirt sales are going to Debate Mate, one of Rickman's favorite charities while he was alive. But if you missed the registration date for The "Always" Run and are still interested in participating in Hogwarts Running Club, there will be a lot more opportunities this year, starting with The Molly Weasley Ugly Jumper Run! This one has already started and goes through Sunday, February 14 (Valentine's Day!) to support One Warm Coat.

I'm so happy to have discovered Hogwarts Running Club; I think this will be a really fun thing for me to do with my friends and support various charities! And who knows, maybe I'll start jogging regularly and get really healthy? Okay, that's unrealistic, because I'm tired and on my feet all of the time at work for hours. But anyway--fun, friends, motivation, charity! Can't get better than that! Let me know if any of you are planning to do a run, or if you take the Pottermore Sorting Quiz or discover any new charities!