boglapuri: Celebs Running for a Cause

Sometimes getting out of the house for a run seems nearly impossible. It?s hard to get up at 5:30 a.m., lace up those brand-new sneakers, throw on your running clothes and hit the pavement. Having all?the best gear in the game helps every runner, but something you can?t buy in a store is motivation.?Finding the inspiration to run a marathon can be difficult, but when you turn to stars from the silver screen or your MP3 player for help, you can actually learn a lot. Here are a few celebrities that have laced their sneakers up for good causes.

Ryan Reynolds

In 2008, Ryan Reynolds?ran the New York Marathon?for himself and for his father, who is living with Parkinson?s disease. Reynolds decided to run because it allowed him to face one of the biggest challenges known to man: himself. He said running allowed him to struggle against himself and ultimately be better than he was the week before. Reynolds? participation helped raise awareness for those that struggle daily against the?neurological?disorder.

Alanis Morissette

Known for her powerful female vocal styling, Alanis Morissette decided to use her fitness for a good cause. In 2009, Morissette ran the?Bizz Johnson Marathon?in Susanville, California, and raised money for the National Eating Disorders Association. Revealing that she has had unhealthy relationships with food in the past, Morrissette decided to change the way she thought about food and running the marathon was an extension of that decision.

Sheryl Crow

If you are like some runners, competing in a full marathon may not be in your books. However, that shouldn?t keep you from running.?Sheryl Crow ran a half-marathon at the age of 50, the proceeds of which went toward charity. The St. Jude Country Music Half-Marathon is a race that raises money for the St. Jude Children?s Research Hospital, but Crow also raised money for a school for underprivileged youth.

Edward Norton

You might be having trouble finding a local cause to get behind. Maybe you like to go outside of the box for your motivation. Just look to the movie star Edward Norton for inspiration. The actor ran the 2009 NYC Marathon?with a team of 29 other runners and raised 1.2 million?dollars for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, which is an organization devoted to protecting the wilderness and wildlife of Africa.

If you?re having trouble finding the motivation to get up in the morning and hit the pavement, study the stars. Motivate yourself with a running challenge or find a cause to support to keep yourself going. Whatever the cause, it?s bound to help you get up in the morning and get going!