It's not always about the run.

This past Fourth of July, I stepped off the course for a weekend and chose to instead participate in a different way: as a volunteer.

Along with a few other very kind-hearted women, I manned the second mile aid station, passing out ice cold water to the participants of the Firecracker 5k in beautiful Highland Park.  It was pretty cool to be on the other side of a race event for once, and it is something I hope to make a better habit of in the future.  So many of the races I've run have been phenomenal specifically because of amazing volunteers, and I owe it to their generosity and positive attitudes to pay that same courtesy and experience forward.

Plus, you sometimes get some sweet swag, even if it doesn't get to you for a couple months after race day!

How do you like to give back to your (running) community?  What's your favorite part of a race at which to volunteer?