No matter what your Spiritual/religious beliefs, running itself transforms your Soul.  Depending on your background, this may be a touchy subject, nonetheless a very true one.  Whether you run to music or run to the sound of your heart beat, your Soul moves with you - everywhere your body goes.  Your Soul is a part of you and is who you truly are at the end of the day.  Whether you are a mom, dad, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, son, daughter, policeman, running coach, financial planner, realtor, etc., - none of those labels matter to your Soul.  It has no attachment to those trivial "names" or "labels" you carry.  Your Soul only cares about what gets you moving, what stirs "It" inside of your very being.  What makes you tick?  Gets you excited?  Carries you through to that next day, or, in this case, that next run?  One of my good friends, Shelley, owns a spin studio in Laguna Beach, CA, and her website sums it up as to what exercise does for you - www.heartsweatsoul.com.  Running gets your heart beating, causes the sweat to pour and speaks to your Soul all at the same time.  THAT is what I am talking about! 
So the next time you are out for a run - may your favorite tune greet your heart and your feet as you move or (as in my case) may your breathing, your heartbeat, the sound of your feet and the ocean waves in the background create your own Soul-filled music!

6.  Teaches you to "travel light".  Running is a sport that only requires one thing - a pair of running shoes.  Then it's just you and the road.  Or the trail.  Or the mountain.  Or the beach.  Whatever or wherever you choose to go.  Even if it is on the other side of the world - your shoes can come with you and you and your shoes can travel together down that open road, that journey, of great discovery.  Every time I have traveled anywhere in the world, I have always explored every nook and cranny of every new place first thing in the morning.  I've traversed the stony walkways of Venice, Italy, the farmlands of New Zealand and the tree lined windy roads of Maryland - all with the same aim, to travel light, my shoes and I, and be one with nature, God and my thoughts.    I always wear my running shoes on the airplane and carry my running clothes in my carry on, just in case my luggage gets lost, I could care less.  As long as I have my running gear, what else is there?
As you travel more and test this new running passion out on the roads of the World, you'll notice that your cares seem lighter, your "baggage" has less weight.  Life is good when you can travel light.

5.  Increases your amount of friendships - to a deeper level.  I have found that friends that run together, stay together.  Misery loves company on those long runs.  Life happens together when you sweat and pound the pavement side by side.  That's what a running club or program offers at the deepest level.  You come together as a team and train alongside one another for weeks at a time, all for the same common goal of finishing.  Once you do, there is celebration together.  I still maintain all of my running club relationships from the Midwest to the Southwest and West Coast.  I have traveled and competed in relays and marathons with my fellow running club friends.  We call each other from coast to coast, time zone to time zone.  Wanting to know what has been going on in our lives - non-running related.  When you share in new jobs, new babies, new houses, new running shoes, new personal records and in the tragic moments of life (death, careers cut short, disease, etc), there is something transformational about those relationships that take it to the next level.  And nothing better than going for a run to share those moments, to reflect, to encourage, to cherish those moments of breathing hard and laughing just as hard.  That is what I have found through my running career and I hope the same for you and anyone that finds running to become a lifestyle and part of every day life.