Blame it on my crappy knees or a childhood filled with organized sports that regularly used sprints as punishment, but I hate running. I complain about it on a daily basis, and yet, I drag myself to the treadmill and force myself to run to reap its cardiovascular benefits, to continue to fit into my skinny jeans, and because the gym's TV is my only access to cable (a girl's gotta watch "Breaking Bad" live before the spoilers get tweeted left and right).

Another reason I continue to log hours on the belt that never ends? I know it's only a matter of time before I give in and become a part of the latest themed marathon/run/race trend. My parents are doing it, my friends are doing, and my friends' parents are doing it ... but the real draw is that themed races seem to actually make running -- dare I say it -- fun. The magical combination of a cause, some fresh air, a comically large finish line, memorabilia, and cheering crowds seems to cancel out all the panting and scowling I've grown accustomed to.

So as I approach my inevitable treadmill burnout phase, I decided to start eyeing my options by rounding up the top themed races that promise to make running fun. Not only do these give participants something to look forward to, but they also keep training motivation high, donate to great causes, and disguise one of the most loathed exercises with enviable Instagram photos and after parties. Which one would you like to try?

Need a little extra motivation to kick your derrière into high gear? Being chased by the living dead should do the trick. Instead of binge-watching an entire season of "The Walking Dead" on Netflix, this 5K lets you play out your horror flick fantasies, complete with zombies and obstacles like a blood pit -- not so easy to stick together and make it back to the cabin in one piece, now is it? (Spoiler alert: they're probably hiding in there, too).

If you make it to the end without a zombie swiping your "life" flags, you celebrate your survival with a party that's to die for -- an obscene amount of food, a killer DJ, and everyone's favorite post-run quencher, beer. More interested in spreading the brain-eating infection instead of fleeing from it? You can sign up to be a join the Zombie Horde and do the chasing.

More Info: www.runforyourlives.com

The Color Run is our stateside version of the Holi festival. Referred to as "The Happiest 5K on Earth," the vividness of this marathon makes it pure Instagram gold. At the starting line, all participants are decked out in pristine white tees, and at each kilometer runners are blitzed by volunteers, sponsors, and staffers with brightly colored powder -- 1K is yellow, 2K is blue, 3K is green, 4K is pink, and once you hit 5K, you enter "color extravaganza" territory. By the time you get to the finish line, you're a walking (or possibly limping) piece of art.

More Info: thecolorrun.com

With the popularity of EDM ("electric dance music," for the dinosaurs in the room), we all knew this run was coming. This un-timed "fun run" is perfect for anyone (present company included) who would much rather be doing something else, i.e. dancing, instead of running, but still wants to casually slip in that they ran a marathon at the next dinner party.

The course is surrounded by light effects designed by Electric Daisy Carnival artists and the after-party is, you guessed it, a rave. Plus, you can channel your inner college kid with this after-hours run by avoiding the typical 5 a.m. marathon call times -- the start time for this run is around 8:30 p.m. Just don't forget your glow in the dark gear!

More Info: theraverun.com

As a chocaholic, I personally think "America's Sweetest Race" comes with the highest payoff for all those months of hard training. After you power through your 5 or 15K, you're granted access to the post-race party, where you're flooded chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate in both liquid and solid varieties. Runners' mugs are filled with hot cocoa and everyone indulges in toasty chocolate fondue and other dip-able treats. Proceeds to go the Ronald McDonald House Charities program.

More Info: www.hotchocolate15k.com