[IUHoosiergirl88]

I second justgo_withit and recommend the couch to 5k. Once you've run a few, it's a lot easier to do it without a plan.

I've never had to raise money for a 5k...or any race I ran, for that matter. You pay your entry fee and that's about it. There may be a few, but I sure haven't found them. That would impede the 'show up and run' mentality that a lot of races thrive on.

Do your research a little bit before you pick a race. Look at the course: is it hilly? Flat? A mix? If you're not confident or a little scared, I wouldn't pick a hilly course, as they can be tougher if you're not used to training on hills.