No, you don't have to pay the $40, you can try and raise the money if you don't want to pay it yourself. You also get to run the race, as well as get the race perks involved, the tech shirt, the finisher's medal and the free game ticket. But if you're not a runner and are in it solely for the bobble, I'd pay the price for the 10K instead of the half, though prices go up $10 after July 31.