Running for a Cause

Posted by Kristin on Oct 4, 2011 in Health & Fitness | 2 comments

Did anyone apply for the 2012 Virgin London Marathon? Based on the lottery filling up in mere hours, I would imagine that quite a few of you applied. I know that I did, along with my husband, and we both received our “Commiserations!” magazines in the mail last week. Sorry, folks, thanks for playing, but you’re out of luck, or are we?

As it happens, the London Marathon is the biggest annual fundraising event in the world, and there may be another chance to run: by teaming up with, and fundraising for, a charity.

Why run (or do another race) for charity?
There are a lot of great reasons to race for charity, in addition to the possibility of getting a hard-to-get sold out race number. London Marathon charity runners raised £51.8 million this year for charities throughout the UK and beyond, providing vital funding for everything from cancer research to water aid to guide dogs.

Somewhat selfishly, racing for a charity can provide additional support as you take on a big challenge. Some charities go so far as to provide coaching tips, pasta parties, and training support, while others provide running vests and fundraising tips to help you to reach your goals. Running for charity provides more than a sense of athletic accomplishment. It also gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing it for a bigger reason than you.

Sounds great, but…
Yes, training for a race and raising money at the same time (not to mention working full-time, taking care of your partner/boyfriend/spouse/goldfish, and/or trying to maintain a social life) can be a daunting task. As I mentioned, though, many charities offer training tips or support, and lots of fundraising guidance. I know that it’s possible, because I’ve done it. I’m not going to say that it was always easy, but raising money wasn’t nearly as difficult as I feared once I got (only slightly!) creative.

What kind of creative?
Some fundraising ideas I can suggest are:

• Fund-raise via all of your social networks.
• Use any charity-provided personal fundraising web page.
• Host a party and charge a cover (people love a party and won’t mind a giving a donation at the door!).
• Take advantage of any gift-match that your offered by your place of employment.
• Work with your local pub to host a quiz night or other fun event, and ask them to share (or donate!) the profits.

How do I find a charity?
Because the marathon is such a big event, the list of charities is long, but the places are hot commodities. If you fancy the idea of racing for charity, but don’t secure a marathon slot, there are countless smaller races that either have charity places or are run with the sole purpose being a specific charitable cause. Action for Charity has some good event ideas!

One other thing, if you did get a place in the marathon, still consider running for a charity. There is no fundraising minimum so the pressure is off a bit, but you can still help in a big way!

No matter where you decide to race, what type of event you choose or what charity you support, completing an athletic event in conjunction with fundraising is a truly feel-good accomplishment.

Photography By Charlie Llewellin and familymwr