I am unsure what to do. A couple of people have asked me if I am raising money for charity for my marathon run. I have to say I have buried my head in the sand over whether I could run 26.2 miles!
Anyway, I didn't get a VLM ballot place and didn't want to take a charity place with the £2000 fundraising pressure on top of the training. So I paid for place at a local marathon. I could raise money for a charity now without having a target amount to achieve, anything is a bonus right?
So which charity? My main emotional trigger is my brothers sudden death from a cardiac arrest after exertional exercise. Obviously, British heart foundation would be an option but they are big. Another part of my brothers death was that he was having cardiac changes in a cottage hospital and then arrested in the ambulance on transfer to a bigger hospital. The ambulance turned back and in a&e his heart was restarted 2 hours later. Sadly, they had no basic cardiac diagnostic or treatment facilities so he never stood a chance. He died 6 hours drive from me before I got there and I have no intention of going back. However our hospital is a full trauma and cardiac centre (I work in cardiac surgery there) and has a hospital charity. Raising money here may help maintain the services that allows acute cardiac patients a chance of treatment immediately, something my brother never had available to him.
I like the idea of you raising money for your own hospital, and many people get a lot out of being involved with a cause that is close to their hearts.
The main problem with this that I can see is that it isn't very long til your race now, and you may find that fundraising will just add extra stress! But that depends upon who you know, of course 😊 A last-minute fundraising campaign could work really well, and as you say - you don't have to set yourself a huge target!
I ran for charity once (last year), and I was glad I did it, but I have never felt that I HAD to run for charity. I've always been more than comfortable with running a race just for me!
Not much help, I realise! I'm not sure I can tell you what to do about it, it's really up to you! Just don't feel pressurised into fundraising xx
Is there a hospital equipment charity that raises funds for loads of different hospitals? E.g like the cottage hospital you mentioned? Doesn’t specify a hospital but distributes resources to smaller units?
Mind you, it’s a really personal thing isn’t it, raising money for charity, no right or wrong answer, it’s got to feel right for you.
I haven’t as yet participated in an event specifically in aid of a charity, I mostly do small local events that have less overheads and raise funds directly, say for the primary school, or ones that choose a local charity each year.
I’m sure you’ll get to a decision that works for you.
It sounds like a lovely thing to do to run for your hospital's charity, especially as there is the link there to your brother. But as roseabi said, it might put a lot of stress on you to fundraise in such a short time. I don't think you should feel you have to run for charity, or at least not this time. Maybe consider it for a future one when you have more time?
I ran the same event but a half marathon last year in his memory so I have done a charity run. It was because people in our run group have asked and offered to help fundraise but there are a couple of others running VLM for charity so are heavily fundraising already in a saturated market. Does it seem mean not to?
No, not at all. It would be even harder to fundraise if others are already. I think be kind to yourself, your brother wouldn't want you stressing out about it! Especially if you already ran the half in his memory last year. Try not to worry what other people may think - I'm sure they are trying to be helpful, but it sounds like they are inadvertently putting pressure on you.
I'm in all honesty not a huge fan of the concept of charity running. The first race I ever naively signed up for was for a charity team, and actually I found it pretty stressful getting the minimum amount, and they also kept on phoning to see how I was doing/to hassle me. I do understand that smaller charities in particular can benefit greatly from these events, but since then I've become more and more uneasy about it—the amount of money charities are charged for each guaranteed London Marathon place, for example, is just ludicrous and surely the antithesis of charity in the first place!
Then on top of that, I feel there's a real trend of crowdfunding your own expensive hobby just now. Not that I believe anyone here does that *at all*, but as a case in point I know someone who wanted to make a documentary about running the Everest marathon, with a really tenuous link to a local charity. She tried crowdfunding this thing to cover all her expenses, a camera, distribution costs and goodness knows what else with a target of £80,000 (apparently anything raised over this amount would go to the charity she found). In the end she raised just £40, because everyone was pretty gobsmacked by her entitlement and lack of awareness. She still did the marathon, which is really impressive, but had to simply pay for it herself. She did not make a documentary, and presumably the charity saw nothing of the £40... Unfortunately however I think this is an extreme example of a growing trend.
This makes me sound like a terribly uncharitable person, and I promise I'm not! Lots of people do fundraise, and have such varied and personal reasons for doing so—I would certainly never cast any judgement on individuals wanting to support something important to them, it's more an uneasiness with the bigger picture and the pressure and guilt that can go with it. Of course I'll always support someone I know doing something for a personal cause, be it running or a bake sale. (Especially a bake sale 😋) Indeed, my own reasons for running are linked to losing my pal to suicide and so if I have a race coming up I'll always try to use it to encourage a bit of chat around the subject. Not all support needs to be financial, after all.
Ultimately though I think charity running is not necessarily as altruistic as it first appears and no one should ever feel they are under pressure to do it, or that they have to make excuses if they choose not to. Running with the memory of your brother is equally as valid as raising money, if it's what you prefer to do on this particular occasion. There will always be other opportunities to find a charity and a way to support them that is the perfect fit 😊
Thank you for an alternative perspective. I think there is a lot of marathon fundraising at the moment, I know of 4 people running VLM for charities and I have donated to all. I also know that I don't like to stalk people for donations. Maybe this one and only marathon is just for me!
I think you’ve made a good point here Sqkr, I’ve done one run, my very first actually, where I did approach friends and family for sponsorship/donations, I haven’t done that since as I don’t feel comfortable making repeat requests to the same people.
In addition, some charities become quite aggressive in pushing you to fundraise, one year I did one of the very well known events that take place across the country every year, i donated in my own way, buying merchandise etc., I didn’t really enjoy the event to be honest, it wasn’t a ‘runners’ event at all, it was just about the money, I got so many pushy emails, I ended up ‘unsubscribing’ from them, and I certainly won’t do that event again.
It’s a very personal thing isn’t it, and you do have to be on your guard a bit for the unscrupulous......and i appreciate this may be a bit controversial but should I ever chose to specifically fundraise for a particular cause, I would never post a link to a fundraising page on these forums - I don’t think it’s appropriate.
I know exactly how you feel Sqkr . Someone I know didn't get a London marathon place a few years ago so went for a charity place instead. Then she became the greatest supporter overnight of the hitherto unmentioned charity and asked everyone at work for sponsorship via a company wide e-mail! Although she was running for a good cause, I didn't sponsor her because I thought why should I help pay for her running hobby.
What a humbug I sound but I do think these days there is too much expectation on friends and family to sponsor anyone and everyone.
I did a HM last year and afterwards my parents asked me if they were meant to have given me some money for doing it! They are in their 80's and I had to explain no, I had done it just for me, to see if I could, how fast, etc. etc.
I say don't do any formal fundraising, do it just for you with no pressure and no guilt either.
I also feel uncomfortable asking for sponsorship money for running and the minimum amount that some charities set is too high.
A local charity to me organise their own run every year. A 5k, 10k and a mini mile for the kids. Theres no expectation to raise money. The run fee is all the charity asks for. They make their money from this and, save the cost of a few medals, etc. - its all profit for them. I always think this is a much better way of doing it.
I knoww most runs doante any profits to charity anyway, so I always feel comfortable just to pay my fee and run knowing its for me and still its for a good cause too.
This is an intensely personal thing in your circumstance. I am not normally one for asking friends and family for donations either, but for you, supporting your local hospital may mean much more. As this is your first marathon there is already a ton of pressure in your head, so maybe it is the next race where you try to fundraise so you can just focus on your first race? Its really just up to you and what you feel up to this first time around.
Hi there my friend . I am an ultra/marathon runner , have been over 20 years. Running for a charity is so special but if it is your first marathon it might add more stress to you and you worry about not letting them down . I think it is fantastic you are running for your brother and your hospital . Sometimes the $$ amount that is needed can be overwhelming . However , I am in a special circumstance too, after being diagnosed with uterine cancer short after that I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s . That is going on 6 years now. This July I am running the San Francisco Marathon for Parkinson’s . My goal is $1500 and I’m already at $1020 and I still have some time . My advice to you is to try not and let the money factor seem daunting and just go out there and have fun running “your” race. I know you will do great!! Take care . Karen
Lots of love about your brother. I started running after a loss and for my first Half Marathon last year I raised money for Macmillan in his memory. I wasn't worried about the amount raised though and it didn't add any pressure. Bit it did add an extra ommph when I struggled slightly as we all do on such runs. No matter what is raised you would also be raising awareness of your local hospitals needs, which could help too. But overall it is ok to just want to run the run for you. A Marathon is such an acheivement and so big! I run mine in October and I kinda feel that my inspiration for running was loss and my half was for him but my marathon will be for me. You will know what is right for you.
Thank you for your wise words. I did run the half for him but yes maybe I would like to run the marathon for me, no pressure. He has inspired me to keep running, to keep fit and active. I just hope the marathon is not too much physically!!
Nope you have run 20 miles! You can do it. 100%. I think after a loss we lose a bit of ourselves but gain in other ways. I was never the girl who runs! And I still don't think of myself as one - although others now do lol! But you have like me gained a passion for running and doing the Marathon for your own personal acheivement is perfect. You just have to believe! X
With regards to the charity .... Mmmmm..... if you don't want the extra stress of getting sponsorship etc... then you could just ask folk to donate to a charity of their choice ?
I think the replies have made me realise that I can run this for me without feeling like I should fundraise. It is a personal challenge and maybe it would be nice for me to keep it this way 😊
Thank you for putting this question out there. I ran a local 5k run last Christmas which was a charity run for a local hospital. There was no entrance fee just raise money if you can for the hospital.
This all seemed ok and I made a fund raising page but do not have a wide circle of friends so the donations were not huge. But I looked at it that any amount was more than if I had not run.
I am hoping to do an HM this summer and have been weighing up which charity to run for (not a free place just to raise some money for them) but I did not like the idea that my running habit "had to be funded" by my small circle of family and friends.
I love the idea of just running for me. No worries if I have to drop out (a possibility). No "oh no not again" from my circle!! I also love the idea that my running might raise some money for a charity! Perhaps for me the key is that not every run needs to raise money. Perhaps for those that are close to us leave it to their discretion.
I think you've answered your own question for this particular event... you need to do it for you this time. It's not a general policy statement, it is just what is right for you at the moment.
Sqkr makes some really important points.
It's also a bit like being asked to choose your favourite child too! I narrow things down based on not funding vivisection. As a family, we've benefited tremendously from Marie Curie, a local hospice and another similar charity recently - all very popular causes and understandably so - but for various reasons to do with our actual experience of them being, shall we say, rather more nuanced than one might hope, I feel a bit ambivalent about me doing anything myself.
Just before Christmas I got to the end of an endeavour which I thought was truly impressive on my part and thought I might raise some funds for the charity I volunteer with (not such a popular cause but run on an absolute shoestring) and have a specific use for the money but it was very hard to get a fundraising platform set up and I'm relieved I gave up as it turns out because potential donors were not anything like as impressed with my achievement as I was and I have realised now that it would have been uncomfortable and spoiled my own satisfaction.
Just one thought though, that I wonder if someone's 'first' is the one people would most genuinely want to support financially?
Yes I think as a first people are more likely to donate, not to say that multiple marathons is not an achievement. I am quite a quiet person who doesn't do self promotion too well, a bit like the tortoise winning the race as the outsider often overlooked. We have two/three 'hares' in the small run group that have shouted it from the rooftops in order to gain sponsorship. (In fact, I don't get invited to run with them anymore as for some reason beyond me this has become competitive). Whilst i have supported, it is a lot to ask everyone to donate yet more money but to my cause. I will remain as the tortoise slowly plugging away at the miles and will hopefully achieve in my own way.
I think you’ve answered yourself and you’ll be running for you 😊. That’s great.
I ran my first 10K early this year - the Cancer Research London Winter Run. I ran for me - my challenge.
As a 2 times cancer survivor people around me asked if I’d like sponsorship. I declined saying I was doing it for me. My physical challenge. 2 people insisted they would like to make a donation as they were pleased and in awe (ie. thought I was mad running 10k🤣) and gave me money. I thanked them and paid it in as a donation on the CRUK website. I was very grateful for their support. They saw it as showing support for me whilst also supporting a good cause.
If you have people who really would like to donate as a gesture of support for your efforts perhaps you could do the same or just suggest they make a donation to a charity of their own choice if they really want to. It’s such a tricky area and can be one that just becomes too much with fundraising or being asked for sponsorship when it’s a big event. Good luck and whatever you decide Enjoy Your Run! 😊
People have asked if I’m going to raise money for my marathon in October but at the moment that seems like too much pressure. I think I’ll run for me this time.
I like the idea of raising money for a chosen charity if people want to donate but I don't like the constant tin rattling and begging social media posts personally. As selfish as it seems, this will be a run for me.
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