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Sponsorship - to do or not to do?
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I would not do more than one sponsored event a year and some years i miss it altogether as its hard to keep asking people for money.
If I get in VLM next year i'm running it for me.
Agreed - I choose to do one event a year for my chosen charity and thats it.
Next year I'm doing an Oly distance Tri for the 1st time so this hopefully will bring out a little more funds for my efforts. It does get harder each year as I work in a place that has many people involved with charities and you just know when you walk around, so I dont bother at work any more.
I also struggle a bit because most of the charities are for "trendy" conditions, and my research is in obesity, which is seriously uncool and lacks any type of profile when it comes to charities. I supose I COULD fundraise for diabetes, but that money goes mostly to a cure for Type 1 (i.e. cute kids), rather than Type 2 (not so cute, overweight adults)
Helen
I only fundraise for one race per year - it gets too much to be asking people for money all the time (and usually it's the same poor folks!).
The rest of it is all for me...!
I`m totally against sponsoring. What`s the point of people putting there name down and then 2, 3 months later you come back to them for the dosh. What I do is give them a charity bet. They give me the money, put there name down and if I complete the run, the money goes to charity. If not, they get half the cash, the other to charity. Everyones a winner and make it more interesting too.
Bear, you read my mind! I reckon its down to the fact that the London Marathon is actually just as much about charity as it is about running, if not more, and thats what people instantly associate when they see you out on the pavements. I know Ive had a few 'are you training for the London Marathon??' accompanied by a funny look in the past.
Personally never ran for charity, but I would if it meant getting into some race I wanted to do. That makes me sound bad but running is a sport and hobby to me first and foremost. I give to charity outside of running anyway...
I just ran the GNR last week, my 3rd HM, first GNR and didn't run for charity. I did feel a bit out of place at such a big event, as most were running for charity. As I knew I could do the distance I didn't feel it appropriate to ask people to sponsor me for something I had already done a few times before.
The man on the microphone commentating at the start was interviewing runners on who they were raising money for etc. He asked one guy who said it was his 3rd GNR, he raised money for the first two, but this one was for him. The commentator said 'what a shame, seems a waste not to raise money for charity when you come here'. Poor bloke! I am glad no one asked me who I was running for!
I am doing a marathon next year, and always said I will raise money for charity if I ever do one, as it is a huge challenge for me (first one, and maybe last!). But as it is Edinburgh, I have my own place and will only raise what I think is do-able, not the huge amounts needed for charity places.
I have done 1 event for charity. But I sorrt of walked into that one. I wanted my company to support a charity close to my heart. They agreed, but one of the examples I'd used of how they might raise money without it costing them anything was to encourage runners in a race they sponsor to do it for this charity. Response was Ok, so you'll be running too??? Hadn't seen that one comming! I managed the race and the fund raising. Probably due to the fact that work mates were aware that this would be happeneing and the surprise factor (as in you're doing WHAT??? - I don't look much like a runner!).
Since then, not. I agree that when I run a marathon, I would consider doing that for charity, as the surprise factor is back again (as in you're going to run HOW FAR???) I may never do it again, so make the most of the occasion!
On the other side, I don't usually tell many people that I'm doing a race. Those that I do tend to be runners anyway, so maybe they don't expect the charity element.
The problem I find is that its alright to run for a charity once and a while. But it alright to just run for your own purpose.
Charities, especially the big ones have cotton on to running as their route to raise money. I blame the London Marathon and their golden bold scheme. They have created greed of their own by selling places for £500 to charities for which they will sell to you for at least £1500. The charity and the marathon are the winners. Not the person who have to raise the dosh. But its because of LM that its spread to the Great North and many big events.Which is why the LM and GNR are now seem as charity fun runs.
Runnerman is right. I can't stand the way charities have latched on to running and hijacked it as a guaranteed money-earner, with the London Marathon providing the template for sundry other, lesser events.
I was appalled when I briefly tuned in to the GNR recently and saw a gormless BBC interviewer at the side of the road asking one runner after another: "And what charity are YOU running for...?" There followed some breathless, X Factor-style sob story from a red-faced chump and a hurried "well, best of luck" sign-off from the reporter (while his minion was busy nabbing another "runner/walker" out-of-shot).
If there was any ever doubt, these events are now just freak shows and fancy dress fun runs that no real runner in their right mind would participate in. Far better, in my opinion, to look for more local, smaller events which still retain their "purity".
Sorry, does that sound a bit harsh?
I have used running to raise money for charity before - once in FLM, and once doing the National Three Peaks.
However, I basically run because I like running, and the challenge it gives me. I might use it to raise money again, though actually I hate the hassle.
I would never, ever take up a charity place, just to get into an event - in my opinion it is an evil invention, and totally immoral. It takes places away from genuine runners, and why would people raise money for a charity they don't believe in? A truly awful practice which ought to be banned.
You're right;
“Out of the silver heat mirage he ran. The sky burned, and under him the paving was a black mirror reflecting sun-fire. Sweat sprayed his skin with each foot strike so that he ran in a hot mist of his own creation. With each slap on the softened asphalt, his soles absorbed heat that rose through his arches and ankles and the stems of his shins. It was a carnival of pain, but he loved each stride because running distilled him to his essence and the heat hastened this distillation.”
- James Tabor, from “The Runner,” a short story
I love that quote. The training is far more important than the race was the point im trying to make anyway
I do as Mr Dickens once said " neither a sponsor nor a sponsoree be".
I got my club's London Marathon place a few years ago, and so many people offered to sponsor me that it did seem daft not to take up their offers. I picked a charity and took the cash, but I never asked anyone for sponsorship.
Other than that, I have never raised money for running, and would not consider doing so.
A colleague of mine did her first race this year - a Race for Life. She said she'd really enjoyed it and would like to do more, but the fundraising was hard.
She was really surprised when I told her that there were loads of races you could do, with no need to raise any money at all (beyond the entry fee).
I've never run for "charity" but I once ran to raise money to send terminally ill children on a day out and once to raise money for the Lifeboats. I would happily pour my own money into either cause so don't feel awkward inviting others to donate - it's their choice either way. However, I make a point of saying it's donation regardless of whether or not I get my sorry butt round the course on the day (which I did both times).
I think it goes hand in hand with the whole issue of most people not really getting why you'd run for pleasure, as illustrated by my conversation with a colleague this morning.
Her: How was your weekend?
Me: Great thanks
Her: Cool, relaxing then?
Me: Sort off, I did a half marathon yesterday, it was really fun.
Her: Err, OK. Which charity where you running for?
Me: None, I just thought it would be fun, I want to do the London marathon at some point you see.
Her: How are you feeling, sore?
Me: I feel great, my knees ache and my left arm is randomly sore.
Her: Err, OK. Anyway...
Congrats on the half mara Wobbled - well done!
Hope the aches wear off soon.
(We totally get it!!)