Opinions on Running for Charity

aburke

I'm interested to know other runners opinions on 'running for charity'.

Genuine question, I just want to know how others on this forum think about this.

<rant starts>
See, the things is, Running for charity kinda bugs me.
I run for fun, to keep fit, challenge myself.
Its my sport.. it's what I do.

But nearly every time I mention I'm training for a marathon, or that I've just done a 10km race, I get asked.
"oh, what do you do it for?"
Response from me: "???"
" I mean, what CHARITY?"
Repsonse from me: "No Charity, It's what I do for fun".

The conversation often gets heated when the person questioning me just wont' accept that running for charity is not the only way to run.

As far as I can see, only cycling and running have to put up with such a line of questioning.
If I played a hurling match, golf, darts or even twiddlywinks, nobody would suggest that I might have been doing it for charity.

Why don't charities target other sports as aggressively as running?

<rant over>
As It happens, I DO run one race a year for charity, and help out in a few more where more is raised for charity or junior athletics, so I'm not all evil!

I also have nothing against Debra Ireland, I'm afraid that last post just pushed me over the edge and prompted this question.


Later
Alan

rovers_runner

I've only run 1 race so far since starting running.
I was glad to raise a few euros for Crumlin Childrens hospital in the process.
I will be again when doing the Marathon and any other events they may be fundraising in.

I cannot understand your begrudgery of worthwhile causes who don't force this on anyone?

aburke

Just to clarify, no begrudgery here.
Good luck to anyone who raises money for charity.
As I've mentioned, I do a little myself.
Just interested in other runners' opinions... Maybe its just me that gets annoyed by the line of questioning mentioned earlier.

rovers_runner wrote:

I cannot understand your begrudgery of worthwhile causes who don't force this on anyone?

Amz

I understand what you mean Alan, I think it's just that a lot of people don't understand how people can just get personal satisfaction out of running and don't need the satisfaction or motivation of raising money for a charity while doing so.

HardyEustace

rovers_runner wrote:

I've only run 1 race so far since starting running

If you've only run 1 race then you haven't reached the "I'm tormented with people asking" stage.

See if you're feeling as tolerant after running in about 30+ races!

--amadeus--

As a fairly regular marathon runner I get this a fair bit as well. It's a very fine line and each of us has to make our own decisions. Basically I have done a couple of charity races (raising the guts of €10K) but won't do any more for a while.

My reason for this is fairly simple - I only have so many friends and work associates and they all have a lot of demands (charity and other) on thier money. Having me rattle a tin in thier face every three or six months for another race would p*ss them off bigtime - "why should I dig in my pocket just becasue you want to run a marathon?" being a response I could expect.

Additionally I have a *major* problem with events like the FLM in london. Charities are charged huge amounts of money to buy charity places which are then sold on to people who commit to raising x thousands of pounds. As a result it is no longer an athletic race (beyond teh elites) and is now a fundraising event. Now if you want to run in a penguin suit fair enough but it does put marathon running on a par with shaving your head and sitting in a bath full of beans. When you've put three months hard work in and are busting a gut to set a PB the last thing you want is to spend your time weaving around pantomine horses.

Additionally a fair % of teh funds that are raised go in turn to paying for teh places and teh "runners support" (pasta parties, goodie bags, t-shirts, etc). I have heard (unofficial) figures of £4-600 per runner for the top charities at events like the FLM. If I give someone €20 for a race I'd like it to go to the charity, not some stick on face transfers and a guaranteed massage - or worse again air fares and hotel places in somewhere like New York.

With "Chuggers", door to door harrasment, direct mail and TV ads the charity movement has turned into a sales industry. Spamming forums - no matter how well intentioned - is simply the latest step in this. While I have a huge amount of time for individual charities this type of high pressure in your face donation gathering turns people off the whole concept opf giving. Any charity engaging in this kind of tactic automatically guarantees it won't get a donation from me in the future.

cunnins4

--amadeus-- wrote:

My reason for this is fairly simple - I only have so many friends and work associates and they all have a lot of demands (charity and other) on thier money. Having me rattle a tin in thier face every three or six months for another race would p*ss them off bigtime - "why should I dig in my pocket just becasue you want to run a marathon?" being a response I could expect.

I get asked a bit too. Anytime i say "i just ran the...." i get that question a lot. Only ever raised money once - that was for the bupa 10k this year for crumlin. Won't consider askin any friends for cash again until next year. In my job it's always someone's birthday, engagement, friday, whatever and there's a non stop whip around for cash so i don't like asking.

All my friends are students, so they're broke anyways!

Linford

I'm a little tired of work colleagues looking for donations for charity when they are doing a run or some sort of activity. The one (from 4 different people) doing the rounds this week is the Womens mini-marathon... I have decided not to donate and its not because three of them are only walking it, I just think there are too many requests all year round.

hunnymonster

I did one race for charity but I run 10-12 races a year. It would be very unfair to ask people for sponsorship all the time. Not to mention I just don't have the time. I donate a percentage of my salary every month to two charities that are close to me and I think I do enough. Although I have tried to get Amadeus to stick his hand in his pocket if I beat him in the Cork marathon

The year I ran the Evening herald women's mini marathon as an elite athlete I had a woman in my gym shout abuse at me when she heard I didn't do it for charity. As far as she was concerned I was wrong to take the place of someone who would have raised money. Ok this woman was particularly psychotic but still it was a bit OTT.

damianmckeever

I run a Triathlon for charity every year www.kingofgreystones.com we ask people to raise €300 and make the cheque out to the chosen charity. We try to target people who have never done a Triathlon before. People who are doing Triathlons/marathons every second weekend find it very difficult to go around collecting sponsorship. However if someone has never done anything like this before it's a lot easier for them to ask their friends, it's almost like a bet (ie the old idea of paying a pound for every mile you make).

I do about 5 or 6 events a year. I'll only ever do one of them for charity. If I ever get asked "what charity are you doing it for?" i'd simply reply I'm not doing this one for charity but I am doing one a year for charity would you like to sponsor me?

If the question really does bug you then decide that you are doing your last event of the year for _______ charity. Everytime someone asks you the annoying question you can pull out the sponsorship form and hit them for sponsorship. If they are asking the question they are more or less offering the sponsorship.

--amadeus--

€10 in Ann Summers vouchers for you isn't the same as giving to charity! Although....

alano

rovers_runner wrote:

I cannot understand your begrudgery of worthwhile causes who don't force this on anyone?

Rovers_runner, this is an athletics forum not a charity forum. People come here to hear/talk about athletics not charity events, they can go to the charity forum for that.

Abourke I also hear you on the charity thing. Running is a sport, collecting for charity is well collecting for charity and somewhere along the line the two got intertwined so that now when people hear running race they hear charity event. I also have to question why this does no happen with other sports like tennis, soccer, etc.

I have no objection to people collecting for charity but why do they need a running race to do this? Why can they just not fork out the money to a good cause without running/walking a race? I also give a direct debit out of my bank account every month to charity and don't need a running race to do so.

Hunnymonster, you should have told her that you did collect some money for charity but changed you mind about donating it and bought a new running jacket instead

DEBRA Ireland

Hi Guys,

I’ve obviously started a lively debate and I think there are some interesting comments made so far. As a charity we don’t always see things from the runner’s point of view and you all have made some very good points. I certainly didn’t want to offend anyone from my post and realize now it may have been inappropriate. As I am new to Marathon Fundraising I wanted to find an innovative way to recruit runners. I will certainly be taking all comments on board and apologies if I have upset anyone.

At DEBRA Ireland we do appreciate all comments and if anyone would like to discuss this any further please feel free to mail me on Niamh.h@debraireland.org

Thanks.

Lacticmonkey

I think anything that gets people out running and active is good news. There are no losers except the small minority who don't believe its a good idea. I've ran at all levels and I think charity runs fit in very well. The current running/jogging resurgence could be attributed to so many people doing them for charity events.

aburke

DEBRA Ireland wrote:

Hi Guys,
I will certainly be taking all comments on board and apologies if I have upset anyone.

Hi Niamh,

As I kicked this thing off, I just want to clarify that I have nothing against Debra Ireland.
As I mentioned in my post, this has bugged me for a while, and your post just prompted me to finally write what I did.
I have been meaning to do it for some time.


Like I said, I have nothing against charity.
I don't mind charity runs, or people raising money by running either, per se.

I just don't see other sports being targeted as a fundraising source in a similar fashion.
I can almost guarantee a similar post would not be made to a soccer forum, or darts, or snooker, or badminton... you get the idea.


My main gripe, is the fact that running has now become an activity where its expected to raise money for a charity before you can take part

The year I ran the Evening herald women's mini marathon as an elite athlete I had a woman in my gym shout abuse at me when she heard I didn't do it for charity. As far as she was concerned I was wrong to take the place of someone who would have raised money. Ok this woman was particularly psychotic but still it was a bit OTT.

This is the kind of attitude I have to put up with on a regular basis.

While it is great that people are out running, and getting exercise, as another poster mentioned, its just that other sportspeople can go about their activities without EVER getting asked whether it is for charity.

Imagine asking Peter Canavan, or DJ Carey whether they play hurling or football for charity?
Sound ridiculous?

I organise a few road runs too, and again, the same question invariably gets asked...

But imagine asking a soccer club which charity a particular soccer match is in aid of?

You just wouldn't...

PoleStar

Plus the irony is that the "Charity" runner may in fact contribute no money themselves to the charity and yet expect all their buddies to cough up for their "free" event t shirt etc.

Odysseus

Like others I only do one charity event a year usually, this year two and thats only because a marathon I ran in Feb collected 200e out of the total entry fee, but with knowing this in advance it was'nt a problem, and as I stayed in the refugee camp I could seen where the cash was going. I'm planning on doing Dublin in a penguin suit for a charity in Kenya a friend of mine does some work for. I have stopped doing them for organised charities over here as I think it is becoming more of a business. I never refuse to sponsor some I know, but I feel I can only go asking once a year, plus there is the pain in the hole of chasing people up for the cash.

shopaholic

I think its ok to be sponsored if you're doing something tough and a challenge to you. I've done the mini twice...first time I didn't do it for anyone bar me and then the next year I did it for Our Lady's Hospice. This year I'm not running it for charity but am hoping I'll be fit enough to do the Dublin Marathon in which case I will get sponsored...reason being I'll need all the encouragement I can get to get around the course and knowing me completing the course will result in a charity getting some money would keep me going (I hope).
I've no problems with people getting sponsored to complete challenges but i do have issues with people getting sponsored to do whatever challenge where they have to raise x amount of money to qualify for a place and they expect everyone else to sponsor them so that they can live out a dream while not reaching into their own pockets.
And I've no problems with charities letting people know about sponsorship opportunities.

Slogger Jogger

My 2 cents worth is perhaps consistent with other postings.

I'm a late starter in running terms. Running for perhaps 4 years. I've done 9 marathons (no. 10 in Cork on the way). Each year I've done 1 run for charity and each year I tell myself that thats the last time I'll do it as it gets harder each time. I have benefitted a different charity each time and I'm fortunate to have an employer who will match what is raised to a good extent, so its too good an opportunity to miss - once a year that is. As to not contributing myself, I generally find that the pledges lead to a % of bad debts that I make up and I generally pledge to match the highest sponsored amount, at the very least, something that I'm glad to be in a position to do.

What I struggle with.. and its more the walks (and treks) than the runs... are the paid sponsorship trips to foreign marathons / treks in Nepal etc. I haven't done one and in good conscious I don't think I could. Whats people's view on these? I'd want to pay my own way all the time. I wouldn't want to be seen to be getting subsidised to doing something I wanted to do. That cost is often sizeable and isn't it better that that money is going directly to the charity...

Regards,

SJ

Dinkie

I agree with you Slogger Jogger!

I know someone, that went on one of those overseas expeditions this year, and hounded everyone for the €3000 or what ever it was.... it ended up not costing her a penny....

She had such a good time she has decided to do the same again this year!!

I resent sponsoring her, but its still really difficult to say no :mad:

aoa321

I run lots of 10Ks and 5Ks in the South East. A portion of our entry fee (about €8) is often handed over to a local charity. Far from being annoyed by this, it actually makes me quite proud to see one of the members of our local athletics clubs pictured on the newspaper handing over a cheque to the Waterford Hospice.

Niamh, it's probably a longshot but maybe you could link up with one of the athletic clubs in Dublin and try to fly that idea. Well organised road races are very popular. My suggestion would be to be innovative or even quirky with what you organise. Pick an unusual night to hold the races or an unusual route, or have 3 different distances over 3 diferent weeks.

Because other costs would have to be covered, it may not raise much money and I don't know what scale you are aiming at but perhaps there are better ways of raising money than asking people to fill up sponsorship cards (most people don't really like doing that anyway!!).

Good luck with your efforts. I have seen the documentary called "The boy whose skin fell off", to see what Johnny had to endure day in day out was one of the most humbling and moving pieces of television I have ever seen.

Regards
aoa

--amadeus--

Excellent point there - look at the Mooathon in Donegal as a really good example.

aoa321

As an example I was told about a 10K run to be held in July in Waterford (through the picteresque Anne Valley) in aid on the Chernobyl Children's fund. It's €10 to enter, I presume it will make 2 or 3 grand which for a small charity goes along way.

DEBRA Ireland

There are some great ideas there and I will be sure to look into them. I'm glad you were touched by "The boy whos skin fell off" aoa321. It is great to see the positive impact it had.

Thanks for all your comments, they are really a great help to see everyones views.

Niamh.

aburke

Fair's fair.. it seems I am in the minority that's pissed off with the whole running and charity thing.

[But God help the next person who asks me to sponsor them to run 5km, or worse, the next person who asks me who am I running the marathon for ]

I hope the GAA and soccer communities etc are as accommodating when the Charities come calling

run_Forrest_run

Dinkie wrote:

I agree with you Slogger Jogger!

I know someone, that went on one of those overseas expeditions this year, and hounded everyone for the €3000 or what ever it was.... it ended up not costing her a penny....

She had such a good time she has decided to do the same again this year!!

I resent sponsoring her, but its still really difficult to say no :mad:

arg! this soo annoys me when people jump on the 'charity' case for a free holiday! a girl I work with went to Uganda on one those things and I did not give a penny to her, I would happily give money to a charity directly or locally but not to some girl who wanted a cheap holiday and the chance to pull! Some may say I am being cynical but this girl was going with these intentions and she is not alone.

OldBloke

I have only recently started runing in orgainised races (Bupa Ireland run, Raheny Shamrocks summer 5km and the 2 mile series. Im also doing the spar one miler and then the addidas 5 miler. I am doing these as a means to get fit. I train in Karate and have done for 21 years but I find I need something to aim for in training and these runs are perfect. Some I have to train for and some I use as training. Enough background.

Two points.

1. The OP is correct - it does seem to be only running that is associated with charity fund raising. Karate is not a sport but does have a sporting side and in all my years no one has ever asked was I doing it for charity. Since I started running I get the questions a lot - what am I doing it for? And when I say to get fit people seem shocked that im not raising money. I have had this for a short period of time but I can imagine your annoyance will grow the more you get asked.

2. A few years back I was aksed if I wanted to go to Africa and climb Killimanjaro and raise some money. We had to raise £3000.00 (pre euro). Not all of the money went to charity as some of it was used for flights and accomodation. But we were lucky to see where the money did go - building a school. I saw poverty that when seen on TV cannot and does not have the same impact as it does first hand. It still haunts me to this day. Climbing Killimanjaro was one of the toughest things I have done and In fact I dint quite make it as I passed out near the top. The altitude sickness and headaches were a nightmare. Id hardly say I enjoyed it. I spent well over a £1000.00 on kit and we brought over extra Karate suits and Pads for a local club.

Some people may do it for a free holiday but not all and surely the fact that any money is raised is better than none at all.

Osu