Running A Charity Marathon

I like guest writers. I want to start doing more guest bloggers. I was contacted by Jackie Clark about an article she wrote called "The Numerous Benefits of Running in a Charity Marathon". There's nothing like giving your running more of a purpose. Here is Jackie's article:

For those who enjoy running and would like to see their efforts go towards a worthy cause, one of the most favorable options to consider is to run a charity marathon. Charity marathons are those in which runners receive pledges from their friends and family who agree to donate a certain amount of money if the runner can complete the marathon.

In general, many types of charitable organizations exist that can benefit from these charity marathons, and nearly everyone will be able to find some cause to support that they feel passion about. Many of these charities are those that seek to improve treatment for modern diseases, such as mesothelioma or other types of cancer. Additionally, many aim to improve the well being of those who are less fortunate, such as the Charity Chase Marathon. In particular, one of the most prestigious charity marathons to be held each year is the Running Hope Marathon, which uses all of its proceeds to help orphaned children receive basic necessities and improve their overall quality of life.

In order to begin preparing for a charity marathon, the first step is to collect pledges. The best people to collect pledges from are typically friends and family members, as these people will be very sympathetic to your cause and more than willing to help reward you for all of your efforts. Additionally, seeking out pledges from colleagues at work can also be immensely effective. Once pledges have been acquired, the next step is to train at running. A marathon is a particularly difficult event that cannot be completed without proper training, and those who wish to fulfill the pledges will need to begin training many months ahead of time in order to be prepared once the date of the race approaches.

In addition to benefiting a charitable organization, charity marathons can also provide many benefits to the runners as well. Embarking on a running program can be an incredibly revitalizing endeavor that will provide runners with more energy throughout the course of the day. Additionally, research in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” has found that those who run regularly enjoy numerous health benefits.

Although it may not be easy, taking part in a charity marathon can be an immensely rewarding experience that most people will find is well worth the effort. For those who are looking for a way to benefit a charitable organization, have fun, and improve their health, few options are more favorable than running in a charity marathon.

Have you ever been part of a fundraising team through running?
For my first marathon some friends and I raised money to support organ donation and a friend who was waiting for (and has since received!!) a heart transplant. Thanks for your article Jackie!