Racing For Charity: Motivation On A Whole New Level
Posted November 1st, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Trish Monks
Section: Motivation, Columns, SPOTLIGHT
Last Sunday I did a race. Nothing surprising about that, I often race - and the distance, 10 kilometres, is a particular favourite of mine.
However, what was different this time - was that, for the first time ever in a race, I wasn’t ‘racing’.
I know - it sounds crazy – doing a race without ‘racing’ (and by that I mean going as fast as I can - trying to get a new PB [personal best], pass the lady in front with pigtails, not get overtaken by the chap in a banana costume - that kind of thing) . . . BUT at this event, my aim was something quite different.
The race was for Cancer Research UK, and I was there primarily to pace a friend of mine round what was his first (and hopefully not last) race, and make sure he met his goal of running all of the way round!
The race was one of many such events - all with a BIG fund raising objective - staged by this UK based charity throughout the year.
Many of the people doing the run, including my friend, were there to celebrate those that have, or remember those that haven’t, survived the fight against cancer, and to raise vital funds for further research. It is always a very moving experience.
These events are amazing though, and what is especially fabulous about them is that, not only do they raise so much money for charity, they also get people running - which I think is brilliant.
My friend, let’s call him “D”, is a classic example. He started running off and on last year some time, but was a bit haphazard about it, and was pretty much ’stuck’ at the 30 minute stage, with a real lack of motivation for taking it further, or even keeping it going at that level.
Earlier this year though, having seen the information for this race, being held reasonably locally, and for a cause close to his heart, he decided to enter: I believe that was the turning point for his running.
D was determined to complete the run, because, as he says on his sponsorship page:
I will be running this race on the first anniversary of my Mother’s death - I will be running in memory of Mum and Dad and to prove to myself that ‘I can do it’!
So, with a renewed sense of purpose, the event fixed in the calendar and the race number pinned to the notice board, D started training more regularly, built his mileage gradually and, by the time the big day came, was fairly confident of the distance, had raised an incredible £1,600 in sponsorship, and had discovered that he actually loved running - he was no longer just doing it for the race!
Imagine how many people, there must be in the same boat.
People who are attracted to these events because raising money for a good cause is the main objective, because there are no formal placings, there is a common t-shirt to wear, less competitive pressure and overall the whole experience is far less intimidating than your local, club-organised 10k race.
I think running is a very inclusive sport anyway, you get all shapes, sizes and abilities at most races and that has always impressed me (where else can you line up in the same event as a world champion, even when they finish in half your time?), but, there was definitely a much wider variety of participants on Sunday than at your ‘usual’ 10km race, and I think that is part of what makes them brilliant.
And D? Well, we finished the race in 68 minutes. At times the going was tough, and we did get overtaken by a man in a banana costume . . . BUT - we made it!
We wore our medals with pride and then enjoyed our ‘reward’ of a pub lunch in the unseasonably warm October sunshine.
However, the best part really is that, as a result of committing to this event, D has developed a love of running that will hopefully benefit and stay with him for many years to come.
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Tags: 10km, cancer research, charity, charity races, motivation, United Kingdom
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The Final Sprint