Run Together | TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Saturday, March 20, 2010

USATF study reveals
charity fundraising by runners, walkers surges
to over $714 million

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 2:45 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

Marking a trend of continued growth, road runners and walkers raised $714 million for charity in 2006, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced Monday. The figure marks a nearly 9 percent increase over 2005 and shows continued, steady increases since USATF began its annual charity survey in 2002.

The Nike Women’s Marathon and Half-Marathon was named the 2006 USATF Charitable Race of the Year, while the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its GREAT STRIDES program was honored as 2006 Charitable Organization of the Year.

Conducted internally by USATF, the national governing body of track and field, long-distance running and race walking, the study revealed that more than $714 million was raised for charitable causes by runners in 2006.

charity runners walkers USATF gathered data from national charitable race series/organizations and a sample of nearly 200 running/walking races, including many of the country’s largest races.

“The continued growth of charity fundraising in the current economic climate shows the dedication of charity runners and walkers to their cause, as well as the strength of road running in this country,” said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback.
Read the rest of this entry »

6 comments, add yours | Permalink

Nike encourages women to ‘Run Together’ at 4th annual Nike Women’s Marathon

Posted August 17th, 2007 at 7:45 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

For the past three years, the Nike Women’s Marathon has brought women together in San Francisco for the world’s largest women’s marathon. This year, Nike is adding a new twist to this already distinctive event — the opportunity for women to run together on the same day for the same cause anywhere in the U.S. by registering for the first ever Nike+ Women’s Half Marathon, through Nikeplus.com.

On October 21, 20,000 participants, up from 15,000 last year, from 50 states and more than 18 countries will descend on the Bay Area to run the Nike Women’s Marathon and Half Marathon benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Selling out faster than most races of its size - the half marathon selling out in only 10.5 hours and the full marathon in 3.5 days - the Nike Women’s Marathon has become one of the biggest philanthropic contributors among races.

Via a partnership with Team in Training, the marathon raised more than $40 million in its first three years for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society benefiting cancer research and is expecting to exceed the $24 million raised in 2006 for this year’s event, making it Team in Training’s largest beneficiary race in its history.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

A Run With Dad:
His final farewell

Posted April 7th, 2007 at 7:30 PM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TheFinalSprint.com. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

I was angry….and hurt. But, mostly, I was tired. Drained. The events of the day had exhausted me, both physically and emotionally..

Although it was a nice day for a run ….. cool and dry ….. and I hadn’t run for a couple of days, I really didn’t want to do it. But, I knew a run would be good for me. And I had to get off to myself. Away from the others for awhile. So, I began.

My legs felt heavy. My breathing quickly became labored, even though I kept the pace slower than usual. This was not going to be a good one.

Two miles into the run, he joined me. His presence, which I sensed suddenly, startled me. I had never known him to run a step in his life. Oh, he wasn’t unfit. He worked hard all his life. Often, under brutally hot and humid conditions that were typical of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And, there he was. Running with me.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink