marathon
Great Scottish Run
Scotland’s largest run is taking place on the 6th of September and entry for the race is still open! There is also a choice of running a half marathon or 10k distance and even a Junior 3k and 1.5k road race. So no excuse not to run off those summer barbeques! With over 19,000 entrants last year this run is one not to miss out on.
If you don’t already have a charity to fundraise for why not check out their charity listings here.
Then once you’ve entered the race, click here to set up your JustGiving page and get your fundraising underway!
Best of Luck to everyone running!
Angela Carter
Angela Carter has been doing some amazing work for the Children’s Trust Charity. Already this year she has trekked the Panama Jungle and run the London marathon as well as two 10km races. So to top off her year she has made the decision to run two half marathons (Run to the Beat and The Royal Half Parks) in just one week!
We were very pleased to chat to her and see how she has been preparing for her challenges and how she has managed to raise such an amazing amount of money for charity.
Hi Angela, can you tell us a bit about The Children’s Trust and why you’ve been inspired to support them for ten years?
The Children’s Trust is a national charity which aims to make life better for children with profound
disabilities and complex health needs. It really is an incredibly inspirational charity, and I am so proud to have worked for the charity for ten years. I am the Corporate Relations Manager and each year I have to raise £600,000, so if you know of any companies wanting to give money please let us know!
How have you been training for all your races and marathons?
The key is to follow a training program; writing everything down from a ten minute swim to a 60 minute jog so you can see your progress; joining a forum - www.realbuzz.co.uk - to get inspiration and tips. Most importantly run for a charity that means a lot to you and that will provide you with lots of advice and support. I try to run twice a week and go the gym once and swim once. But it is challenging as I work part time, have a seven year old son and have a condition called Lupus. So the key is juggling, multitasking and of course stretching!
What has been the most challenging fundraising event you have been involved in so far? And what motivates you to keep going if you hit a low?
Earlier this year I took part in our Trekking the Panama Jungle Expedition - it was one of the best experiences of my life, but one of the hardest. It might sound cliché but when it was hard I did think of all the children at the Trust and the challenges they have to overcome every day. I really do think that everyone should do one trek in their lifetime – it’s such an incredible experience - we have one in Vietnam and Himalayas in 2010, or even cycle across Cuba in 2011.
How do you let people know about the events you are taking part in to raise money for The Children’s Trust?
Via our website www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk, and also through a fun Facebook site, as well as on Twitter. We try to be fun and different, as there are so many great charities out there!
What aspects of JustGiving have been the most helpful to you with your fundraising?
JustGiving is fantastic and such an incredibly easy way of asking people to donate money when you are taking part in a fundraising event. It’s so much easier than going around with a sponsorship form! I love the new look and the % gage telling you how much you have raised - I am 93% there but that last 7% will be the hard bit, like dieting!
How is the fundraising going?
Well I have raised £7,400 this year but still need to raise £8,000 - I am very proud of this. If anyone fancies donating £2 it would be wonderful.
Have you got any tips to share with other JustGivers?
Lots of small events such as clothes swapping parties, telling everyone about your JustGiving page - adding the email address to your footer is good, as well as posts on Facebook and twittering about it! Asking people just for £2 is also good and most people can spare that. Don’t feel shy about asking be proud to be raising money for a great char
ity.
How will you celebrate when you complete all your challenges for this year?
I am planning to go to Seville with three girlfriends afterwards, but the best thing will be knowing I have raised £8,000 for one of the best children’s charities in the UK and that I have helped children like Alby get back on his feet.
Thanks so much for chatting with us Angela. We wish you all the best with reaching your 100% fundraising target and for the two half marathons in September. Do let us know how you get on!
What’s the best race you’ve taken part in?
Is there one marathon that has stood out for you more than another? Which would you recommend to other runners as the best race?
Let us know by leaving us a comment below!
What’s been your longest run so far?
Let us know your long-distance record by clicking on the comments link below…
Holly Young: Marathon Woman
This will be Holly Young’s *twelfth* marathon.
Yes. Phew.
It’s the first time she’s run the London marathon, but with so much long-distance running under her belt, we figured she’s have some good experience to pass on.
Plus, she’s already well over half way to reaching a very ambitious fundraising target.
So we got in touch and, sure enough, she’s got some really helpful tips for you here:
1. What inspired you to run the marathon?
I have run in 11 marathons prior to running the London Marathon so this marathon training/running thing is a bit in my blood. As London is considered one of the top 5 marathons in the world, I knew that I would want to run it one day. I moved to London in 2008, and since the race is now in my ‘backyard’, it seemed like a great opportunity and time to run the race.
It was never a question of “Will I run the London Marathon?” but rather “Will I be able to get into the London Marathon?” Running for my charity, Guide Dogs UK, has now made that possible.
2. Are you running for anyone in particular?
I am running for Guide Dogs UK. The gift of sight is a blessing we all take for granted, and running a marathon requires not only two strong and healthy legs but eyesight to guide me along the course.
Guide Dogs UK gives the gift of sight to people every day and becomes an important partner in the lives of many sight-impaired people. During my first marathon, the Dallas White Rock Marathon, I remember seeing a sight-impaired runner steadily running his race, with his faithful companion and partner, his guide dog - it was inspiring!
3. Can you tell us more about your charity?
Guide Dogs UK provides guide dogs and other mobility services to blind and partially-sighted people and has been doing so for the last 75 years. The charity also campaigns for improved rehabilitation services and unhindered access for all blind and partially-sighted people.
This charity is a world leader in breeding and training guide dogs, employs 900 professional staff in the UK, and utilizes over 10,000 volunteers, including puppy walkers, brood-stock holders, dog boarders, and thousands of local fundraisers. Guide Dogs requires over £50 million a year to continue its work, receives no government funding, and relies entirely on voluntary donations.
Originally, I had set a goal of £1200 as my fundraising target, but I reached that goal pretty quickly, so I have continued to increase my fundraising target incrementally to ‘encourage’ friends, family and co-workers to continue to donate.
My ’stretch’ goal would be to raise £3000 as this is the entire cost of training one guide dog from start to finish. Not sure I will make that, but I only lack about £1000 to date. I would love to achieve that milestone, though!
4. How’s your training going?
Thanks for asking! My training is going well, although like many runners, I have struggled this year with intermittent colds and coughs. I have been using a training schedule that has proven to be a good fit for me in past marathon training, so I am now back on track! Last Saturday, I ran 2 hours 30 minutes for my long run.
5. What are you looking forward to about the race?
Good weather, a good run (perhaps a personal best ???), and a stellar road crew of family and friends cheering me along the way. My road crew is led by my husband, Buddy, who does a great job for me for every marathon I run!
6. Is there anything you’re not looking forward to?
Hopefully, I will stay injury and illness-free in the weeks of training leading up to the race. I actually love the whole marathon experience, so there is nothing I am dreading at this point.
7. Have you got any good fundraising tips to pass on?
The biggest help for me has been the fundraising website through Justgiving. I travel quite a lot on business and this helps me connect with friends and family around the globe.
Initially, I sent out alot of emails with my fundraising URL and let my contacts donate when it was convenient for them. I did send out 2 rounds of reminders, as well as put the URL link in my Christmas card letter this year.
Basically, I am surprised at who contributes… sometimes it is the people you least expect, as this charity often touches people in ways I could never be aware of. Don’t de-select who you ask to donate - ask anyone and everyone!
8. Where can people sponsor you?
I am so hoping to make my £3000 goal so all donations are welcome. Donations can be made at: www.justgiving.com/hollyyoung1
Paul’s FLM 09
Paul Gardner’s running the London marathon for the second year in a row.
This year he’s running to beat his record, and he’s also got a close connection with his charity, Baby Lifeline, which makes his fundraising even more of a personal mission.
As something of an experienced Justgiving fundraiser, we’ve asked him to let us in on the secrets to his fundraising success…
Here’s his interview – full of fundraising ideas to help you reach your target.
1. What inspired you to run the marathon again?
Two reasons:
1) Last year I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right shin six weeks before the marathon so I had to stop training. This year I want to beat that time.
2) The main reason: I am running for Baby Lifeline and a good friend of mine is closely involved with the charity which provides advice, support and equipment to assist pregnant mothers and newborn babies. The charity works closely with maternity hospitals on various projects including Queen Charlotte’s, Hammersmith, where my two children (two and a half years and six months) were born. Baby Lifeline has waited approximately 15 years to receive marathon places.
2. Can you tell us more about the charity?
Baby Lifeline (www.babylifeline.org.uk) came into being in 1981 after Judy Ledger, now Chief Executive, suffered the personal loss of three premature babies. It is a unique national charity offering loving care and support to pregnant mothers and new born babies all over the UK.
Over a ten-year period, the charity raised over £1.5 million and purchased vital equipment for three hospitals in Coventry and Warwickshire - where the charity still has its headquarters. Not surprisingly, Baby Lifeline’s influence and work subsequently spread nationwide and to date it has contributed more than £5 million to Britain’s maternity hospitals and services.
However, it is an unfortunate fact that, even with the advances in medical care and science today, more than 8,500 babies still die at or around the time of birth.
3. Are you approaching your fundraising differently this time?
Yes. Slightly more organised. Last year was very much sending out a few begging emails to friends and family. This year I have approached my company (that’s one of our Justgiving tips!), a couple of suppliers who work for me and I am talking to local businesses. My local pub has agreed to sponsor me and will be holding fundraising events on my behalf.
4. How’s your training going? Any tips?
Following the Runners World sub 4 hour training schedule, which I have uploaded to my Garmin GPS watch. This has helped in several ways:
• Having a defined schedule you know what is coming up and can plan your week around it so no excuse to miss runs.
• By using the Garmin and the PC application it keeps me motivated as I know when my pace is too slow/ too fast/ just right, plus being able to see your results and training times on the PC keeps it interesting and you can track your improvements.
• I also mix up my running training with exercise bike sessions and upper body weight-training in my shed/ gym/ office. This helps break up the monotony of running and leaves even less of an excuse to do nothing.
5. What are you looking forward to about the race?
The whole experience is excellent - it sounds very clichéd but the amount of support given by total strangers is overwhelming. I am also looking forward to being able to give my medal to my six-month-old Claudia as she wasn’t around last year and the medal went to her big brother George. After April 26th they will both have a medal. I am also running with a couple of friends this year rather than alone.
6. Is there anything you’re not looking forward to?
Not really, last year did hurt, but that’s part of a marathon. Possibly not looking forward to the trip home afterwards although I only live in West London - all taxis were gone and I ended up walking to Green Park.
7. What’s your best fundraising tip?
Don’t be scared to ask people - at worst they can say no. Also make sure you approach local businesses, pubs, etc - a couple of donations from businesses can make a huge difference.
8. Where can people sponsor you?
Through my Justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/pauls-flm2009
and my blog: paulsfloralondonmarathon2009.blogspot.com
Thanks very much for talking to us Paul – and good luck reaching your target! We’ve made a small donation to help you on your way.
