Running for charity is not only a great way of raising money and awareness for a cause close to your heart but also a brilliant reason to get active and outdoors.
If you are new to running or can’t commit to training for months at a time, a 5k charity run event is a great way to start. Comprising of 3.1 miles, a 5k run will take less than an hour to complete, even if you end up walking some of it. Generally, the average time for running a 5K is around 30 minutes. You don’t need months of training to run a 5K charity run; a typically healthy person should be able to start training for a 5K charity run around a month beforehand. If you have any medical conditions that may affect your running, check with your doctor first before you start your training.
Running is one of the best ways to quickly boost your endorphin levels and raise your heart rate to help burn excess fat, so why not feel twice the satisfaction and run for charity? A cardiovascular exercise, such as running or speed walking, makes your heart work harder as it pumps blood to your vital organs, so a short 5k charity run is an excellent way to help keep you healthy whilst doing it for a good cause. Staying active throughout the week will help to keep your mind and body healthy and running for charity is one way of maximising your efforts and giving something back to your community. There are many 5k charity runs out there, so why not sign up for one today?
One of the best ways to start running a 5K is to either join your local Park Run or sign-up for the Couch to 5k initiative. Both organisations have plenty of advice for those who want to start running, and, best of all, you are not doing it alone. New runners are signing up to these initiatives all the time, so it’s likely you will find someone at the same stage as you.
If you have children and they are interested in running, then getting them started on a family fun run for charity is a great way to help them keep fit, while also taking part in a family activity.