Run for Charity FAQs

A charity run is a race or event of some kind that is organised specifically for the purpose of raising money for a named charity. A ‘charity run’ differs slightly to simply ‘running for charity’, in that all participants in a charity run are likely to be raising money for the same cause (e.g. through entrance fees), whereas when an individual runs for charity, the race that they run may not necessarily be associated with their charity of choice, and funds are typically raised through personal sponsorship and donation.

Running for charity is easy – there are just a few simple steps to follow:

1. Register for the race or event that you would like to participate in
2. Register with your chosen charity to raise money for them
3. Collect sponsorship
4. Run the race!

Alternatively, you could look to set up your own charity race if there are no existing ones that suit your cause.

There are many reasons to run for charity. Not only is running a fantastic activity for both your mental and physical health, but by running for charity you will be directly supporting the good work that charitable organisations do, and helping to make a difference in the lives of those that need it.

Organising your own charity run is a much bigger undertaking than registering to participate in an existing event. It’s worth checking out the local activities in your area before you begin organising your own, to see if there is an existing one that suits your needs.

If you do decide to organise your own charity run, there are several areas to consider:

• Mapping the route
• Health and safety considerations
• Legal considerations
• Staffing & resources
• Marketing & advertising
• Registration (e.g. is a website needed?)
• Facilities on the day
• Merchandising (medals?)

The process of running a marathon for charity can be more complex and difficult than when running other, smaller events – for instance a 5k. This is not only because of the additional training and physical ability that a marathon demands, but also the fact that they are generally much bigger and more serious events.

Registering to run a marathon for charity can be tricky, as charities are often allocated a certain number of spaces for a race, which are snapped up quickly by eager runners. You can use our events finder tool to find out more information about marathons across the country.

To run a marathon for charity you will also need to make sure that you train for it and are physically prepared. You may find that our marathon training guides come in handy for this.

There are a few ways in which you can raise money for a charity of your choice by running:

• Enter a race and start gathering sponsored donations (smaller races)
• Apply for public ballot (larger races)
• Secure a charity entry place for your chosen race
• Organise your own race or event