Should all races give (something) to charity?
I was really surprised by the comments on my post “Virtual races – yay or nay?.”* There were many varying opinions, but the majority was NAY – people are not digging virtual races. I guess I was so surprised because I kept hearing about people doing them in my running club – I thought maybe some of you would be doing them as well.
A few people mentioned they only wanted to do a virtual race if the money went for a cause. The ad I was talking about in that post does have a cause associated with it – the ALS Association.
Now, this isn’t the same, because it’s about in person races, but I have been thinking about Jan’s post “My Latest Rant: What are YOU Running For?” In the post, Jan mentions that she is “really saddened by this sudden surge of for-profit runs.” She doesn’t call any out, but it made me think of mud races, color races, obstacle races… I think some of those are set up with profit in mind.
So that got me thinking… how many of the races I’ve done this year actually have had a charity component to it? Here is the breakdown:
*I did very BRIEF research! This was just to get an idea. If you have a correction for me, please let me know.
- Prospect Park 10 Mile Relay – Back on My Feet
- Frosty Footrace 5K – Seniors’ Program at the Community Center
- Shamrock Shuffle 5K – Run Your Life
- South Shore Half Marathon – not specified on site, but mentions charity
- Double Down 20K – of the Muddy Monk series, two in 2013 had 100% of the proceeds go to charity: I Heart Momma raised over $6,000 for the Prader-Willi Syndrome USA and the MAYDAY 5K/10K/15K raised over $7,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
- Salt Lake City Half Marathon – Huntsmen Hometown Heroes
- Wisconsin Half Marathon – option to run for Charity
- Mother’s Day 5K – The Gateway for Cancer Research
- Ironman 70.3 Kansas – hmm
- Chicago Women’s Half Marathon – American Heart Association
- Full Moon 5K – benefits kids in need of running shoes
- Tread the Trail for Epilepsy 5K – Epilepsy Foundation
- Irongirl Pleasant Prairie Triathlon – Team Survivor?
Honestly, I was surprised by how many of these races list a charity component – it’s just not something I pay attention to when I sign up for a race. When I am looking at races, things like date, cost, distance, location/scenery, course, type of race, and who is running it will always be first in my mind. I will do a race specifically for a charity it supports (like the Lung Run), but I don’t think I am going to be super upset if a race I want to do does NOT have a charity component.
That sounds kind of awful, like I don’t care about charities. I do. I have donated a lot of money to charities this year (well, a lot for me). I just think of races as entertainment for me, like paying to go see a movie, or go out to dinner, or whatever. Yeah, it is great if races do give back to the community/society, but if I really want to do a race and it meets my other deciding factors sans charity component, it’s not going to stop me from doing it. I am also not bothered by companies putting on races for profit. If they have the market for it… why not bank on it? Who says they have to give back? Again… it would be nice if they did…
And of course, these websites list charities/causes, but who knows how much of proceeds actually go to it, and how much of the race proceeds (if any) is for profit. It can cost a lot to put on a race.
Anyway.
When you are signing up for a race, is the charity component something to which you pay attention?
I think I am going to be surprised by your comments again. I am guessing I have the less common opinion here. Maybe I am just a realist who doesn’t expect much from companies? Maybe?
*So much that I am yet to respond to them. Yikes!
Themocracy
When it comes to an endurance race like a marathon, I’m more concerned with the “race logistics and course” than the charity beneficiary. Now I just registered for a Half and my hubs asked, “who’s the charity?” I went back online to find out it was the Wounded Warriors and he immediately wanted to run too. Unlike me, hubs is more driven by the cause than the event.
5Ks, I primarily only run for charity or causes/groups I want to support… and vice versa. I purposely do NOT run certain local events because of who it benefits. I’m a bit pessimistic about the % that actually goes to charities though… rarely do they say 50% of proceeds are donated, etc… My guess would be that it is substantially lower than that. I must assume nearly all race companies make a profit – otherwise why would they have a “company”. And I don’t think that’s bad either… people have a right to make a living by being an event organizer. It’s a lot of time and upfront money to host races. I just don’t like the AIR of it being charity when it’s largely more for profit.
I will say that one well known virtual race group said the general rate is 10-20%. I’d assume it’s even less for on-ground races because they have to pay for the course and for swag and stuff too. I think the exception is when a group puts on a 5K for themselves – my daughter’s park district does a 5K to raise money and I like that one, I hope they get more than 10-20% from it!
I am curious about which races you purposefully do not run. I am trying to think if there are any like that for me.
I would love to see stats on how much actually goes to charity, from these races. I mean, if they are a company or even a running club, they have to keep some for them to keep them going!
I feel like I should care, but the truth is that running is my one selfish thing. The rest of my life revolves around my husband, my kids, the different causes I support…running is my me-time. I do do virtual races right now because they keep me motivated at a time when motivation is hard to find – but those are for me. And I don’t kid myself my about it – I think it’s okay to be selfish in some areas. I balance it out, and in the end I pretty much decided – this is my me-time. I’m okay with not feeling like I need to justify it for someone or something else. I don’t run to inspire my kids or kick my husband in to gear or support a million charities. If I do, that’s great! But really, my running is for me, the one place that is only for me.
I’ve gotten to the point where I won’t run a race based on the charity. We have a series of local races that I usually participate in except one of the “charities” is publicly funded by my taxes. I just can’t get past that. I also won’t do any races that force me to fund raise, sometimes it’s hard enough paying the entrance fee let alone having to raise additional money & if I don’t then I have to pay out of my own pocket – just doesn’t sit well with me. Overall I’ve become more selective about races and am less inclined to repeat a race. The prices just seem to keep going up and I’ve got enough 40 dollar t’shirts that I don’t wear thankyouverymuch.
Hmm, that is interesting. I wonder how it works to have a race funded by tax payer dollars!
I’m like you in that I don’t really look to see if a race is tied to a charity, but it’s cool if it does. I tend to stick to smaller local races anyway, and many of them are for some sort of charitable organization.
I will say that if a race is a little more expensive than I would like that I am willing to pay the higher fee if I know some of it is going to a good cause.
Two of the bigger marathons/half marathons that I like to do every year (Green Bay Marathon and Fox Cities Marathon) give huge chunks of their profit to charites and (from what I see) are very transparent about the amounts they give. In fact Green Bay just announced it donated $105,000 to charities! I like that.
That is so cool that Green Bay announced it! I wonder how much it cost to run the race and how much they got in registration. There was an (ACTUALLY USEFUL!) article in RW a few years ago about how much it cost to put on NYCM $$$$$$$$$
I’ve specifically not signed up for a couple of races because of the charities they support. How awful is that? On the other hand, every single animal welfare related LOCAL group that puts on a race and I’ll be there. Other than that, I don’t care to much about it either, it’s great if they support something but there is the whole thing other people are pointing out about how much goes to the charity anyway. Part of that goes back to my whole perception of large organizations versus smaller ones. Definitely an interesting topic though!
Excellent question! We debated a lot last year about which charity we would support with the Race That’s Good For Life. We finally chose one that we felt would partner with us and not just look for a check. So that’s an interesting “behind the scenes” perspective. Races are expensive to put on even when you’re not paying staff. Which is why I’m much more inclined to care about whether or not the logistics are good, it’s a well-run race, etc. If there’s a charity? Great. If it’s one I have a personal connection to? Even better. But I’m more concerned with the cost and the overall reputation of the event than I am the charity.
For some reason I thought you guys donated to the same charity almost every year. Did you switch this year?
It is interesting that you mention partnership! I know that is very important, from the one time I worked on a 5K committee.
We used to give to the United Way but people expressed that they didn’t like this as they didn’t know where their money was going after it went to United Way. And some people said that the United Way supported other charities that they didn’t like. So, we switched to the Collaboration for Early Childhood which is based in Oak Park and partners with area schools.
I, like you, look at logistics, cost, etc. before I register for a race. However, I have done some races specifically to support a charity before but I guess that isn’t always my highest priority with running races. I do avoid a lot of the for profit races but that’s usually because they are too big for my taste.
Good question! I love these posts that make me think! 🙂
And, nope, I don’t even look at it when I’m signing up for a race. I, like you, focus on the logistics, cost, where it fits in my training program, etc. before I look at the charity. The Run for Boston 5K that I participated in this year in Libertyville was the only one I did specifically because it benefited a charity to help the victims. The guy from the charity even came out to talk to us so I know it was legit and the funds raised went to the charity.
I hate to say it, but there are so many great causes out there and I’d go broke trying to support every single one I care about. If I had more money, heck yeah I could give a lot to charities, but my bills and mortgage have to be paid first.
Lisa’s post about being more selective about races rings true for me too. Bigger isn’t always better and race fees can get crazy high – here’s looking at you Rock & Roll series!
Ummmm so this probably sounds horrible- but I have never ever thought about a charity when I have signed up for a race. I know that some of the one’s I have run have had a charity associated but honestly I ran them because I wanted to run the race not because of the charity. I am of the same opinion as you I am paying to race not support a charity- if I happen to support a charity through racing than yay! Maybe I should start paying more attention…..
Ha! After reading my post, you know that doesn’t sound horrible to ME 😉
I think I’m pretty much in line with your views here. It’s nice if it has a charity component and I will try to be involved in events whose causes I actively support (breast cancer, colon cancer, animal welfare) but I have no problems with for profit races if they align with my other interests (course distance, location, race goals, etc)
I feel it is a plus. We did do the RunforBoston 5k because of the charity factor, as my cousin was there running and she is fine, but for those who weren’t.
Great topic! I have a couple of charitable causes that I try to support wherever I can – so if any of those causes are hosting a race, I will do everything to participate. Otherwise, a random (to me) charitable cause is not a big deciding factor for me. I look more at what the race itself has to offer as opposed to the cause.
Honestly, I have always found charity races a little odd. So…I fundraise, and then I go do a race? Other than the publicity for the cause, how does the run relate to raising money for a cause? I’m not DOING anything to help by running (not that I really run anymore anyway). Couldn’t I just donate money to a charity that I care about and that’s that?
If I do run a race (again, not something I’ve done in awhile, but hypothetically), there are some causes I would support above others. But generally speaking, charity and events like a 5K don’t make a logical connection in my brain.
You don’t have to fundraise for most of them. You just race, and the proceeds from the race go to a specific charity.
You know, I don’t think the run has to relate to raising money – the organizers are probably just hoping runners (like me, lol) who do a race based on non charity… will show up and some of that money will go to charity. If you are doing the Chicago Marathon or something, and fundraising hundreds of dollars, I think that is a little bit different. But… yeah. I don’t like asking people for money 😉
I run because I enjoy running and doing races, so I’m personally more concerned with the logistics of the race. I think there are a lot of charity runs that are put on by people who know more about fundraising than about racing and it shows. If I was really concered about raising money through running, I would sign up for a charity team for a race, like when I ran the marathon with the ACS team.
Well you already know my thoughts on this. 🙂 Thanks for the shout out!
Ahem, I feel like a selfish shit because I do not think about the charity component AT ALL. Like others stated, I’d rather it be a well-organized event. Also, I’m a bit skeptical about charity events – not all, but some. Perhaps it’s more about raising awareness, but if they are using so many resources to put on an event, how much of the money is going to the charity or to the people who really need the funds?
That said, I don’t love the idea of corporate or brand races, even though I’ve definitely participated in plenty of those and will continue to do so (Ironman events, for instance – they’re like the Coca Cola of racing).
I haven’t read Jan’s post but will do so now!
Good point – could some of those resources be used for the charity instead? Like all the volunteer hours or money used for marketing, etc?
I thought Ironman was mostly SO well done. I can almost see why it costs so much. Almost 😉 LOL
Good Lord I love your candid style of writing. So much of what you said is similar to what I think about this as well. I’m totally on board with running with charity races, but I don’t necessarily think of that as the main draw for me to go to a race. Price, location, distance, etc are things I think to look to first. And as far as the for profit races are concerned, I may not participate in a ton of them, but I definitely think that if there’s a market for it they should do it. Who says this is one area of the world where people shouldn’t be able to make money? I agree with everything you said.
Aww, thank you for liking my style of writing. 😀 And agreeing. LOL!
Now, your HIM is not Ironman branded… or is it? Friends were telling me they try to find the non Ironman ones to save $$$.
I try to do them with a certain charity, but I’ve done ones that I have no idea where the money goes to. Especially if I get to run one with a friend! I could care less!!
I’m game for anything, but I don’t like spending a lot of money for a race…I’m cheap like that!
My parents really didn’t pay much attention to my running until I did the Lung Run last year, so now as a result, whenever I do a race, my dad always asks if there’s a charity associated with the race. I think it’s kind of funny that he assumes all races are for charity since, as you noted, so many “for-profit” races have been coming onto the scene lately. So my dad asking me that forces me to see if races I run actually do benefit a charity, and a majority do. I was actually surprised to find that out, but I think it’s cool that so many races ARE giving back to the community. The 5k in my neighborhood makes a donation to the neighborhood food pantry, so I feel good that not only is part of my fee going to a good cause, it’s directly impacting people in my neighborhood.
Someone else commented about wondering how running and fundraising are connected. I think it’s an easy way for people to ask for donations to causes they support, especially if you directly tie it to your training. But for me, the coolest thing is seeing how many other peoples’ lives are touched by a certain cause. All the ladies in my family back in Ohio participate in a Komen walk for everyone we know who has been affected by breast cancer, and they say it’s pretty powerful. And last year at the Lung Run, it was definitely an experience to run with other people whose loved ones have been touched by lung cancer. It really sucks that any of us have any experience with it, but being with others who have gone/are going through the same thing and are there to support their loved ones who are fighting, or remember those who we have unfortunately lost their battles with cancer is just… overwhelming. Running gives us the sense of community already, but seeing this particular kind of community, knowing that you’re not alone during a terrible time, I guess it’s kind of comforting.
That is really interesting that your dad’s questioning has made you look in to that more! And yeah, I am surprised to see so many places listing charities… since they don’t all make it so front and center!
Ahh yes, that is true – a great way to bring the community together. Especially those people who do the two day breast cancer walk – they have a lot of time to connect!
It’s interesting that you point out that Ironman is really the only race that you couldn’t find was the Ironman race. I did a bit of research and they have a charity arm to the organization called Ironman Foundation (http://www.ironmanfoundation.org). I agree that it was unclear at Racine as to whether there was a charity beneficiary, so I’m not sure how exactly the foundation is linked to the Ironman races except for the fact that people donate/fundraise as a part of their registration into certain Ironman events.
Ahh, interesting. Thanks for looking that up! So I wonder if they only donate when you also raise? I could look in to it more if I really wanted to know, lol.
I do both, honestly. There are lots and lots of races I run solely because I love the race itself or the time and location is right. I don’t think I’ve run a single marathon and wondered about a charity, and I’ve never attempted to raise money to run.
But there are many 5ks I’ve run JUST to support a cause. The rally for autism, the cancer run with Sarah’s family, all the Zion runs. I mean, the run is fun too, don’t get me wrong 🙂 But the reason I ran was to support the charity putting it on.
So it’s a mixed bag for me…but it IS something I consider.
I actually saved this post so I could come back and read the comments. You have such great commenters and good discussion here! It probably has something to do with writing thoughtful and well written posts!
I agree with many of the others that I usually pick my races based on price, location, etc., but I will also choose to participate in a race if it is supporting something I would like to help support.
At the Camp Courageous tri I did earlier in August, they announced that 100% of entry fees went straight to the camp. Which is amazing! And is a cause I am more than happy to support. Plus they put on a really, really great race!
Aww, thank you 🙂
That is amazing that they were able to have 100% go back to the camp! I would love to see more statistics on what % races are able to give!
(excited to hear about your 70.3 this weekend!)
I never take charity connections into account when picking races. I agree with you; racing is entertainment, and I don’t expect everything to be for a good cause. However, I don’t like the big trend of commercializing races so much. It makes everything seem very consumerism-driven. But then again, I think that’s how the world works, so running isn’t any different.
Yeah, I guess it is almost surprising that it’s just hitting the running “world” now. I wonder how it will change in the future!