Having accepted my place running for THT (and then having told as many people as possible about it so I can’t back out) I figured it was now time to focus on fund-raising. The training bit is pretty easy at this stage, just three 20 minute runs each week, so whilst people are still on a high from my having been offered a place it seemed like the perfect time to get their sponsorship.
As far as I was concerned I had all the necessary elements to raise funds:
1) A worthwhile cause
2) A good contacts list
3) My job is marketing
4) I've never asked for sponsorship before (except for maybe once or twice at school but nobody apart from mum will remember that)
5) I'm running a marathon, not a little fun run, an actual 26.2 mile marathon.
People should be falling over themselves to give me cash. Right?
Telling people you’re running a marathon and asking for their sponsorship is a bit of a rollercoaster ride really. Since starting my collection I’ve had some massive highs and some dips too.
When you ask people to sponsor you, you can’t help but have a figure in mind that you think they’ll offer and how supportive of you they’ll be. It’s a complex equation that takes in to account your relationship with them, how well they know you, their financial circumstances, and their attitude towards the cause.
Some people who you’d expect to have no interest send fantastic emails congratulating you and giving generous amounts of money. They tell you how amazing and brave they think you are, and show real enthusiasm and passion for what you’re doing. Some of the emails friends have sent to me telling me how proud they are of me and how much they want to support me have quite literally moved me to tears.
Just saying you’re running a marathon for charity gives you a strange superhuman-like status. It’s actually quite ironic really as all I’ve done so far is say I’m going to do it and a small amount of training, and yet people keep telling me how incredible I am. This stage must be one of the high points!
In my recent blog I listed my motivations for wanting to do this. There’s one more thing I’d add to that list now, and that’s the support of others. I genuinely never realised the scale of how supportive people can be, and it feels fantastic :o)
You can show your support by sponsoring me at http://www.justgiving.com/paul-raybould/
Friday, 16 October 2009
“Sh*t, I’ve got a place in the marathon!” – 6 October 2009
I’ve wanted to run a marathon for a long time now, mainly for three reasons:
1) It’s the most effective thing I can think of to raise money for a cause I’m passionate about
2) A sense of personal achievement from having conquered a massive physical challenge
3) Because it might give me the opportunity to dress as Wonder Woman in public and be openly applauded rather than ridiculed.
I’d applied to run for the Terrence Higgins Trust HIV charity for the 2009 marathon, but was declined a place. If I’m completely honest I was ecstatic with relief when they emailed me to tell me I had been unsuccessful for the 2009 event, but ‘running a marathon’ remained on my ‘to do’ list for life.
2009 has been a very inspiring year for me, and I’ve met some amazing people that have really made me want more out of my life and given me a sense that I could achieve anything. I recently met a guy called David Cunningham who had fought for gay rights in the 70s, and helped pass the first child protection laws in the US, amongst many other inspiring things. After spending time in his company it reminded me of some of my ambitions and made me feel like I wanted to make a difference. I thought of my marathon again. I’d missed the opportunity to get a place through the ballot, but I still had the chance to apply through my favourite charity the Terrence Higgins Trust.
To be honest I still never expected to get a place. I know how competitive it is, THT is a big charity that lots of people must apply to, I’d put the amount I expected to raise at a modest £3,000, but a small part of me also thought that maybe they might be more receptive this time with it being my second year of applying?
On Tuesday 6th of October 2009, I opened my email inbox after finishing my lunch. The first thing I saw was an email from Heidi Leybourne. I recognised her name as the ‘Running Events Co-ordinator’ for THT. I was overcome with feelings of both excitement and dread. As I opened the email the words ‘Great news’ jumped out at me.
My first thought? “Sh*t, I’ve got a place in the marathon!”
Immediately my mind filled with a million objections. Could I do this? But I don’t even run! What if I get an injury? What if I die in the process?
There was only one way to cope with this flood of reservations. Reply to confirm the place so I couldn’t back out. So I did! I’ve got a place in the London Marathon. Hooray! F*ck!
Sponsor me now at http://www.justgiving.com/paul-raybould/
1) It’s the most effective thing I can think of to raise money for a cause I’m passionate about
2) A sense of personal achievement from having conquered a massive physical challenge
3) Because it might give me the opportunity to dress as Wonder Woman in public and be openly applauded rather than ridiculed.
I’d applied to run for the Terrence Higgins Trust HIV charity for the 2009 marathon, but was declined a place. If I’m completely honest I was ecstatic with relief when they emailed me to tell me I had been unsuccessful for the 2009 event, but ‘running a marathon’ remained on my ‘to do’ list for life.
2009 has been a very inspiring year for me, and I’ve met some amazing people that have really made me want more out of my life and given me a sense that I could achieve anything. I recently met a guy called David Cunningham who had fought for gay rights in the 70s, and helped pass the first child protection laws in the US, amongst many other inspiring things. After spending time in his company it reminded me of some of my ambitions and made me feel like I wanted to make a difference. I thought of my marathon again. I’d missed the opportunity to get a place through the ballot, but I still had the chance to apply through my favourite charity the Terrence Higgins Trust.
To be honest I still never expected to get a place. I know how competitive it is, THT is a big charity that lots of people must apply to, I’d put the amount I expected to raise at a modest £3,000, but a small part of me also thought that maybe they might be more receptive this time with it being my second year of applying?
On Tuesday 6th of October 2009, I opened my email inbox after finishing my lunch. The first thing I saw was an email from Heidi Leybourne. I recognised her name as the ‘Running Events Co-ordinator’ for THT. I was overcome with feelings of both excitement and dread. As I opened the email the words ‘Great news’ jumped out at me.
My first thought? “Sh*t, I’ve got a place in the marathon!”
Immediately my mind filled with a million objections. Could I do this? But I don’t even run! What if I get an injury? What if I die in the process?
There was only one way to cope with this flood of reservations. Reply to confirm the place so I couldn’t back out. So I did! I’ve got a place in the London Marathon. Hooray! F*ck!
Sponsor me now at http://www.justgiving.com/paul-raybould/
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