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AIBU?

London marathon

37 replies

guest2013 · 28/11/2016 20:28

A girl I work with has signed up to run the London marathon. She says it's on her bucket list and something she's wanted to do for a long time.
Now I don't know much about the ins and outs of getting a place but I have deducted from what she's said that she didn't get a place that she could have chosen the charity so she's basically chosen the charity that has the smallest amount you need to raise, that she knows nothing about and has absolutely no interest in.
What do you think of this? Just something about it isn't sitting right with me and I feel like I don't want to donate! AIB ridiculous? I mean it's still for charity after all?? It's just frustrating hearing about her running but nothing about the charity, for example her last WhatsApp message to all us colleagues was a link to her donation page and a comment saying help all this pain (from her training) to be worth it and help me get to 26 miles! Not a thing about the charity!

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guest2013 · 28/11/2016 20:33

Just had a Google and I think what I was trying to say is that she didn't get a ballot place in the first instance.

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m0therofdragons · 28/11/2016 20:34

Meh, it's really hard to get a place on the marathon without supporting a charity so lots do it like that. Still reliable income for the charities and more giving than me who won't run a mile!

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SaltyBitch · 28/11/2016 20:34

Its a marathon, not a bake sale. Yes, the charity aspect is nice but any body running a marathon is running because they want to run a marathon.

At least she is raising money for a charity. It doesn't matter too much which one it is at the end of the day.

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billyzanescal · 28/11/2016 20:35

Oh loads of people do this. It's not unusual. By the time she runs she will know a lot about that charity as they will send her a lot of info.

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Dozer · 28/11/2016 20:36

Meh.

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Dozer · 28/11/2016 20:36

Yabu.

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guest2013 · 28/11/2016 20:37

Fair enough! Points taken.. sometimes you just need to get an outside, unbiased view!

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shakemysilliesout · 28/11/2016 20:37

With the ballot there is currently a 1in 20 chance of getting a place.

Good for age places are very tough too.

I haven't seen a charity ask for less than 1500.

I think just ignore her. The london marathon have created a situation that favours charity places over 'real runners', whatever that is! Don't let it bother you.

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sparechange · 28/11/2016 20:38

It's a hugely valuable source of income for charities so I can't get worked up about people 'only' running for them to tick something off their list

But from experience, people who don't run much and pluck a random charity out of the air to run for are less likely to actually complete it

At this time of the year, training plans won't even be up to running 5 miles at a time

Wait until she is running half marathons in the February weather before you donate... Wink

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TheNaze73 · 28/11/2016 20:39

I think you're unnecessarily nitpicking. Raising £1500 for say Preeclampsia is far harder than raising £2500 for Cancer Research as it's less emotive to the masses.
I wish her well & try not to be so judgey, she's probably mega excited.

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guest2013 · 28/11/2016 20:39

What happens if she doesn't reach the target out of interest?

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Woody67 · 28/11/2016 20:42

She gets to run the London marathon and the charity gets about a £1000. Sounds like a win/win. My friend ran for a charity (one that is close to her heart) and pledged to raise a specific minimum to secure her place. She did all sorts to raise the money and would have been required to make up the difference if she didn't hit the target.

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lunchboxtroubles · 28/11/2016 20:42

With the ballot there is currently a 1in 20 chance of getting a place.

not that bad. they had just over 253,000 entries this year for about 50,000 places

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lunchboxtroubles · 28/11/2016 20:43

no, sorry, I'm wrong. 17,000 places. still not quite as bad as 1 in 20

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shakemysilliesout · 28/11/2016 20:43

From what I have heard nothing happens if you don't reach your target but the charity encourage you to sign up to a monthly standing order.

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Wolverbamptonwanderer · 28/11/2016 20:43

Everyone does this. Charities make money they get to do a marathon, everyone is happy

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lapsedorienteerer · 28/11/2016 20:43

yabu - she wants to take part (which is great), she didn't get a ballot place (which is the majority of applicants).......she still wants to participate therefore her only option is a charity place. She's raising money for charity and gets to run the London marathon so it's a 'win/win' situation.

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anotherbloodycyclist · 28/11/2016 20:47

I ran it for a very small charity, because I wanted to run it and they wanted someone to raise money. It seemed a mutually beneficial arrangement! Even for a small niche charity I had to raise a minimum of 1.5K, which is no mean feat. The fundraising was much harder than the running. They won't do anything is she doesn't manage it, it's a target. I don't really get your point, if you want to support the charity then donate. If you don't, fair enough. Whatever her motivation the charity is going to be a grand and a half better off so I don't see the problem.

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lapsedorienteerer · 28/11/2016 20:51

Sorry, I had to return just to add that unless you've run a marathon yourself yabu.....Biscuit

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KittyandTeal · 28/11/2016 21:06

I'm running for a small charity (that is very close to my heart and a send people on here to all the time)

You basically sign a waver saying you will give the charity £x (in my case £1400 as it's a tricky charity to raise for) on a set date. How you get the money is up to you.

I think I also feel a bit funny about people charity running for a charity they've just picked in order to get a place. I think it's not an entirely reasonable feeling to have but I think it's because they potentially have a space of someone who could be running for the charity because it means something to them (it's actually pretty tough to get a charity space too, I applied for 2 charities and had to do a few forms as well as tell them my story me why I wanted to run)

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guest2013 · 28/11/2016 21:16

You're all completely right of course, it is a win/win.. I suppose my point was that it's a bit annoying getting bombarded with requests to give money to a charity which she has very little interest in, just so she can run 26 miles with other people. It's just not something I would feel comfortable doing.

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Laiste · 28/11/2016 21:21

My SIL ran last year. When she told me about the hoops you have to jump through i was amazed.

IIRC she said you have to provide proof that you can raise 50% of the target by ... December i think ... and the other half by the time of the run. Out of your own pocket if necessary.

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NotStoppedAllDay · 28/11/2016 21:22

Don't donate then?

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Laiste · 28/11/2016 21:23

Her 'target' amount was £2k. She did it by the skin of her teeth.

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RockyTop · 28/11/2016 21:27

I've tried for years to get a ballot place, and finally have one for next year! I could have entered via a charity place sooner but didn't feel I could effectively fundraise if it wasn't a cause close to my heart, and I'd feel odd asking people for money in that situation. So I can see where you're coming from. That said, if it's a good cause then it's probably a good thing really, but don't give unless you actually want to.

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