to wonder why boys can't run the race for life?

[ParadiseChick]

Trying to register, my 11year old nephew fancied it, but no space on the online form for anything other than ms, miss, Mrs, Dr, rev or prof in the title space. Is it women only?

They tried ( and continue to try) to put on men only events for testicular cancer- they are poorly supported and men aren't interested.

I thought there were in the region of 300 men a year diagnosed with breast cancer?

Serenity - as I posted earlier, the big difference seems to be publicity. Race for Life and some of the Starlight (also women-only) walks seems to get enormous amounts of publicity - presumably because the charity is large and has a substantial marketing team and spend behind them. I am always on the look out for similar types of events for men and they are few and far between and you tend not to hear about them until afterwards. It's nonsense to say the men aren't interested - they simply don't hear about it in the way everyone does Race for Life.

It's because of the publicity dn asked to do it. Sadly he understands cancer and the devastation it causes, it struck close to home with him.

Why not just do Parkrun?

Wouldn't advise trying R4L with a dog, the events are far too busy and crowded. Plenty of other more canicross friendly events available.

You're alright, I don't have a dog but its nice to know they'd be more welcome than my husband!

The bobby Moore races had loads of publicity. Men still weren't interested. The odd bloke here and there is no good.

The business model works well this way for CRUK. Women who might be embarrassed/ intimidated to run with men can ramble round with their friend/ daughter so matter how unfit/ overweight/ embarrassed they are. If such women were willing to do other types of races they would, but they don't. RFL is absolutely unique in that respect and you can't knock something that gets people out exercising who never usually would.

My DP told me he'd move out if I brought another dog home, I told him to pack his bags.

Honestly R4L isn't that enjoyable if you're already a runner of any variety, it's too busy and I just found myself getting narky with all the self-congratulatory 'I walked shuffled 5k' pinkness of it. I know I am BU in that regard. I also got lots of emails after the event begging me to submit the funds raised (which I did, obviously) because apparently a huge number of people don't actually submit any donations at all.

Tough Mudder events, now... no reason you couldn't do something like that and fundraise for a cancer charity.

But that the thing OP 'I' don't have the ishoos.
If I want to do something, and I agree with the ethos, the strategy and the aims I'll do it.
I don't expect an established, effective, nationally run fundraising event which generates a significant revenue for an efficient and valuable charity to change the format just because 'I' don't (or choose not to) understand it's appeal to the thousands and thousands of other people who take part in it every year.

And with regards horses, I did see one wearing a pink tutu at the start line once. Looked fairly unisex.

...and now I feel bad because Serenity is right, anything that gets people running when they usually wouldn't is brilliant. And if it being women only is part of that, so be it.

There are men only events for cancer fundraising.

Like this one here

I think it is for a couple of reasons, it is a sort of USP. Plus it is to keep it less competitive (and as someone who has participated in many running races I think it is generally true that once men get involved the atmosphere becomes more competitive). Mind you when I did the 10k a few years ago that was open to men and women.

I do agree with lots of the points people have made though about cancer affecting men too.

(to boldly go I'm also a runner and I wouldn't dream of doing one as a race for all the reasons you mention- although I have done a 25 minute one a few years ago, sometimes you can break away from the crowd. But there tonnes of much better 5k races around now as you say, and for a race it's v expensive as think is like £20 to enter!)

No fen I doubt you can ride it. The courses often go over roads, parks, bridges, wiggly lanes. Not suitable terrain for horses. Plus there are far too many crowds - the runners are released in big batches - wouldn't be safe for anyone involved really. Better to do your own trek for charity if you wanted to do something horse based.

FWIW you also don't have to wear pink. My thick friend was aghast when I said I wouldn't be (I wore green to represent liver cancer)

The Races for Life I've been on have organised runners into 3 main sections - runners, joggers & walkers - separated them down further into batches and then stagger the starts.

Since the 'joggers' are broken up into 'fast joggers' and 'slower joggers', the 'walkers' category usually consists of little old ladies, those in wheelchairs or who are otherwise disabled, or those who have cancer themselves.

Before the whole thing begins, they have a warmup sesh done by some local Z-lister, usually a terrible and cheesy radio presenter. Last year the twat who obviously thought he was Chris Moyles or something referred to the 'walkers' as 'the guys who eat too many burgers'. Yeah. Fucking classy.

I'd rather run with blokes than have another warmup shitty fake Zumba session run by that twat.

Bit cruel to chastise those who congratulate themselves for shuffling 5k since the shufflers are often those who currently have cancer. Yes, it is roughly a £20 entry, but it's for charity. I ran my last R4L last year, it's a good way to start out and get some confidence in running.

I'm that you would sneer at someone for shuffling along.

So fucking what, at least they are trying to do something, rather than sitting at home doing nothing.

Really bitchy.

That shuffler may be disabled, have cancer themselves, or may just be unfit but doing their best because they have lost someone to cancer.

Disgusting.

They are women only because when they started it was a good gimmick that caught people's attention and it took off in a big way because of the clever marketing and novelty. They aren't going to change a successful format.

I know quite a few women who only do one event a year - a women's mini marathon. It's the only thing they feel comfortable doing, and I see no reason why that should be taken from them. The older, the less fit, those carrying more weight feel happy and comfortable participating.

Isn't that enough?

Please don't get on a complainy thing about men and older boys not being allowed to run certain races....women and girls are stealthily excluded from ALL kinds of things.

I think it's fine that it's a women thing. I think it makes more women feel able to take part as a fun thing rather than a competitive race

A woman-only event seems retrogressive in this day and age, especially as cancer isn't sex-specific. If it was men only I can imagine there would be protests etc etc.

Yes but men have had and still have MANY events for them only...it's a fact that boys can't join Brownies and girls can join Beavers....it's fair for many reasons.

A lot of women on Race for Life are very vulnerable and the race needs to be gentle and non threatening. Men are bigger, louder and faster...the entire feeling would change.

A few facts about RFL to no one in particular.

You don't have to wear pink
Money raised goes into a pot that funds research into all cancers. It's not a breast cancer research fundraiser.
When they asked women if they wanted men involved, women said no.
When they asked men if they wanted to take part, most said no.
It raises shot loads of cash so why change a winning formula?

If you're so hell bent on raising cash for Csncer Reseach then there are a zillion other things you can do. Why focus on the one thing you can't? I have no time for men who comain about this sort of crap. It takes a special type of small pathetic mind to complain about stuff like this. ESP if the research funded by it benefits men.

And breathe.

pickled the DJ for the women-only race was a man?