I was really irritated by Race For Life yesterday.

[EleanorHandbasket]

I did it, along with other members of my family, including myAunt who has terminal liver cancer (she started and finished with us but sat out the bulk of it). We ambled round, we weren't in it for the running (I could have done but not my Mum).

It was a very emotional and wonderful day, and Cancer Research do amazing things.

But it was all so PINK. And there was Zumba-esque warm ups, and they called us all 'girls' or 'ladies', and there were half naked men to tittilate us during the Zumba bit and it was just all so bloody GIRLY and patronising.

It's me, isn't it? I'm becoming a professionally offended type.

I just found it unnecessary.

Maybe this is the answer - those who have participated but who would like the 'ladieees' stuff toned down, would have the most weight in speaking to Cancer Research about it. Or even send them a link to this thread? It is fair to say I think that everyone thinks the cause is good, it's the approach that divides people.

SirChenjin , as far as I know the overheads of the RFL are being taken care of by the fee that we pay when we sign up, so all sponsor money does go towards research.
Numbers being down might not be such a bad thing; I did the race 3 years ago and I seem to remember them saying more and more money was being raised every year; the following years, many people I knew signed up and asked me to sponsor them, so I thought I wouldn't sign up... We can't all be doing it and sponsor each other, can we, so there will have to be a limit as to how many take part anyway...

The overheads of the RFL must be huge. I think I paid £20 to sign up and my daughter was £15. Between us we've raised zero sponsorship and in fact I am now wondering whether or not to pull out as there seems to be little point in running if you are not raising any money towards a good cause.

Let's say that 2,000 women are running the one I'm doing in Bath, if each paid £20 then that's £40,000 which is supposedly going towards overheads. I'm sorry but I fail to see how the overheads can be so high? Each participant gets a cheap medal and a carrier bag which includes a bottle of water and some other tat and as a former fundraising myself I know that most of this will have been obtained for free by the charity as it's good sponsorship for these companies to have their logos printed all over the place.

What other overheads would cost £40,000? Oh that's right, the wages of the organisers.

I think I might be better off just donating privately and have done with it to be perfectly honest.

relay.cancerresearchuk.org/site/PageNavigator/Home

If you don't like the pinkness-get a team and join the relay. We have done this for last 6 years and it is great fun! A bit more work than the race, but good fun anyway.And everyone form little kids to grannies can get involved.

ooops-should have read the posts above...lol

Ignore last post ^^-having heatstroke! :o

YANBU. I'm a reasonably serious runner, and I'm always a bit "surprised" at the patronising attitude of some of the more fun run/mass participation races towards women. Its not just the pinkness, but the treating you as a member of a separate species kind of thing in need of patronising and almost child-like coaxing.

Most races aren't like this, and have loads of women taking part. But Race for Life does get people out running/walking who wouldn't otherwise, so it does a good thing.

TheRhubarb Let's say that 2,000 women are running the one I'm doing in Bath, if each paid £20 then that's £40,000 which is supposedly going towards overheads. I'm sorry but I fail to see how the overheads can be so high

I really don't want to criticise Race For Life, and its not comparing like with like, but for those who want to run similar sort of races after RFL and without the fundraising and entry fee requirements:

Most large towns and cities in the UK now have a Park Run every Saturday morning at 9.30am. Its a race organised by local volunteers over 5k, is free to enter, you get no medals or goodie bags but you do get a proper recorded time and list of results, and a tail runner who stays with the last person so they are not alone. Its open to all, and many people of all shapes and sizes do it, some fast, some slow. Its not a serious thing but its well organised and absolutely free.

I take your point about over-girlying things, but what's so wrong with Zumba? It's bloody hard work; I sweat buckets in class and need to eat much more to replace all the 'fuel' I use up. I've lost weight and developed amazing muscle tone. It's also challenging for your coordination and learning/remembering the moves, not to mention being great for confidence and self-expression.

DISCLAIMER just realised how evangelical I sound! I am NOT a Zumba teacehr or promoter, honest

'teacher'. Sorry.

LessMissAbs does it raise money for charity though? As that is the whole point of RFL and yet if people aren't raising money through lack of sponsors then what's the point?

I'd feel better if my entry fee went directly to the charity, but to pay towards overheads/wages/admin fees and not raise a single penny for that charity does seem pointless.

Lessmissabs, our Parkrun is at 9am every Saturday

The Race for Life needs a rebranding. It is almost too popular in that people struggle for sponsorship because most people have about 15 odd people they know who are running in it.

In fact, in the past few months we have had umpteen Marathon/half Marathon/Morecambe Bay Walk/3 Peaks etc etc sponsorship requests.

And yes, anyone can do a weekly 5km Parkrun (often same route as the RFL, ours is) for FREE. That £20 per entrant needs looking at imo. Bloody expensive Zumba instructor.

No, Rhubs, Parkrun isn't raising money for charity, does get people fitter for free though.
Which makes it harder for people to get sponsors for a 5km RFL. Unless it is a really poignant/personal situation, as in Eleanor's.

YANBU at all. I totally agree.

Ok, maybe the event does need a 'brand'. But why does the branding have to be so bloody patronising and reductive and sexist? Why can't participants dress as doctors/nurses/'mad scientist researcher' types?? They are the people who help people 'beat' and 'fight' cancer ( I am aware that some people find these terms problematic btw...)

YABU

Fundraisers have one brief only - to raise funds. I know loads of women who do RFL who are not serious runners, do not own proper sports kit, do not have an opinion on the use of the word 'ladies', and who think it's all a brilliant laugh. They raise shitloads of money.

Why would they bother entering a serious race for people interested in running? They aren't runners. But they are women. And they feel comfortable with other women.

I did the RFL a few years ago and I just wore my normal gym gear, none of which was pink. Have they changed this, and stated that all runners must run in pink?

There are countless charity events taking place, all the time. If RFL is too pink for your taste, then find another event or run on your own and make a donation, or don't. Don't piss on a fun day out that thousands of women enjoy and take strength from.

The rising popularity of things like Parkrun does seem to be like it might be taking some of the 'custom' from RFL. If there are women out there who want to run in a supportive atmosphere and it's free then maybe it becomes an alternative.

I think the parkrun and race for life have different audiences.

Even though parkrun is very beginner-friendly and it's TOTALLY ok to run/walk it, the emphasis is on trying to run and do your best...

Whereas for many pariticpants race for life seems to be about jogging/walking and chatting and not really challenging yourself physically.

There are very few people I would sponsor for race for life thinking 'oh well done you, i'm impressed with your training/commitment'.... mostly if i do sponsor people for it i see it as no different than them shaking a collecting tin at me. Only very few people train properly for R4Life and really give it their all on the day to do their best possible (whatever that is).

Parkrun on the other hand is absolutely about doing your best on any given day, or about accompanying somebody else to help them do their best.

R4Life is not for me, I would never enter one and never have. Nobody would sponsor me to run a distance I would run before work for fun.
On the other hand I've done other women-only 5ks and 10ks, parkruns and longer races/events. I have been sponsored for only a few events but they were all ones I wasn't sure if I could actually complete - real personal challenges.

Badguider it's not a bloody marathon though is it. So what if people just walk it? It's not about challenging yourself physically. Enjoy your run in Smugville.

I do see Badguider's point, we all get asked to sponsor so many people that you do have to be choosy about who you pledge money to. If it is a cause which means a lot personally or an epic challenge then you'll naturally go for that one.

I agree totally with badguider.

Few years ago I trained for a half marathon from non runner to race 6 months. A real challenge and I ran all the way and raised £500+ for my chosen charity. People were happy to sponsor me as it was a real personal achievement.

I would not like the pinkiness of the RFL personally and would now as a restarting runner aim to get to a park run ASAP.

I do of course think cancer research is an amazing charity, but I do get fed up of people asking me to sponsor them when they have not trained and are not pushing themselves. I would rather donate by DD and forego all the glitzy overheads.

fuckyourselfie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/go-fuck-your-self-ie-so-people-are.html