AIBU not to raise money for my ballot place London Marathon.

[Nocharitymarathon]

I’m running the London Marathon tomorrow. I got a ballot place, against all the odds. I’m a long-term runner and have run multiple marathons including London and have raised money for charities every other time.

However, I kind of feel awkward asking people to put their hands in the pockets to sponsor me for something that is basically my hobby. I mean, if my hobby was chess, I wouldn’t feel like I had to raise money every time I had an important match. Or if it was football and I had a cup final, it wouldn’t be expected that I raise money for charity then either.

I work from home and have kids in secondary school so don’t really have the ability to do work place or school run whip-arounds. As my hobby is running, lots of others are asking around the running club to meet their sizeable donation requirements for charity places.

I’m also aware that with the COL crisis, times are tight for people. So, this time, I decided that as I am in an OK position financially, I would donate to other people’s charities rather than raise money myself. So that is what I have done. I’ve donated well in excess of £150 across multiple charities.

But I do get a shocked reaction from people when I say I am not raising money, people assume that the only reason you would possibly run a marathon is to raise money for charity, when actually I am just doing it for fun, because it’s my hobby.

I think I might feel guilty tomorrow when surrounded by charity vests.

AIBU not to have raised money?

I’m irritated by being asked to sponsor people for these types of things. I completely agree with you

I've ran 14 marathons and have never raised money. Maybe it's just expected in the UK?

I'm being dim here - does that mean you are just paying the required charity amount yourself out of your pocket? If so then I really don’t get the issue, the charity still gets the same amount.

YANBU. The whole point of a ballot place is not having to raise money!

It's a ballot place so not sponsored by any charity

I got in through the ballot. It’s a lottery for some of the places That means I just paid for my place, nothing to do with a charity. There is an approx 5% chance of getting in through the ballot.

There are enough people running for charity, I'd be annoyed for someone with a ballot place to be fundraising.

I realise you personally don't need to disclose what type of place you have and some people with ballot places will still fundraise, but yeah leave the actual fundraising to the charity runners.

I don’t understand why people who get a ballot place run for charity when they could run it for charity ANY year (I may just be a sore loser as have been unsuccessful in the ballot for 20 years on the bounce!)

My BIL is a triathlete and has run the London Marathon three times. The first time we sponsored him but he said it’s basically his hobby and couldn’t really ask for sponsorship more than once. Good luck for tomorrow! I’ll be in the legendary crowd at Greenwich x

Do they think the world record holders are passing a bucket round?

People do Marathons for three reasons

• they really like running
• personal challenge
• genuine fundraisers.

OP got thei spot through the ballot (well done!)

You only raise money for a charity if you get your spot through the charity.

My DD has a good for ages slot. She decided not to run for charity, because it's added pressure when she's trying for a sub 3 hour (not so stealth boast there).

She'll probably do a charity run later this year, that will have less riding on it.

A ballot place is not a charity place. You can entry a ballot and pay a small amount to London Marathon to just run. Ot you can get a charity place which you might have to raise a couple of grand for. My husband got a ballot place but chose a charity to run for, there was no set amount to raise.

i don’t think the poster should feel guilty, he is right people are fed up always being asked for money.

That's what the ballot places are for isn't it? If you want to raise money, you apply for a charity spot. If not, you try the ballot.
YANBU

I feel the same. I’ve entered the ballot but if I don’t get a place (which I highly likely), I’m not going to chase a charity one. I’d feel awkward asking people to sponsor me for something I desperately want to do.
Good luck tomorrow! Enjoy the day

Because they're not under pressure to raise £3k or whatever it is now?

It's much lower than 5% OP! More like 0.05%.

Don't you think it's just a misunderstanding because most people don't know the difference between the charity and ballot places? They're just asking on the erroneous assumption that everyone (bar top athletes) runs for charity. Take 30 secs to explain their mistake and that it's totally normal to run just for yourself.

Yes, you may be right. I was very lucky.

Yes, that’s exactly it. I’ve run London both on ballot and Good For Age places before (a couple of decades ago when it was easier to get in) and raised money for charities without the pressure of needing to hit a target amount of money.

Brilliant that you got a ballot place!

YANBU not to ask people to donate to charity. The people who made those comments didn’t understand and/or were rude about it.

Hope the race goes well!

I'd sponsor your first London marathon, but get peeved by subsequent ones.

Good luck!
of course YANBU. It’s ridiculous asking people for money when you’ve not even got a charity place!

No judgment here, you don’t need your friends and family to sponsor your hobby.

I am also a keen runner. I got a ballot place and had NO intention of raising money.
However, people go mad over the LM and many of my friends and family asked who I was running for. I think people like to sponsor people they know.
So I did raise some money and did run for a charity. I absolutely did not ask anyone to sponsor my hobby.