To feel you shouldn't expect people to sponsor you for Race4Life if you're not going to make an effort?

[StableButDeluded]

Perhaps it's just me being weird, but I can't shake the feeling that asking people for money to do a 'race' and then making no effort whatsoever to improve your fitness at all-so you're basically having a nice stroll-is somehow wrong?

I have a friend who is 'doing' raceforlife this year and she has already rolled her eyes at the mere idea of putting a little effort into improving her fitness so she can jog or even just part-jog the race. She's perfectly healthy, there's no reason she couldn't train a bit, but she just doesn't want to. And I know it's all for a good cause and it's not cos I'm too mean to give, but it really annoys me. I suppose i just think 'what's the point of doing a race then? You may as well sit on your arse and just donate a few quid online'

I did the race for life myself a few years ago, made a bit of an effort to train and felt very proud that I jogged the whole thing. I felt I earned my sponshorship money. So I was really suprised on the day to find whole swathes of people not even attempting to jog, not even doing a brisk walk, but just ambling along. I'd just be too embarrassed to ask people to give me money for doing that.

And obviously I'm not talking about people who have a medical condition that means even walking is an effort, etc, i'm talking your average fairly healthy woman. And I know it shouldn't really matter if it's for charity I suppose. But my niece recently trekked the Great Wall of China for Cancer Research, her mother (my SIL) died of breast cancer at 42 when my niece was 9. So to me, that kind of makes a mockery of people who are fit and well asking to be sponsored to basically have a stroll.

So,AIBU? and a grumpy old bag?

SE have you even read the posts or just getting het up?

I agree that participants should make a commitment to put as much effort in as they can, but it wouldn't stop me from sponsoring them. I've done it a couple of times myself but find the admin fee prohibitively expensive and dislike badgering people to sponsor me then to cough up when so many people are doing the same. I'd rather just make a donation personally, and run 'proper' races!

ScreaminEagle, the OP has made it absolutely clear that she has no issues about people who are doing their best, whether that is walking, crawling, running, whatever. Clearly you are doing your best and that's brilliant. I'd sponsor you (do you have an online sponsor form?)

The point is that some people who have no reason to not do a bit of training and try to run at least a bit of it expect the rest of us to sponsor them when they are not challenging themselves in any way.

Sorry that should say 'and don't try to run at least a bit of it' - I think - you get my drift anyway.

I don't see the problem, tbh. People will be covering 5km on foot. For which they are getting sponsored.

It doesn't really matter if they run it, walk it, hop it, do it on their hands.

As long as they do 5km

I walked it last year with my Dds and will walk it this year, I ran the Hearts for Herts 5k though

That said, I only agree to sponsor the lazy bastards dawdlers because I feel tight for saying no. This year perhaps I'll be more picky with my sponsorship and just donate more to the people who aim to train seriously.

This kind of thing happens a lot though. I work in a secondary school and frequently get asked to sponsor kids who're simply strolling around in a hired fancy dress outfit (and for whom I suspect the real incentive is a couple of hours out of lessons to allow them to do so - shouldn't happen, but it does). Grrr!

Disclaimer: I am only talking about those who don't train because they can't be bothered.

I think it's really important that some healthy people walk it anyway (like ME). Otherwise the cancer survivors who couldn't run would stick out like a sore thumb at the back of the "race"

SK

Thats actually a really good point Spiritual!

YANBU, but then I'm not keen on the sponsoring thing. If you want to do a race do it, if you want to give money to charity do it. assomeone who does alot of sport I don't see why running events and sponsored events are so often linked. It does make people think running a race is something miserable you only do for money.
Golf and tennis aren't linked to sponsored events so I don't see why running should be.
If you do decide to do something for sponsorship then it should be something you don't normally do and you should put some effort into it, so a runner doing a marathon wouldn't count any more than a musician playing in an orchestra.

YABU, very.

My nana died of cancer and one of oldest friends had breast cancer so I really don't care if someone crawls round. Any money going to try and stop this fucking awful disease is good in my book.

But if you don't care if someone crawls round why don't you just donate straight to the charity?

Because giving the money is just a small part of the whole experience.

I actually agree with the OP. At work, I get inundated with people wanting sponsorship for themselves or their family members to benefit various very worthy charities - usually 2/3 forms appear and go round the office a week through the summer.

I tend to sponsor my boss's children and then people who are doing training and putting in an effort. For other charities, I generally make a donation rather than sponsor.

..but the whole experience should include challenging yourself, otherwise it's just a walk in the park.

I dont sponsor anyone unless they are doing something that is at least a little bit difficult (for them).

'But my niece recently trekked the Great Wall of China for Cancer Research'

This is the sort of charity fund raising that I have a real issue with. I'm not impressed that whilst you are on your jollies, you link it to charity funding. Do something local, put the cost of the airfare and hotels into the pot and the charity will receive more cash. Without wearing out an ancient monument and polluting the environment to get there.
All those who stagger 5k to benefit someone else, well done.

Hmm, tend to agree with the OP. If the person asking for sponsorship is making an effort themselves, then fair enough, otherwise it's sponsoring them for having a nice walk and a chat. I get a bit about people asking for sponsorship to go and do the "trip of a lifetime" thing as well (Inca trail, Everest basecamp, Wall of China, etc), but again would always sponsor them if they're making an effort rather than using the sponsorship angle to pursue something they would be doing anyway for their own satisfaction.

When I last did RFL, a mate of mine (who couldn't do it because he's a bloke) said that he'd sponsor me a given amount for doing it in the first place, because he knows that I'm a lazy arse, and then said that he'd give me an extra amount for every minute I did under a set time - so I knew that the more effort I put in, the more money went to the cause. I use that method now myself when I can (you can always vary the "set time" so that it's an acheivable one, depending on how much people are physically able to do).

You have to be very careful running or jogging if you are overweight.Even with proper running shoes the damage you do to your joints especially knees outweighs any fitness benefits.Brisk walking is really really good exercise .

Libra, so what if it is just a walk in the park. The whole point it to raise money for cancer research. That is the most important thing.

Why bother doing anything in that case? Why not just ask your friends to give money to charity or give a large donation yourself? Why does it have to be linked to a walk or a run?

Because it is a good way of getting people together, is a fun day out and is more likely to raise money than just asking for money. It also gives people the idea to donate that they might not just do off their own bat.