Why Running a Marathon Is an Excellent Way to Raise Awareness for a Cause

Most people have that one cause that they care about. For some, it is about saving butterflies. For others, it is about raising awareness of heart disease. One way to promote the cause you care about to friends and family is to talk about it on social media. Another way is to take part in a marathon, sporting a t-shirt with the charity’s logo on the front.

Why is the latter such a good idea, even in the age of Facebook and TikTok? Read on to find out.

Large Physical Audience

One thing you can count on when it comes to marathons is that there will be a lot of people watching. Think of the London Marathon; it is estimated that for the 45,000 runners, there are 750,000 people lining the streets to watch. That’s before you consider those watching the marathon on TV or online! This creates an enormous platform for you to showcase and raise awareness for the charity you care for, whether you are wearing a Macmillan Cancer Support t-shirt or are promoting the British Heart Foundation. Research has shown that when people follow marathons with charity runners, donations to the causes being promoted increase.

Social Media

Even the smallest marathons will have people live-streaming to social media accounts. Therefore, if you are running in the marathon and are wearing a charity t-shirt, you are likely to be spotted and put onto at least one social media channel.

Or, if you are live streaming (or have a family member filming you for social media), this will get all of your followers/fans/friends on social media platforms to see that you are running for a cause. This will likely get them talking and even searching for the charity you are running for. Think of it as reaching a wider digital audience, with the chance for a clip of yours to go viral.

Community Engagement

There are thousands of good souls online looking to raise money for the charity of their choice. However, the lack of community engagement means they fall by the wayside. When it comes to marathons, they are often promoted months in advance in the area where they are going to take place. This allows more businesses to offer their support, creating a united image in support of the charities running. Irrespective of the cause you may be running for, having a large community behind you is going to raise awareness for your charitable cause and get the donations pouring in.

Memorable

If you have ever been to a marathon in person, the feeling is unmistakable. The air is buzzing; there are people dressed in costumes while others wear charity t-shirts, and there is often a lot of media coverage. In short, these events are memorable, and when you combine this with photos taken at the event, along with videos, this can create immense interest in all of the charities that had runners in the marathon. It also helps to associate marathons and charities with being fun rather than solemn occasions. This helps to boost interest in the causes and encourages many people to take part in other marathons.

Author Bio

Lizzie Reynell-O’Brien graduated with an MSc in clinical psychology from Goldsmiths University and started her small writing company, Just Write, in 2018, writing solely about mental health diagnostics in the NHS. She is passionate about writing as an art form, and when she’s not typing, you will find her walking her two rescue Jack Russells or in her garden planting wildflowers.