08th October, 2006

08th October, 2006

Over the last 3 years I have sponsored 6 close friends to run - anything from a 5k to a marathon. As more friends (yes, this includes me) have taken up running the sponsorship element has grown.

A running and charitable (donates both time and money to the causes they believe in) friend began to question the whole "running for charity" thing. They said that to get your friends to sponsor you for doing something you enjoyed doing and would do anyway was a bit of a gyp. Instinctively I agreed - if you put yourself through hell and sacrifice greatly for one marathon to raise money you deserve 'sponsorship'. If you run all the time and happen to enter some races why would your friends sponsor you?

Then I spoke to 'the other' who said: despite the fact that you enjoy running you have, an almost moral imperative to raise money for charity. If you can raise money - you should, it's that simple.

And anyway, on reflection you're never sponsoring the "friend" to actually do it - they've paid their race fees and bought their trainers - you're just donating to charity through other means, and because your friend has made a pact: They will cough up bits of lung through exertion and you will cough up the cash.

Obviously I came down on the side of sponsorship - I'm holding back on announcing that to my friends (they've just generously donated to the GNRunner) - they deserve a little break.