# What is the point of running for charity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447 "2015-06-25T16:29:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/21 "2015-06-25T19:46:52Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Is it? From what I’ve seen, sure, they may be talking to some of the people around them at the _start_ of a race, but normally they are focussed on running to beat their personal best. Seems pretty solitary to me. Run a race, you’d be surprised. It’s a very communal activity. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/22 "2015-06-25T20:02:03Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > like shit on rice! > [@running\_coach](#): > > Like _sweat_ on rice. Remind me to decline the invitation for your home cooking. :o [ul] [li]You get a shirt / other swag. [/li][li]The ability to run non-stop, even if that means just crossing the street w/o needing to wait for the traffic light. (Don’t forget to wave at **Boyo Jim**. ;))[/li][li]The good feeling that you’re helping someone/a charity out. If you’re going to run anyway, why not have someone benefit from it.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/23 "2015-06-25T20:45:52Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > [ul] > [li]You get a shirt / other swag. [/li][li]The ability to run non-stop, even if that means just crossing the street w/o needing to wait for the traffic light. (Don’t forget to wave at **Boyo Jim**. ;))[/li][li]The good feeling that you’re helping someone/a charity out. If you’re going to run anyway, why not have someone benefit from it.[/li][/ul] I get those…I am more puzzled as to the reasons why people sponsor running. Although running itself has zero appeal for me, so I guess that’s probably one reason why 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/24 "2015-06-25T21:06:04Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I get those…I am more puzzled as to the reasons why people sponsor running. Because it’s easier to rationalize than just giving someone money for a cause. I ran the Boston Marathon and raised funds for a local organization to get my bib. I never would have qualified for Boston otherwise. I never would have raised money for that cause otherwise. I never would have asked my friends and family for nearly $3000 otherwise. I may never have run a marathon otherwise. It’s a focal point, it’s a way to start the conversation, it’s a way of putting skin in the game, it’s a generally accepted social norm. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/25 "2015-06-26T00:02:21Z")
Golf scrambles for charity are pretty common around here. A day off from work (hey, it’s for _charity!_ and golf and drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/26 "2015-06-26T00:10:48Z")
Probably most people who run in charity races don’t actually fund raise, they just pay the entry fee (plus an extra donation if they feel especially generous) which goes to the charity. Some folks are more active and actually solicit donations, but many - maybe most - charity runs only require an entry fee. As a runner I sign up for these to give me some motivation to keep running and the entry fee/donation is just gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447/27 "2015-06-26T00:58:06Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I get those…I am more puzzled as to the reasons why people sponsor running. Although running itself has zero appeal for me, so I guess that’s probably one reason why 🙂 People sponsor charity runs because there are people that enjoy running enough to pay to run a race. The sponsors then use that money for good purposes, hopefully. The people who enjoy running like the activity for various reasons: they like to stay in shape, they like to compete with themselves, they feel like they fit in with other runners and enjoy their company in an activity, some of them like to feel silly by running in ridiculous costumes… The list of reasons go on and on. If one is inclined to nitpick various ways to raise money for charity, one can find something absurd in just about every scheme. For example, kids selling candy bars to raise money for school or whatever. Most of the time, the candy bars are shit. Nobody actually wants to go to a store to pay $4 for a chocolate bar that is chalky and worse than Hershey’s. But they will buy it for charity - what’s up with that? If you don’t like running, hey, no problem. But is it really that difficult to understand that people like things that you don’t, like perhaps Hawaiian pizzas, golf, birdwatching, watching American Idol, or whatever? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-running-for-charity/723447.md?page=1)