Running for Charity at The Biofreeze San Francisco Marathon
My name is Genny and this year, I’m running The Biofreeze San Francisco Marathon as a charity runner. I’m so excited to participate in one of my favorite activities (running) while supporting a cause near to my heart, HER Hope. Educate. Rise.
It’s such a great way to multitask – getting fit and supporting amazing nonprofits. TSFM offers partnerships with many charities – from providing funds for San Francisco Recreation and Parks to supporting education for girls in Central Asia and everything in between. There really is a cause for everyone.
Here are some reasons why I’ve chosen to run for charity this year and why I think you should too:
- You are running for a good cause. When you choose to run for a charity, you’re committing to get across the finish line, not only for you, but to help your charity and the communities they represent. Your passion serves as extra motivation during your training and during the run!
- Running is more fun with friends and you’ll meet some new ones. Running is always more fun with friends. Encourage your friends to join your team and to train and run along with you. Many of TSFM’s official charities provide training programs (in-person or virtual), so you’ll be able to meet your teammates and help to encourage one another along the way.
- You’ll get extra support. You know how great it feels to have people cheer you along on marathon day, right? Thinking about having that feeling as you train–every step of the way. Your chosen charity and team will encourage you and keep you motivated. Some charity partners even have assigned coaches who can answer questions and provide personalized training plans just for you! This is an amazing benefit, if this is your first organized run or your 100th! I’ve been following my personalized training plan and it’s great – I’ve shaved 30 second off of my miles and feel strong all week long.
- It’s a memorable experience. Running a half, full, or ultra marathon is a HUGE accomplishment. You’ve trained for months, and now you’ll get to celebrate it with your family, friends, teammates and charity staff!
- You’ll help raise awareness for your cause. I wear my HER t-shirt when I go out for training runs. People ask me questions about HER. I give them a brief speech about the amazing work HER does, and that I’m training to run TSFM on their behalf. I have met so many people and let them know about the cause!
When I signed up, I received my own fundraising page where I can tell my story about why I’m running and why I’m passionate about my charity. I have emailed my friends and family to help get the word out about my charity – each person I contact increases awareness about my charity and the work they’re doing, and they help me meet my fundraising goal.
You can make a difference. I always thought “I’m only one person, how can I make change?” and the truth is, my charity has let me know that every dollar that I raise does make a difference. When I cross the finish line on July 31, I know that I am changing lives.
Join me on the HER team, or find out more which charities you can run for on TSFM’s partner page. I am pumped about running this year. Finishing the race will be special because I’m not only running for myself, but for the girls and women who need education in Central Asia. Who knew my feet here in San Francisco can help women halfway across the world? If that isn’t empowering, I don’t know what is!
Visit TSFM’s Crowdrise page to see the leaderboard and run for good!