As someone who has tried my hands at both, I must admit that fundraising takes the same zeal as training to run a marathon. When you are doing both at the same time, one partly to benefit the other, it gets more complicated. In training for my first Boston Marathon (2015) with the Tufts Marathon Team (TMT) I am also trying to fundraise for the Tufts nutrition, health and fitness programs at the Tufts Medical Center.
Sometimes I get overrun by training for the impending marathon that I forget to keep the fundraiser as active. Yet, the former requires as much dedication and consistency as the latter. The consequences for falling off either one, are detrimental, haunting, and costly in financial dreams and ego.
Yet, both involve a wider public audience of friends, family and strangers, who will come through to support your cause. A public fundraiser banks on the assumption that it would not be hard to get as little as ten kind souls to donate at least five dollars each. That makes it $50.00, in an instant! For my personal fundraiser, I would be US$755.00 away from achieving my humble fundraising goal to afford me a much needed pair of running shoes, training gear and a few hours in the gym for strength training. I should say that my initial fundraising goal was US$1130. Thanks to a kind soul who paid my hefty Boston marathon registration fee of US$325, reducing the goal to US$805.00, of which I have thus far collected two donations!
I also have a major and much bigger fundraiser of US$5,000, as a requirement for running with TMT. All proceeds go directly to support the Tufts Medical Center. So far, I have not even raised a single penny of it, through my social networks that I am using. Never mind that sometimes weeks I sent out at least two emails. I am a little taken back by my abysmal performance thus far, considering I have outstanding expertise in social networking and fundraising, from cold calls to emails, door-to-door, telephone, grant writing and crowd sourcing.
All hope is not lost, I am still giving it my all, as much as I am trying to keep focused on my marathon training plan. The gist of training for a marathon is to set your goal, aim a great finish and come out strong and accomplished. Similarly, the aim of fundraising is to have a strong rewarding finish with the goal netted in the bag (and over) and satisfaction attained. The proof of training for the marathon is in the time covered in 26.2 miles; the proof of fundraising is in the money raised. How much public clout one is able to attract, is a satisfying measure of one’s accomplishments. Ten or twenty cheerleaders could be as resourceful (or even more than) as 100, if their love and support helps one successfully accomplish set goal.
Which explains why I believe running provides a great opportunity for soul searching and reflection on goals, accomplishments, strategies and ultimate product. I run at least five days per week, aiming for at least 42 miles per week. I fall short sometimes, due to the inclement weather or family obligations. I live in an area of steep climbs, mountains and heavily snowed-up winters. The back roads are narrow with hardly any sidewalks. The main roads are all concrete, without much defined sidewalks. When it snows, the roads are not cleared immediately, which starves me of running space.
I am not really scared of running under a snowfall, I have done it several times – rain, sleet, wind or scorching sun. I am more concerned for motorists during snowfall or immediately thereafter, who have to navigate the slippery roads and keep away from barely-there sidewalks to create leg/running room for me. Often under better weather conditions, many move into the middle of the road to share the road with me, though it is more complicated when the roads are still covered with snow or low visibility.
But that does not stop me from going out to put in the mileage or show face in the public. With my YakTrax strapped to my running soles, I go out and run in the snow, providing enough room for motorist to drive safely, while also keeping myself far away from the main road. Or I go out off-peak hours, when road traffic is low, mostly after the morning work commute, before lunch hour. I schedule all my runs during the day before dark, to avoid getting hit by a speeding motorist or attack from bad people. Makes perfect sense, since my color is not as reflective in the dark as my running gear (smile). Thanks to my currently flexible schedule of [unintentional] underemployment, I have more flexible hours during the day, when child is at school.
Why don’t you join me and support my cause(s), to make me a happy runner of my first Boston Marathon 2015, and a proud accomplished fundraiser for more health, fitness and nutritional programs at Tufts.
To support my person fundraising goal of US$805.00 toward the purchase of a new pair of shoes (Zappos tells me it is time to replace both pairs I have used for the last one year), running gear, and a few gym hours of strength training, please click on this link http://fnd.us/c/9vY4b
To support my fundraiser for the Tufts Medical Team of US#5,000, please follow this link https://www.crowdrise.com/tuftsboston2015/fundraiser/doreenlwanga to my personal profile on crowdwise.
And, feel free to donate to both, as much or as little as you can.
Come Run With me!
Thank you!
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