Marathons Worldwide

Each year since 1994, Race for Life has been raising money for Breast Cancer research.  Each year, women come together to run or walk 5k for sponsorship money. Women can also opt to take part in a 10k marathon if they want to double their effort. In 2011, Tesco will have supported the event for ten years and to celebrate are organising the biggest Race for Life ever. There will be over 300 events across the UK, attracting over one million women to take part.

My aunt got diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Through extensive chemotherapy and an unfortunate mastectomy, she reckons she has beaten it – but the risk of cancer returning is high. To support her battle, which will continue throughout her life, I am taking part in Race for Life with her and other family members, including my grandmother. Yes, my grandmother. Her mobility is poor, with holidays only being OAP cruises but Race for Life is appealing and doable to women of all ages.

Women love to dress up for Race for Life. There are a number of pink t-shirts for sale at Tesco and online. Mix up your outfit with feather boas and tutus. Good fun for a good cause – get involved!

Running a marathon takes a serious attitude and routine. If you do not train hard enough and properly then you may not be able to take part in the marathon and you injure yourself.

Try to do two long runs each week and four shorter runs of 3-6 miles, gradually increasing your overall distance of running per week. Your body needs to get used to running long distances but more than two long runs each week will exhaust your body, so rest it by running about 5 miles less on your shorter runs.

If you marathon is taking place on a Sunday morning, do your longer runs that day. Run the longer runs at a pace that is easier for you to actually finish the session. Mix the surfaces that you run on – grass is softer on your joints but your bones need to get used to concrete too. Train for a large marathon by taking part in smaller ones, especially if you have not taken part in a marathon before.

Use other exercises to tone unused muscles in your body. There is no harm in going to a health resort for a few days for a different kind of workout but one that is also relaxing.

You may find asking for sponsorship money to be an awkward ordeal but there are ways to make it easier for yourself.

Write your story of why you are running this gruelling marathon; for example, you want to raise money for a charity that helped a family member through their issues.

Use different media to get your story across. Record a video to put on your Facebook wall so even your friends around the world can donate money.

Add the donation web page to your email signature and Twitter statuses.

Always thank people afterwards for their donation and make them feel good about supporting you.

Complement your marathon run with something funny like going into work in your running gear (if you are taking part in Race for Life, you will be dressed up in pink feather boas and tutus!).

Share with people how you will train for the marathon – strict training of six runs each week, eating more protein than you can stand and dealing with painful aches.

Keep the donation page open after you complete the race for last minute aid.

Top 3 World Marathons

The best, most famous, most interesting marathons in the world are huge, for great causes and long!

The Boston Marathon is held on Patriots’ Day and thought to be the longest-running marathon in the world – 2011’s marathon is the 115^th! It starts in Hopkington and finishes in Copley Square, running five miles over four hills and a stretch that rises to 88 vertical feet when many runners are reduced to walking.

The London Marathon is a loud, bright and interactive race through the UK’s capital. The run attracts experienced runners, celebrities and people dressed in wacky costumes. It is such a big marathon that runners are split to start in three different locations; the three courses converged near Royal Artillery Barracks when some runners break out into spontaneous song!

A very flat marathon takes place in Berlin each year, attracting 40,000 runners to run 26 miles. Thankfully organisers schedule the race for September when the weather is milder. Many runners, like in London, dress up for fun while spectators go wild in stands. The day before the marathon, 8000 inline skaters race the marathon root, exciting everyone ahead of the big race.