Run with Purpose

"The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed." 
- Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champion

As Jacqueline Gareau mentions, your body does not want you to run a marathon. Running a marathon is not an easy task and it takes a lot of determination, focus, and the will to succeed. It challenges you not only physically, but even more so mentally. While training, you may want to stop just short during your runs or maybe skip a day. You can not afford to do either one of those options if you want to finish the marathon that you are signed up for. Need a little extra motivation to get you through those runs? Run for a charity or a non-profit to raise awareness about a specific cause that you are passionate about. Here are some ways that you can run with  purpose. 

CrowdRise: This website is a easy and fun way to create a fundraising page for any event. Here is the page that I created for the marathon that I will be participating in this coming October: http://www.crowdrise.com/autismsocietyoforegon/fundraiser/ryanlockard

Team in Training: Team in Training, TNT, provides the coaching and training to help you reach your marathon, half marathon, triathlon, or hiking adventure goals. The cost? You just need to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help raise money for blood cancer research. Join TNT by clicking the following link: http://www.teamintraining.org

Charity Miles: This is an app that you can get for your smart phone. Sign up for free and start raising money for one of their preselected charities. 

Find out more ways to raise money for a charity of your choice by contacting the organizers of the event that you are participating in.