# Charity runner > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charity_runner > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charity_runner.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_runner > Source revision: 1356742087 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Person running in a road race}} right|thumb|Charity runners wearing superhero costumes in 2008 London Marathon A '''charity runner''' is a participant in a [road race](/source/Road_running), usually of [half marathon](/source/half_marathon) or [marathon](/source/marathon) distance, who raises money or awareness for an established [charitable organization](/source/charitable_organization). For more elite marathons, such as the [World Marathon Majors](/source/World_Marathon_Majors), runners who are unable to obtain a qualifying time for their gender and age group can gain entry by running for an official charity affiliated with the race.{{cite news |last=Bingham |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HckDAAAAMBAJ |title=Faith, Hope and Charities |work=[Runner's World](/source/Runner's_World) |publisher=Rodale, Inc |date=November 2008 |page=56 |access-date=2016-04-25 }} Other races provide charity runners with free race entry, training, team shirts, and encouragement as incentive to raise money for local charities.{{cite web |url=http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp1641263.jsp |title=Be a Charity Runner in the Pittsburgh Marathon |publisher=VolunteerMatch |access-date=2016-04-25 }} The [Boston Marathon](/source/Boston_Marathon) allows approximately 6000 runners who have not qualified, out of 30,000 total participants, into the annual race. Most of these runners have agreed to raise a minimum of $5000 or more to gain entry into this race.{{cite news |last=Wade |first=Alison |url=http://www.runnersworld.com/boston-marathon/tension-between-bostons-charity-runners-and-qualifiers-disappears-by-race-day |title=Tension Between Boston's Charity Runners and Qualifiers Disappears by Race Day |work=[Runner's World](/source/Runner's_World) |date=2016-04-15 |access-date=2016-04-25 }} In 2017, the charity runners raised $34.2 million for over 200 different non-profit organizations.{{Cite news|url=http://running.competitor.com/2017/06/news/2017-boston-marathon-charity-runners-raised-34-2-million_165773|title=2017 Boston Marathon Charity Runners Raised $34.2 Million|date=2017-06-29|work=Competitor.com|access-date=2017-06-30|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630001741/http://running.competitor.com/2017/06/news/2017-boston-marathon-charity-runners-raised-34-2-million_165773|archive-date=2017-06-30|url-status=dead}} ==Relations between qualified runner and charity runners== According to ''[Runner's World](/source/Runner's_World)'' magazine, there is often animosity between qualified runners, who have met strict timing guidelines, and charity runners who do not meet the qualifying time, but are given a number for raising money for local charitable organizations and nonprofits. Some runners who meet the published qualifying time do not get into some major marathons due to the sheer volume of entries. == Notable organizations and programs == * '''Team World Vision''' – operates in the [Chicago Marathon](/source/Chicago_Marathon), raising funds for clean water in [Africa](/source/Africa). It grew from ~100 runners in 2006 to over 1,200 in 2010, raising more than $1 million.{{Cite web |title=Moving our feet for vulnerable children |url=https://www.teamworldvision.org/?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1103&language=en |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=Team World Vision |language=en}} * '''Adım Adım Initiative''' – founded in [Turkey](/source/Turkey) in 2007, became the country’s largest amateur charity‑running group by 2011 and raised over USD 1 million by partnering with major marathons.{{Cite web |last=Bıçakcıoğlu |first=Nilce |date=2014-04-22 |title=In Conversation with Itır Erhart on Running and the Adım Adım Initiative |url=https://yabangee.com/in-conversation-with-itir-erhart-on-running-and-the-adim-adim-initiative/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=Yabangee |language=en-US}} * '''Run for Heroes''' – launched in the [UK](/source/United_Kingdom) in March 2020 during the [COVID‑19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic), raised over £7 million for [NHS charities](/source/NHS_Charities_Together).{{Cite web |title=RUN FOR HEROES {{!}} Creating positive change through running |url=https://runforheroes.org.uk/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=runforheroes.org.uk}}{{Cite web |last=Shennan |first=Rhona |date=2020-04-26 |title=Run For Heroes: The Instagram challenge explained |url=https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/run-for-heroes-nhs-instagram-challenge-5km-donate-nominate-explained-418625 |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=The i Paper |language=en-US}} ==References== {{reflist}} Category:Running Category:Charity fundraising {{running-stub}} Category:Long-distance running Category:Marathons Category:Charity fundraisers Category:Charity events Category:Philanthropy Category:Volunteering Category:Social movements --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charity runner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_runner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_runner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.