Is running a charity marathon worth the sweat and tears?

Jo Wood ran her first marathon with her husband Mike in 2015 and will run her eighth marathon for charity at Manchester [Jo Wood]

With charity places increasingly seen as the only way into major races like London, thousands of runners are juggling emotions, training and rising fundraising targets. So is running for charity becoming a privilege not everyone can afford?

"I'm going to run the marathon with a picture of Jack on my back, to tell everyone that he was here, that he was alive."

Jo Wood lost her baby when he was just six days old and felt nothing would ever remove the pain and devastation.

But with help from baby loss charity Sands and mental health charity Mind the agony gradually started to ease.

Since then Jo, from Saltash in Cornwall, has discovered a love of running and found a way to give back to those charities by running marathons.

She will have a picture of Jack on her shirt when she joins 42,000 runners taking on this weekend's Manchester Marathon, while some 60,000 runners are set to start the 2026 TCS London Marathon on 26 April.

"Running a marathon for charity isn't just about raising money, it's about raising awareness - that's why I am running for Sands and for Jack," she says.

"I want women to feel they can talk about their babies. I want people to stop shying away from their names, their stories, their existence."

Jo is running Manchester Marathon for the baby loss charity Sands after the death of her son Jack in 2006 [BBC]

Jo's devastation at losing Jack started her marathon journey in 2012 when she ran with husband Mike in aid of Children With Cancer UK.

"We could not imagine what people go through when a child is diagnosed with cancer and having to see that child suffer," she says.

"We wanted to raise as much as we could for them."

Since then she has raised more than £10,000 for charities at eight marathons.

As well as Sands and Mind, she ran for Cancer Research at the London Marathon last year after fighting back from her own cancer scare and a full hysterectomy.

Jo says taking on a fundraising target for her first marathon was unnerving but she discovered a knack for it.

"You need to be creative," she says.

"Fundraising is hard and has become harder. It's a lot on top of the training, especially when you are raising £2,000 to £3,000."

Kirsty and her daughter with some of the Christmas presents they wrapped for charity [Kirsty Barker]

Running has become increasingly popular, particularly since the rise of Parkrun.

Standard race places are snapped up quickly, leaving many considering the option of running for charity.

Meanwhile, the charity funding thresholds have increased - as has the cost of living.

Some 1.1 million people entered the ballot for this year's London Marathon but only 5% of those applicants were given a standard place. That has left many running for charity, including many in fancy dress.

Kirsty Barker, from Ivybridge in Devon, is running for Mind after trying unsuccessfully for a ballot entry for 10 years.

"The London Marathon is a kind of a bucket list thing. It's classed as one of the best marathons in the world so I think to say you've done that is something really special," she says.

Kirsty chose Mind as it has been a lifeline for her. But raising £2,500 for the charity has not been easy, she says.

"At first I thought, oh, that's that's a breeze, I've got loads of time to do that," she continues.

"But you definitely underestimate how difficult fundraising is alongside training for a marathon," she says.

Kirsty has organised quizzes, wrapped Christmas presents and done odd jobs like gardening.

"It is hard to fundraise when money's tight for everyone - the cost of living is astronomical," she says.

"It is really difficult to ask people so it's why I've wanted to do the jobs."

She adds it is hard juggling training and fundraising.

"As well as training, you need to hit specific goals for your fundraising," she adds.

Sue Jackson says she has received a lot of support for her fundraising but recognises others have struggled [Sue Jackson]

Sue Jackson, from Bradninch in Devon, is running her first marathon at London aged 70 for Victa, a charity which helps young people with sight loss.

She has met her £2,500 target after sharing her reason for supporting the charity.

"We have sight loss problems in our family," she says.

"My mother, who's now 101, has macular degeneration but that can start much earlier in life.

"My grandfather had glaucoma which meant he lost his sight, and I've got cousins who've also got glaucoma or macular degeneration."

She says for children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted, Victa is "doing a great job to help them be more included in activities, and giving them opportunities".

Sue says she has received so much support but recognises others have struggled.

"I've got a friend who is running for charity and I don't think she is finding it so easy," she adds.

Marathon expert Sarah Jones says she helps runners enjoy the experience while giving them fundraising tips [BBC]

Sarah Jones, a running coach and charity adviser known as Good Thinking Jones, helps people "make the most of their marathon experience while also guiding them to meet their fundraising targets".

Sarah says as running becoming more popular and fundraising targets increase, events like the London Marathon could become inaccessible for people on lower incomes.

She says she tries to ensure people enjoy an experience they are so invested in.

"Most people when they think of the marathon, they think of this really hard challenge - and it should be hard, but that doesn't have to mean it should be horrible," she explains.

"You get a lot of value, both in the moment and for years to come, when you remember it."

'It's a full-time job'

Sarah who has run the London Marathon eight times, plus 11 other marathons, previously worked for a charity and has an affinity with charity runners.

"When people do it for charity it's a kind of personal vote for what's important to them and they're happy to ask people to support them raising money for that charity," she says.

"But there are an awful lot of pressures on charity marathon runners.

"You're doing most of your training in winter, when it's cold and dark and wet. It takes up a huge amount of time.

"Most people have full-time jobs and families, they are training for a marathon and raising a couple of grand for charity in a few months.

"Either of those things could be a full-time job in themselves."

Sarah says there are four main reasons people donate to marathon runners [PA]

Why people donate to marathon runners

Sarah says there are four main reasons people donate to marathon runners:

• A personal connection: Friend or family member or someone who relates to you as a person

• A connection to your cause: People who relate to your charity for their own reason

• Just because you are running a marathon: People assume you are running for charity and want to donate

• Diverting funds: People donate towards something they would have bought anyway - this year's marathon trend is personalised hair bows people make and sell for their charity

What do charities expect?

Marie Curie is the 2026 TCS London Marathon official charity. It has more than 700 runners and hopes to raise a minimum of £2m.

Its runners have a minimum of £2,500 to raise ahead of race day.

A spokesperson for Marie Curie says it supports runners with a pack to help them hit their targets and gives support from "when they sign up to the finish line".

It also gives runners access to a training app, training plans and blogs, a post-race reception and training day with a GB running coach.

Among the celebrities taking part in this year's London Marathon is fitness expert Joe Wicks who is hoping to raise money and awareness for the National Deaf Children's Society [Charlie Flint/PA Wire]

Meanwhile, one of the smallest charities with runners taking part is Remap, which designs and builds equipment for disabled people.

It has just two runners taking part through its charity places.

The charity says it has a fundraising target of £2,500 per runner and suggests "informal milestones to help them stay on track, particularly in the earlier stages before training intensified".

It has its own coach to support the runners and offers feedback on their fundraising pages.

Both its runners have a strong personal connection to the charity, it adds.

"They've both seen first hand the difference our work makes which makes their support even more meaningful," it explains.

Jo and Mike have run several marathons for charity [Jo Wood]

TCS London Marathon says it is expecting more than 59,000 runners at the start line this year but says it cannot disclose the breakdown of charity, ballot and other places.

It says its team works with 2,000 charities with official places and more than £1.4bn has been raised for charity since the first London Marathon in 1981.

In response to the figures people are asked to raise, a marathon spokesperson says charities manage their own fundraising targets.

It adds its fundraising partner Enthuse offers advice on effective fundraising and supported charities as well as runners.

Jo says running for a cause keeps her going when a marathon gets tough and adds she has been humbled by the support she has received.

"The generosity of people overwhelms me," she explains.

"Friends and family are always willing to give and even some people I don't even know...

"People are so supportive but I think it's because I run for charities so close to me and that is what spurs you on."

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Related internet links

• TCS London Marathon
• Sands
• Mind
• Manchester Marathon
• Victa
• Marie Curie
• Remap