You have put in the training, shared your fundraising page and asked people to support you, but your event is getting closer and there is still a gap between the amount you have raised and your charity fundraising target. It is a situation plenty of fundraisers find themselves in, and it does not mean you have run out of opportunities to raise more. In fact, the final weeks before an event can give you new reasons to talk about your fundraising. The challenge is becoming real, your training is reaching its final stages and supporters can see exactly how close you are to your target. The key is to stop thinking about the original target and start concentrating on the amount that is still left to raise. Start With The Gap, Not The Target If your original target was £1,000 and you have already raised £780, you do not need to find £1,000. You need to find another £220, which immediately makes the challenge ahead look very different. A large overall target can feel daunting, while a much smaller remaining amount gives you something specific to work towards and something much clearer to communicate to potential supporters. Look at how much you have left to raise and how much time remains, then build your final fundraising push around those two figures. Break The Remaining Amount Down Once you know the size of the gap, break it into smaller amounts. If you have £200 left to raise, that could be ten £20 donations, 20 £10 donations or a mixture of different amounts from different people. You do not need to tell people how much they should donate, but breaking the figure down for yourself makes the challenge feel much more achievable. It can also help you work out where the remaining money might come from, with a few personal asks, several smaller donations and perhaps one simple fundraising activity combining to close the gap. Make Another Direct Ask One of the simplest ways to generate more donations is also one that fundraisers can become reluctant to use: ask again. Sharing your fundraising page once does not mean everyone you know has seen it, and even people who did see your original message may have intended to donate and then forgotten. Your new message does not have to repeat your original fundraising appeal. Tell people how the training has gone, how close the event is and exactly how much remains to reach your target, then include your fundraising link and make it clear that there is still time to support you. Follow Up With People Who Intended To Donate Most fundraisers will encounter people who say something along the lines of, "Send me the link and I'll sponsor you." Some will donate immediately, while others genuinely intend to do it but never quite get around to completing the donation. There is nothing wrong with giving those people a friendly reminder. A personal message will usually work better here than another general social media post, so let them know the event is approaching, mention that you are making a final push towards your target and include the donation link again without putting them under pressure. Read more about sharing your page without annoying people here. Give Supporters Something New To Respond To If you have been sharing the same fundraising message for several months, simply posting it again may not attract much attention. Give people a fresh reason to engage with what you are doing by showing them how your challenge has progressed since you last asked for their support. Perhaps you have completed your longest training run, received your race number or reached 80% or 90% of your fundraising target. You might have a new photograph from training, an update about how you are feeling as the event approaches or something new to say about why the charity's work matters to you. You are still asking people to support the same challenge and the same charity, but you are giving them a new chapter of the story rather than repeatedly showing them the opening page. That gives you a genuine reason to put your fundraising page back in front of people. Make The Remaining Gap Part Of Your Message As you get closer to your charity fundraising target, the amount remaining can become one of the strongest parts of your appeal. Instead of simply saying, "Please sponsor me for my marathon," you can tell people that you have already raised £850 and need another £150 to reach your £1,000 target. You can then update the figure as new donations arrive. £150 to go becomes £100, then £60 and eventually £20, creating genuine milestones and allowing supporters to see that the target is within reach and that their donation could make a noticeable difference. Look Beyond The People You Have Already Asked The final push is also a good time to check whether there are groups of people you have overlooked. Friends and close family may have been the first people you approached, but you might also have colleagues, former colleagues, neighbours, members of a running club or people you know through other groups and activities. You do not have to send the same message to everybody. Think about how you know each group and tailor your request accordingly, using personal messages where appropriate and social media or group chats when you are trying to reach a wider part of your network. The objective is not to contact as many people as possible regardless of your relationship with them. It is to identify genuine parts of your network that you may not yet have given an opportunity to support you. Read more about reaching your networks using WhatsApp here. Try One Final Fundraising Event If donations alone are unlikely to close the gap, a small fundraising activity could provide the extra boost you need. This does not necessarily mean organising a major event when you are already busy preparing for your run, particularly if the remaining amount is relatively modest. Choose something proportionate to the amount you still need. A workplace cake sale, quiz, sweepstake or another straightforward activity could be enough to generate the final part of your target without creating a huge amount of additional work. Do the sums before committing to anything and think about the likely return for the time and money involved. If you need another £100, the aim is to find a practical way of generating roughly £100 rather than creating another major fundraising project immediately before your event. Organise an event, like a charity race night Use The Countdown To Your Event The final week gives you something you did not have when you started fundraising: urgency. Your challenge is no longer months away and people who have been following your training can see that the event you have been talking about is finally about to happen. Your final training run, collecting your race number, laying out your kit or travelling to the event can all provide opportunities for an update. Tell people how you are feeling, remind them why you are taking part and, when appropriate, include your fundraising page and the amount you still need to raise. Avoid turning every update into another demand for money. Some can simply bring people along on the journey, while others can include a direct request for support, putting your fundraising back in front of people at exactly the point when your challenge feels most immediate. Make The Most Of Race Day Race day can create some of your strongest fundraising content because supporters can finally see you completing the challenge they have heard about for weeks or months. If possible, share something before the start and another update afterwards, or ask friends and family to share photographs while you concentrate on the event itself. Your finish line photograph can be particularly useful because it provides a completely new reason to share your fundraising page. Instead of asking people to support something you are planning to do, you can show them what you have achieved and remind anyone who intended to donate that there is still an opportunity to support you. Keep Going After Race Day If You Need To Crossing the finish line does not necessarily have to mean the end of your fundraising. If you are still short of your target, share what happened, thank everyone who supported you and explain exactly how much remains to reach the amount you set out to raise. People who followed your training may be inspired to donate after seeing that you completed the challenge, while others may simply have forgotten to donate beforehand. It is also a natural time to return to anyone who had previously said they would support you because you can now show them what you actually achieved. Read more about fundraising after race day here. Ask Your Charity For Help If you have tried different approaches and are still concerned about reaching a fundraising commitment, speak to your charity rather than avoiding the issue. Their fundraising team may have ideas, resources or practical advice that can help you with the final push. This is particularly important if you accepted a charity place with a fundraising commitment attached to it. Different charities and events can have different arrangements, so speak directly to your charity if you are concerned about what happens if you do not reach the agreed amount. Do it sooner rather than leaving the conversation until after the event. Your charity wants your fundraising to succeed too, and there may still be plenty of time to work together on ways to close the remaining gap. Read more about what happens if you miss your fundraising target here. Final Thoughts on Reaching Your Charity Fundraising Target Being short of your charity fundraising target can feel frustrating, particularly when you have already put considerable effort into both fundraising and training. But the remaining figure is also much smaller than the challenge you started with, and focusing on that smaller number can make the final stage feel much more manageable. Work out exactly what is left, break it into achievable amounts and give people a fresh reason to support you. Ask again, follow up with people who intended to donate, use the approaching event to create momentum and consider one final activity if you need an additional boost. Then keep going. £300 can become £200, £200 can become £100 and eventually you may be just one or two donations away. At that stage, you are no longer trying to raise your entire target; you are simply trying to close the gap.

This podcast episode is something truly special. We’re joined by Clarke Reynolds, also known as Mr. Dot, fresh from making history at the Brighton Marathon. Clarke has just become the first blind person in the world to complete a marathon using smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app, an incredible achievement that’s redefining what’s possible in endurance sport. We’ll hear all about how the technology worked, what it felt like out on the course, and the powerful human connections that made this moment so much more than just a race. We’re also joined by his guide runner Alastair Ratcliffe, who was there supporting him every step of the way. So whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just love a story that pushes boundaries, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE There are moments in sport that go beyond finish times and medals, moments that redefine what’s possible. This week, one of those moments happened at the Brighton Marathon, where Clarke Reynolds, also known as “Mr. Dot”, achieved something truly groundbreaking. A World First on the Seafront Clarke became the first blind person in the world to run a marathon using smart glasses connected to a live assistance app. “I’ve achieved the world’s first blind person running a marathon using smart glasses connected to an app called Be My Eyes.” Powered by Be My Eyes and Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, Clark navigated all 26.2 miles not with a traditional tether, but with real-time support from volunteers across the globe. Let that sink in: while running a marathon, Clarke was also holding conversations with strangers guiding him remotely. How the Technology Worked The setup was simple in concept, but revolutionary in execution: Clarke wore smart glasses with a built-in camera and audio Using voice command, he connected to a volunteer via the Be My Eyes app That volunteer could see through his glasses and guide him in real time In training, Clarke connected with different volunteers for every run. On race day, however, a dedicated group supported him throughout. Despite concerns about connectivity, the system worked 98% of the time over the full marathon distance, a staggering success for a live, crowd-sourced support system. More Than a Marathon Clarke’s journey wasn’t just physical, it was deeply human. “It wasn’t just about me… it was about human connection.” During training and the race, conversations ranged from: Everyday life Books and films Personal experiences of sight loss The marathon became a platform for connection, breaking down barriers between the sighted and visually impaired communities. Clarke used the technology in unexpected ways, like asking a guiding volunteer to describe sweets so he could choose one mid-run. The Challenge Behind the Achievement Of course, it wasn’t easy. Clarke battled rib pain caused by bouncing tech equipment At mile 18, breathing became difficult He adapted with a mix of running and walking to push through Supporting him on the ground was guide runner Alastair Ratcliffe from The Richard Whitehead Foundation, who: Managed backup tech and the recharging of the glasses Helped regulate pacing Even encouraged other struggling runners along the route It was a team effort in every sense, from the volunteers on the app to the support on the ground. The Finish Line Moment when Clarke Reynolds Made Marathon History After just over six hours, Clarke Reynolds made marathon history, guided in part by a remote volunteer cheering him on in real time. “No one can take that away. I’ve left a legacy.” Impact Beyond the Race Clarke ran as an ambassador for Fight for Sight, raising around £2,700 directly so far, but the global media attention multiplied that impact significantly. His story reached: CNN BBC International outlets across Europe, Asia, and beyond The exposure brought awareness, funding, and visibility to vision impairment like never before. You can support Clarke's amazing effort on his fundraising page here What’s Next? Right now, Clarke says he’s done with marathons… mostly. “If the tech evolves,” he hints, “maybe there’s another one in me.” For now, he’s sticking to weekly 5k's, running not for records, but for joy, mental clarity, and creativity. Final Thoughts This wasn’t just a marathon. It was: A test of technology A celebration of human connection A redefinition of accessibility in sport Clarke Reynolds didn’t just finish a race; he opened a door. For many, that finish line is just the beginning. Check out this video from the BBC that shows Clarke finishing the race, with the support of one of the virtual guides. This is the podcast we did with Clarke during his training and this is one we did with Alastair just before the race. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

Heart rate has become one of the standard pieces of information runners see on their watches. Start a run with most modern running watches or smartwatches and you can monitor your heart rate alongside your pace, distance and time without wearing any additional equipment. You may also have seen runners wearing a heart rate monitor around their chest and wondered why they bother when their watch already measures the same thing. Chest straps measure heart rate differently and can generally provide more consistent information during exercise, particularly when your effort is changing quickly. That does not mean every runner needs one. For many runners, especially beginners and those primarily interested in monitoring their general effort, wrist heart rate is likely to provide all the information they need. How Does Wrist Heart Rate Work? Most running watches and smartwatches measure heart rate using an optical sensor on the back of the watch. Small lights shine into the skin and the sensor detects changes in blood volume as your heart beats. This technology is known as photoplethysmography, or PPG, although you certainly do not need to remember the name to use it. The important thing is that your watch is using an optical signal at your wrist to estimate your heart rate. Modern optical heart rate sensors can work very well during running. Research into wearable heart rate technology has found that wrist devices can provide useful heart rate measurements, although accuracy varies between devices, people, activities and exercise conditions. They also have one enormous advantage over a chest strap: convenience. If you are already wearing your running watch, you do not have to remember, fit or maintain another piece of equipment before heading out for a run. Read more about running metrics here. How Does A Heart Rate Chest Strap Work? A traditional heart rate chest strap works differently. It sits against the skin around your chest and uses electrodes to detect the electrical signals associated with your heartbeat. The sensor then sends your heart rate to a compatible running watch, phone or other device. Current heart rate straps commonly use Bluetooth, ANT+ or both, although the connection options vary between models. Because a chest strap measures an electrical signal close to the heart, it remains a very dependable way of measuring heart rate during exercise. Chest straps are also commonly used as reference devices when researchers test the accuracy of wrist based heart rate monitors. Is A Chest Strap More Accurate Than Wrist Heart Rate? If accurate heart rate measurement during exercise is particularly important to you, a good chest strap is generally the better option. That does not mean the difference will be significant on every run, however, and modern wrist sensors can perform extremely well. Research comparing consumer wrist devices with ECG and chest strap measurements has found that wrist based heart rate can be accurate during activities including running. Wider reviews of wearable technology also show that heart rate is one of the measurements that modern consumer wearables tend to perform relatively well. The difficulty is that wrist sensor accuracy is not completely consistent. Movement, watch position, individual physiology, temperature and the type of exercise can all affect the optical signal. This distinction matters because it is easy to exaggerate the shortcomings of wrist heart rate. On a steady easy run, a good running watch may give you readings that are perfectly adequate for your training. The potential advantage of a chest strap becomes greater when your heart rate is changing quickly or when you are basing important training decisions on relatively small differences in the number being displayed. Why Can Wrist Heart Rate Readings Be Wrong? Optical heart rate measurement depends on the sensor maintaining good contact with your skin and obtaining a clean optical signal. Anything that interferes with that signal can potentially affect the reading. Watch fit is one of the simplest factors. If your watch is loose enough to move as your arms swing, the sensor may struggle to maintain a consistent reading. Manufacturers generally recommend wearing the watch snugly above the wrist bone during exercise, while still keeping it comfortable. Cold conditions can also make wrist measurement more difficult because blood flow near the skin can be reduced. Garmin, for example, recommends warming up before exercising in cold conditions to help improve blood flow to the wrist. Movement and wrist position can affect optical measurement as well. Individual factors, including tattoos in the area beneath the sensor, may also interfere with some optical sensors. None of these factors means you should assume that every unusual heart rate reading is wrong. They simply help explain why wrist readings occasionally behave in ways that do not match how hard you feel you are running. What Is Cadence Lock? One problem that can occur with optical heart rate measurement during running is known as cadence lock. This is when the sensor appears to track the repetitive movement associated with your running cadence rather than your actual heartbeat. Your displayed heart rate may suddenly sit close to your cadence and remain there even though the number does not make sense for the effort you are producing. Garmin specifically identifies cadence lock as a potential limitation of optical heart rate measurement and says excessive movement from a loose watch can contribute to it. Ensuring your watch fits securely can reduce the risk. If you repeatedly experience unreliable wrist readings and heart rate is important to your training, using a chest strap is one way of obtaining a more dependable signal. Read more about running cadence here. When Is A Chest Strap Useful For Running? A chest strap becomes more worthwhile when you are deliberately using heart rate to control or analyse your training rather than simply glancing at the number after a run. If you regularly try to stay within particular heart rate zones, more consistent readings can make those zones easier to use. It can be particularly useful during sessions in which your intensity changes repeatedly. Intervals, hills and threshold workouts place different demands on a heart rate monitor from a long run completed at a broadly steady effort. Experienced runners who analyse their training in considerable detail may therefore get more benefit from a chest strap. Some straps can provide additional data when used with compatible running watches, although the available features depend on the particular watch and sensor combination. Do Beginners Need A Heart Rate Chest Strap? For most beginners, no. A chest strap should not be regarded as another piece of essential equipment that you have to buy before you can start running properly. If you already own a running watch with wrist based heart rate, start by using that. It can give you useful information about how your body responds to different runs and help you understand the relationship between pace, effort and heart rate. There is also a danger in becoming too focused on numbers when you are starting out. Building your running gradually, developing consistency and learning what different levels of effort feel like are much more important than worrying about a difference of a few beats per minute. If you later decide to train more extensively using heart rate zones, or discover that the readings from your watch are frequently unreliable, you can consider adding a chest strap then. Do You Need A Chest Strap For Heart Rate Zone Training? You can certainly start heart rate training using the sensor in your watch. For steady easy runs and longer controlled sessions, a good wrist sensor may provide all the information you need. A chest strap becomes more useful if you want greater confidence in the heart rate figure you are seeing during the run. This can be particularly helpful when you are trying to keep your effort below or above a particular heart rate threshold. There is another issue to remember, however. Having an extremely accurate heart rate reading does not necessarily mean the heart rate zones programmed into your watch are accurate for you. Zones are sometimes calculated using estimates of maximum heart rate or other generic formulas. There is little advantage in measuring your heart rate with exceptional precision if you are comparing it with training zones that do not properly reflect your own physiology. Read more about heart rate zone training here. What About Easy Runs? Easy running is where many runners have the least reason to buy a chest strap. If your watch gives reasonably stable heart rate readings and those readings broadly correspond with how the run feels, wrist heart rate will usually provide enough information to monitor your overall effort. You should also pay attention to how you feel rather than becoming completely dependent on the watch. If you are running comfortably and can speak in sentences, one brief unusual heart rate reading does not necessarily mean you need to change your pace immediately. Heart rate can be a useful additional guide to intensity, but it is still only one part of the picture. Pace, breathing, perceived effort, terrain, temperature, fatigue and how you feel on the day all contribute to how hard a run actually is. Read more about easy runs here. What About Interval Training? Intervals highlight one of the reasons some runners prefer chest straps. Your effort may rise and fall repeatedly, and the heart rate monitor needs to track those changes as they happen. Optical wrist sensors can sometimes respond less consistently when exercise intensity changes rapidly. Electrical chest straps are generally better suited to providing dependable beat by beat information as your heart rate changes. There is an important qualification, however. Your actual heart rate does not instantly leap to the appropriate level when you start running faster, so heart rate is not always the best way to control very short intervals. Pace, time and perceived effort may be more useful during short repetitions, while heart rate can provide additional information when you analyse the overall session. Read more about interval training here. Is A Chest Strap Uncomfortable? Some runners simply do not like wearing chest straps. They need to sit firmly against the skin and, while many people stop noticing them once they start running, others find having a strap around their chest uncomfortable. A properly adjusted strap should be secure without restricting your breathing. With traditional electrode based straps, moistening the electrode areas before training can help establish good contact with the skin, and manufacturers such as Polar recommend doing this before use. Chest straps also need a little more care than the sensor built into your watch. The strap will need cleaning, batteries or charging will eventually need attention depending on the model, and textile straps can wear out over time. For a runner who is perfectly happy with their wrist heart rate readings, that additional equipment and maintenance may simply not be worthwhile. Can You Connect A Chest Strap To Any Running Watch? Not every chest strap will connect to every running watch. Different sensors and watches can support Bluetooth, ANT+ or other connection methods, so compatibility should be checked before buying. Many modern heart rate straps support Bluetooth and some also support ANT+, making them compatible with a wide range of running watches, smartphones and training apps. You do not necessarily have to buy a heart rate strap made by the same manufacturer as your watch. What matters is that the watch and sensor support a compatible connection method. If you are considering a particular strap, check the specifications for both devices rather than assuming that they will work together. Final Thoughts On Wrist Heart Rate Vs Chest Strap So what wins in the wrist strap vs chest strap debate? A heart rate chest strap remains the better choice when dependable heart rate measurement during exercise is particularly important, but that does not make wrist based heart rate inadequate. Modern running watches can provide very useful readings and, during straightforward steady running, that may be everything you need. Beginners certainly do not need to add a chest strap to their list of essential running equipment. Start with your watch, learn what different levels of effort feel like and use heart rate as another source of information rather than allowing one number to dictate every run. If you eventually start training extensively by heart rate, take a greater interest in analysing your data or find that your watch repeatedly struggles to provide sensible readings, a chest strap can become a worthwhile addition. Until then, there is a good chance that the heart rate monitor already sitting on your wrist will do the job perfectly well.

Training for a marathon, half marathon, 10K or another running challenge can take weeks or months. During that time, you have something valuable that many fundraisers overlook: a story that is constantly developing. Your fundraising story does not have to begin when you launch your fundraising page and then disappear until race day. Your first long run, a difficult training week, reaching a distance you have never run before and even the days when training does not go to plan can all become part of the story. Used well, your training journey can help people understand the scale of your challenge and why their support matters. Your Fundraising Story Is Bigger Than Race Day When someone sponsors you to run an event, they are not really supporting you for just one morning. They are supporting the entire challenge that gets you to the start line, and for many runners that means months of training. For a first time runner, that might involve gradually increasing distances, early morning runs, long weekends on tired legs and fitting training around work and family life. That preparation is part of your fundraising story. Runners should be honest about the things they find difficult, so do not wait until you have completed the event before showing people what the challenge actually involves. Read more about your fundraising story here. Keep Coming Back To Why You Are Running Training content is much more powerful when people understand what all those miles are for. Your fundraising page should already explain why you chose the charity or cause, but your training journey gives you opportunities to bring that motivation back into the story. You do not need to repeat your entire reason for fundraising every time. A difficult long run might remind you why you committed to the challenge, while reaching a new distance could provide an opportunity to talk about the person or cause that inspired you to start. If you do not have a personal connection to the charity, do not try to manufacture one. Explain why you chose to support its work and why you decided to take on this particular challenge. A genuine explanation of your motivation is more compelling than trying to make every training run sound inspirational. Turn Training Milestones Into Fundraising Moments A training plan naturally creates moments worth sharing. Your first 5K without stopping could be a huge achievement if you have recently started running, while later it might be your first 10 miles, your first half marathon distance or the longest run of your entire training plan. The key is to explain why the milestone matters rather than simply reporting the distance. Perhaps six weeks earlier you could not imagine running that far, or maybe it was the session you had been worrying about since you first saw it on your training plan. The distance provides the context, but the meaning behind it provides the story. This also makes your fundraising more accessible to people who know very little about running because they do not need to understand pace, splits or training terminology to appreciate personal progress. Do Not Only Share The Good Runs A training journey becomes less believable if every part of it appears to go perfectly. Running rarely works like that, and there are likely to be difficult sessions, bad weather, tired legs, missed runs and periods when motivation is harder to find. You do not need to turn every setback into a drama, but sharing some of the harder moments can help people understand the commitment behind your challenge. If a long run was much tougher than expected, explain what happened, what you learned and how you plan to move forward. There is a difference between being honest and continually seeking sympathy. Your objective is not to make training sound miserable, but to show that preparing for your event takes commitment and that progress is not always straightforward. That can make the milestones you eventually reach feel more meaningful to the people following you. Show People The Commitment They Cannot See Most of your supporters will never see the majority of your training. They may know you are running an event, but they might not realise that you were out before work on a cold morning or that your Sunday involved a two hour training run while everyone else was having a lie in. Those everyday details can make the scale of the challenge easier to understand. A photograph before an early morning run, muddy shoes after a wet session or a picture at the end of your longest run can sometimes communicate more than a screenshot showing your pace and distance. You do not need professional photographs or carefully produced videos. Fundraising platforms such as JustGiving and Enthuse allow fundraisers to incorporate photos, video and activity into their fundraising story, and simple images from real training days can make that story feel much more personal. Training milestones give you natural moments to share your progress and bring supporters into your fundraising journey. Use Your Running Data To Support The Story Running apps and sports watches make it easy to share distance, pace, heart rate, maps and other statistics from every session. They can be useful evidence of the work you are putting in, but the numbers should support your story rather than become the whole story.raining milestones give you natural moments to share your progress and bring supporters into your fundraising journey. Telling people you have completed an 18 mile run gives them a fact. Explaining that three months ago you had never run more than six miles and have now reached 18 gives them a sense of the progress you have made and the commitment involved. The same applies when training does not go well. Your supporters probably do not care that your average pace was 20 seconds per kilometre slower than expected, but they may relate to the experience of wanting to stop and finding a way to keep going. Read more about running data here. Connect Your Training With The Cause One of the biggest advantages of using your training journey as part of your fundraising story is that it gives you natural opportunities to talk about the charity without simply repeating requests for donations. You might dedicate a significant training run to somebody connected with the cause, share something you have learned about the charity's work or explain why a particular moment has reminded you of your reason for running. Wearing your charity vest during some training sessions can also create a natural visual connection between the running challenge and the cause. Where appropriate, you can also share information provided by the charity about what the money raised will help it achieve. Use information supplied or verified by the charity rather than creating your own claims about the impact of particular donation amounts. The aim is for people following you to understand that two journeys are taking place at the same time. You are getting closer to your running goal while your fundraising is helping you move towards another goal for the charity. Create A Story People Can Follow A good training journey has a natural sense of progression. At the beginning, the challenge may seem intimidating. Gradually the distances increase, confidence grows, there may be setbacks along the way and eventually race day begins to feel achievable. Use that progression. If you have just completed 12 miles for the first time, for example, you might mention that an even longer run is coming. If you have struggled through a difficult period, explain what you hope to achieve next. People who follow the journey can then see it developing rather than encountering a series of unrelated requests for sponsorship. Not everyone will donate the first time they see your fundraising page. Some people may follow your progress for several weeks before deciding to sponsor you, while someone who has already donated might share your story with somebody else. Giving people a journey to follow creates more opportunities for them to engage with what you are doing. Choose The Moments That Matter You do not need to turn every training session into fundraising content. If you share every easy run, every gym session and every minor achievement, the moments that really matter can become lost among everything else. Choose the parts of training that move your story forward. A new longest distance, a breakthrough after a difficult few weeks, receiving your charity running vest, reaching a major fundraising milestone or completing your final long run before the taper all represent clear stages in the journey. Ordinary training is still important, but it does not all need to become public content. Think of your training programme as the source material for your fundraising story and select the moments that best show progress, commitment or your connection with the cause. Use The Final Weeks To Show How Far You Have Come As race day approaches, your training story starts to reach its conclusion. Your final long run is an obvious opportunity to look back at where you started and show people how much work has gone into reaching this point. The taper can provide other useful moments even though you are running less. Receiving your race number, preparing your race kit, completing your final training session or collecting your race pack can all move the story towards the event itself. By this stage, people who have followed your training understand that race day is the culmination of weeks or months of work rather than an isolated challenge. That makes the event itself a much stronger part of your fundraising story. Keep The Story Going After The Finish Crossing the finish line does not have to be the end of your fundraising. Share what happened, thank the people who supported you and explain what completing the challenge meant to you and to the fundraising campaign. There can still be fundraising opportunities after the event. Donations can continue to arrive after event day and this encourages fundraisers to share a celebratory update and continue sharing their page. Once your campaign is genuinely finished, close the story properly. Share the final amount raised when you know it and thank the people who donated, shared your page, encouraged you or simply followed your progress. The people who supported the journey deserve to see how it ended. Read more about keeping your fundraising going after race day here. The Bottom Line You do not need to invent a fundraising story when you are training for a running challenge because you are already living one. The early runs, new distances, difficult weeks, breakthrough sessions and final preparations all show people what you have committed to doing for your chosen cause. Choose the moments that genuinely matter and explain why they matter rather than simply reporting what you ran. Keep connecting the physical challenge with your reason for fundraising and you can turn months of training into a story that gives people a reason to follow, share and support your journey.

You have written your fundraising story, explained why your charity matters to you and set up your fundraising page. Now you need people to read it and, hopefully, support you. One of the easiest mistakes at this stage is to send exactly the same fundraising message to everyone you know. Your closest friend, someone you work with, a member of your running club and a person who follows you on social media may all be potential supporters, but they know you in very different ways. You do not need a completely different fundraising story for each of them. Your story stays the same, but you can change which parts you emphasise, how much explanation you provide and what you ask someone to do. Start With Who You Are Talking To Before writing a fundraising message, think about the person or group who will receive it and what they already know about you, your challenge and the charity. Your family may already know exactly why the cause matters to you, while a work colleague might know that you are training for a marathon but have no idea why you chose the charity. Someone from your running club may immediately understand how difficult the running challenge is, whereas somebody who does not run might need more context. Instead of simply asking yourself what you want to say, think about what this particular audience needs to know for your fundraising to mean something to them. Keep Your Fundraising Story Consistent Tailoring your message does not mean changing your story depending on who you are talking to. Your reason for fundraising, the challenge you are undertaking and the facts about the charity should remain consistent. What changes is the emphasis you give to different parts of that story. If you are talking to somebody who knows the person who inspired your fundraising, that shared connection might naturally be central to the message. When speaking to someone who does not know them, you may need to explain the connection before it makes sense. The same applies to your running challenge. Your running friends may immediately appreciate what training for your event involves, while other people might understand the scale of the challenge better if you explain that you will spend several months preparing for a distance you have never previously attempted. Think of it as telling the same story from slightly different angles rather than creating different versions of the truth. Read more about your fundraising story here. Make Messages To Friends And Family Personal Your closest friends and family are often the people with whom you can be most direct. They know you, so there is usually little need for a formal introduction explaining who you are or why they have received the message. Instead, tell them why you have decided to take on the challenge and why their support would mean something to you. If they already understand your connection with the cause, acknowledge that shared knowledge rather than explaining it as though you were talking to a stranger. If somebody has previously asked about your training or fundraising, that can provide a natural starting point for the conversation. Personal does not have to mean long. A short WhatsApp message written with a particular person in mind can feel much more genuine than a lengthy generic appeal copied and pasted to everyone in your contacts. Read more about using WhatsApp for your fundraising here. Give Colleagues The Context They Need People at work may know a very different version of you. Some might know all about your running, while others may have no idea that you have signed up for a major challenge. Give them enough context to understand what you are doing and why it represents a significant commitment. If colleagues have watched your training develop or regularly ask how it is going, use that shared conversation as the starting point rather than introducing the challenge as though they know nothing about it. The workplace can also provide opportunities that are not relevant elsewhere. Your employer might offer match giving, colleagues could support a fundraising event or your company may be willing to promote your challenge internally. Your reason for supporting the charity remains important, but the workplace connection can provide another way for people to become involved. Read more about match giving fundraising here. Think About What Other Runners Will Understand People in your running club, parkrun community or other running networks may connect particularly strongly with the challenge itself. A runner probably does not need an explanation of why completing your first 20 mile training run is significant during marathon preparation because they may have experienced something similar themselves. Use that shared understanding, but do not forget the charity. The objective is not simply to tell other runners about your training; it is to explain why you are putting that training towards a fundraising challenge. For a running audience, the physical journey may be the best way into the story. Once you have their attention, connect the challenge back to the cause you are supporting and the fundraising target you are trying to reach. Lead With The Cause When There Is A Shared Connection Sometimes the strongest connection between you and a potential supporter is not the running at all. It is the cause you are supporting. Someone may have personal experience of the same illness, used the charity's services, lost somebody to the condition or simply care deeply about the issue. In those circumstances, the charity's work may be more meaningful to them than whether you are running a 10K, half marathon or marathon. You can put the cause earlier in the message and explain why you are supporting it, along with accurate information from the charity about what fundraising can help it achieve. Be sensitive when doing this. A person's connection with a cause may involve illness, bereavement or another difficult experience, so do not assume they will want to discuss it or that their connection creates an obligation to donate. The shared connection should make your message more relevant, not put additional pressure on the person receiving it. Give Wider Audiences More Of The Story A wider social media audience is different from a group of close friends. Some people seeing your post may know you well, while others may barely know you at all, so you cannot assume everyone already understands what you are doing. A post that simply says you have £300 left to raise might make sense to somebody who has followed the campaign from the beginning, but it gives a newer follower very little reason to care. Add enough context for the message to work on its own by explaining the challenge, identifying the charity and giving people a reason to understand why it matters to you. As your fundraising reaches people further away from your immediate circle, this context becomes increasingly important. The less somebody knows about you, the more work your message has to do before you ask them to support you. Change The Length As Well As The Content Tailoring is not only about what you say. It can also affect how much you need to say. A direct message to a close friend may require only a few lines because they already understand much of the story, while an email to colleagues might need more explanation. Your fundraising page can contain the fuller version for anyone who wants to understand the complete background. A social media post might sit somewhere between the two, providing enough information to interest somebody who encounters it without context without reproducing everything on your fundraising page. This is another reason copying exactly the same text everywhere rarely works well. Different audiences and different situations require different amounts of information, even when the underlying message is the same. Personalise Direct Messages Properly There is a difference between a personalised message and a generic message with somebody's first name added at the beginning. If you are contacting somebody individually, think about why you are asking that particular person. Perhaps they have asked about your training, supported one of your previous challenges, know the charity or previously said they would sponsor you. Referencing that connection can make the message feel like a genuine conversation rather than a mass fundraising exercise, because the recipient can immediately understand why you thought of them. That does not mean you need to write every message completely from scratch. You can have a basic structure covering the challenge, the charity and your fundraising link, then adapt the opening, emphasis or ask for the person receiving it. Do Not Assume Everyone Can Donate Tailoring your message also means recognising that people have different circumstances. Somebody may care deeply about your challenge but simply not be in a position to sponsor you, so avoid language that makes people feel guilty if they cannot donate. Where appropriate, give them another way to help. They might share your fundraising page, attend an event or tell somebody else about what you are doing. Someone who introduces your story to a new group of people could make a significant contribution to your campaign without donating themselves. This also makes your communication feel less transactional. You are inviting people to support something you care about rather than treating everyone you contact as a potential source of money. Not everyone will be able to donate, but some supporters may be able to help your fundraising in other ways. Change Your Message As The Campaign Develops The right message at the beginning of your fundraising campaign will not necessarily be the right message a month before your event. At launch, people need to know what you are doing, which charity you are supporting and why. Later, you have new material to work with, including training milestones, fundraising progress, events and stories from the journey. As race day approaches, the emphasis can change again. You might explain how far your training has come, how close you are to your fundraising target and why the final few weeks matter. After the event, the story changes from what you are going to do to what you have achieved, giving you an opportunity to thank people, share what happened and tell supporters how much has been raised. The underlying fundraising story remains consistent throughout. What changes is the part of that story that is most relevant to the audience at that particular moment. Tailor The Ask As Well As The Story Different supporters may be able to help you in different ways, so tailoring should apply to what you ask them to do as well as what you tell them. A close friend might sponsor you directly, while a colleague could donate and investigate whether your employer offers match giving. Someone who runs a local business might be able to provide a raffle prize, while a member of your running club could share your fundraising page with the wider club. Think beyond asking everybody for exactly the same thing because sometimes the most useful question is whether somebody can help you reach more people rather than whether they can personally donate. The easier it is for somebody to understand how they can help, the more useful your message becomes. It also opens your campaign to people who want to support you but cannot make a financial contribution themselves. Think About Timing Who you contact matters, but so does when you contact them. Someone who has just asked how your marathon training is going has already given you a natural opportunity to mention your fundraising, while reaching a training milestone or getting close to your target can provide a genuine reason to contact people again. Race day approaching can create another natural moment because your challenge suddenly feels immediate. Your message now contains something new rather than simply repeating the original request for sponsorship. Be particularly careful with people who have already donated. Thank them and keep them involved in the journey rather than repeatedly asking for more money. Good timing can make a fundraising message feel like a natural part of an existing conversation instead of an interruption. Do Not Overcomplicate It Tailoring your fundraising message should make communication more effective, not leave you trying to write 100 completely different appeals. Start by thinking about a handful of natural groups such as close friends and family, colleagues, running contacts, people connected with the cause and your wider network. There will inevitably be overlap between those groups, and that is fine. Think about what each group already knows and which part of your story is most likely to make your challenge meaningful to them, then adapt your core fundraising message accordingly. For individual messages to people you know particularly well, personalise further. For larger groups, tailoring the message to the audience is normally enough. The aim is simply to stop treating everybody you know as though they have exactly the same relationship with you and your fundraising. Read about common fundraising mistakes here. Keep It Genuine There is little point tailoring a fundraising message so much that it stops sounding like you. If you would never normally send a highly emotional message to your running club WhatsApp group, suddenly doing so because you want donations may feel uncomfortable for both you and the people reading it. If your normal conversations with friends are informal, your fundraising message can be informal too. You do not need fundraising jargon, clever marketing language or an elaborate sales pitch to make the message effective. The strongest messages usually sound as though a real person has written them to another real person. Use your own language, be clear about what you are doing and give people enough information to understand why it matters. Tailoring should make your fundraising more personal and relevant, not more artificial. Final Thoughts On Your Fundraising Message You do not need a different fundraising story for every potential supporter, but you should think about who you are talking to before deciding how to tell it. Your family, colleagues, running friends, people connected with the cause and wider network all know different things about you, so emphasise the part of your story that gives each audience the clearest reason to understand what you are doing. Tailor the ask as well as the message. Some people will donate, while others might share your page, help with an event, arrange match giving or introduce your fundraising to a new audience. Making your message relevant to the person receiving it can turn a generic sponsorship request into a much more genuine conversation about your challenge and the cause you are supporting.

Whether you are creating a fundraising page, posting on social media or writing an email to friends and family, your story is one of the most powerful fundraising tools you have. It explains why you have chosen to take on a running challenge, why the charity matters to you and why people should care about your journey. A well written story can encourage people to donate, while a rushed or generic message may simply be overlooked. The good news is that you do not need to be a professional writer. The most effective fundraising stories are usually honest, personal and easy to read. They help people understand your motivation without making them feel like they are being asked for money every time they hear from you. Why Your Story Matters People are often happy to support a good cause, but they also like supporting people they know. Your fundraising story gives friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers a reason to connect with your challenge. Although many people think of their fundraising page first, your story has far wider uses. You can adapt it for social media posts, emails, fundraising event promotions, local newspaper articles, workplace newsletters and conversations with potential sponsors. Having a clear story means your message stays consistent wherever you share it. Rather than simply saying you are running a marathon for charity, explain why you chose that particular charity and what completing the event means to you. People are far more likely to donate when they understand the person behind the fundraising. Start With Your Reason The strongest fundraising stories begin with your motivation. Ask yourself what inspired you to sign up. Perhaps the charity has supported someone in your family. Maybe you have experienced the condition yourself, or perhaps you simply admire the work the charity does. Whatever the reason, sharing it honestly helps people understand why this challenge is important to you. If your reason is simply that you wanted to support a worthwhile cause while taking on a personal challenge, that is perfectly valid too. Authenticity is always more powerful than trying to create an emotional story that does not exist. Explain The Challenge Many people outside the running community have little idea what training for a running event involves. Explaining the challenge helps donors appreciate the commitment you are making. You could mention the early morning runs, balancing training around work and family life or the months of preparation leading up to race day. This shows that your fundraising is about more than completing one event. At the same time, avoid making the story entirely about how difficult running is. The focus should remain on the charity and the positive difference donations can make. Tell People Where Their Money Goes Donors like knowing how their money will help. Rather than simply asking for sponsorship, explain what the charity does and why its work is important. You do not need to include lots of statistics. A simple explanation of how donations support research, provide care, fund equipment or help families is often enough to show people that their contribution will make a genuine difference. Keep It Personal Your story should sound like you, not like a charity leaflet. Write as though you are talking to a friend rather than producing a formal report. People respond well to genuine enthusiasm and honesty. If you are nervous about the challenge, say so. If you are excited, let that come across. Your personality is one of the reasons people choose to support you. Adapt Your Story For Different Platforms Your core story should stay the same, but the way you tell it can change depending on where you are sharing it. Your fundraising page can include more detail about your motivation and the charity. Social media posts are usually shorter and work best when they focus on training milestones, fundraising progress or upcoming events while linking back to your fundraising page. Emails or workplace newsletters may include a little more background, while local newspapers are often interested in the human story behind your challenge. Having one clear story makes it much easier to create content throughout your fundraising without having to start from scratch every time. Read more about how to use social media for fundraising here. Adapt your story for whatever social media platform you're using. They are all different! Avoid Sounding Like You Are Begging One of the biggest concerns many fundraisers have is asking for money. Fortunately, a good fundraising story does not feel like a sales pitch. Instead of repeatedly asking people to donate, focus on explaining your journey and why the cause matters. Once people understand your motivation, many will decide to support you without feeling pressured. A polite invitation to donate at the end of your story is usually far more effective than repeatedly reminding people throughout. Read more about how to ask friends and family for donations here. Keep Your Story Updated Your story should evolve as your training progresses rather than remaining exactly the same for months. Update your fundraising page with long runs, races and fundraising events. Share training photos and milestones on social media, write short progress updates for supporters and celebrate when you hit fundraising targets. These updates keep your story fresh and remind people that your challenge is moving closer. They also give existing supporters something to engage with and encourage new people to donate. Good And Bad Examples A few small changes can make a huge difference to how your fundraising comes across. This is a really week example: 'I'm running the London Marathon. Please sponsor me if you can. Every donation helps. Thanks.' This tells people almost nothing. There is no explanation of why you are running, why you chose the charity or why the challenge matters to you. This is a much better example: 'This October I'll be running my first marathon to raise money for a charity that has supported my family through some incredibly difficult times. Training has already meant plenty of early mornings and sore legs, but it is nothing compared to the challenges many people supported by the charity face every day. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help the charity continue providing its vital services. Thank you so much for your support.' This version explains the motivation, acknowledges the challenge and finishes with a sincere thank you without sounding demanding. Common Mistakes To Avoid Many fundraising stories miss opportunities because they make avoidable mistakes. These include writing only one or two sentences, making the story entirely about the running challenge, copying text directly from the charity's website, never updating your story as training progresses or forgetting to thank supporters. It is also worth checking your spelling and grammar before publishing anything. Whether someone is reading your fundraising page, a Facebook post or a message asking them to support your challenge, a polished story creates a better impression. Read more about avoiding fundraising mistakes here. Make It Easy To Read Most people will read your fundraising page or social media posts on their phone. Keep paragraphs reasonably short, use simple language and avoid large blocks of text. Your story does not need to be long. Around 300 to 500 words is usually ideal for a fundraising page, while shorter versions can be adapted for social media, emails and event promotions. Final Thoughts How To Write A Charity Fundraising Story That Inspires More Donations A great charity fundraising story is not just something you write once for your fundraising page. It becomes the foundation for almost every piece of communication throughout your fundraising journey, from social media updates and emails to local press coverage and conversations with potential supporters. Be honest, keep it personal and let your story develop as your training progresses. Combined with regular updates and genuine gratitude towards your supporters, it can help more people connect with your challenge and encourage more donations along the way.

Launching your fundraising page is only the beginning of your fundraising story. If you are preparing for a marathon, half marathon or another running challenge, there could be several months between your first appeal for donations and the day you cross the finish line. That creates both an opportunity and a problem. You have plenty of time to raise money, but repeatedly sharing the same fundraising link with the same message can quickly become easy for people to ignore. Good fundraising updates give people something new to read, help them follow your progress and provide natural reasons to remind them about your fundraising without making every message feel like another request for money. Think Of Your Fundraising As An Ongoing Story Your original fundraising page should explain what you are doing, why you are doing it and why the cause matters to you. Your updates have a different job: they tell people what has happened since then. Think of them as new chapters rather than shortened versions of your original story. You might have reached a new training distance, passed a fundraising milestone, organised an event, learned something about your charity or experienced a difficult week that reminded you why the challenge matters. The important point is that something should have changed. If an update gives people no new information, there is little reason for them to pay attention to it. Give Every Update A Purpose Before writing an update, ask yourself one simple question: what is new? Perhaps you have reached 50 per cent of your target. Maybe you have completed your longest training run, received your charity vest, organised a fundraising event or have only a few weeks left before race day. Any of those can give an update a clear purpose. That is much stronger than repeatedly writing variations of “I am still raising money, please sponsor me”. Your fundraising link may be the same, but the reason you are sharing it has changed. A useful update normally needs one main idea. Trying to include your latest training run, fundraising total, charity information, race day plans and three different requests in the same message can make the important point disappear. Do Not Make Every Update An Appeal For Money Ultimately, you want people to donate, but that does not mean every communication has to begin and end with a request for sponsorship. Some updates can simply show progress. Others can thank supporters, explain something about the charity, celebrate a milestone or reveal another part of your story. You can still include your fundraising link so that somebody who wants to donate can easily do so. This variety matters because the same people may see your fundraising several times. If every post is essentially the same appeal, it becomes increasingly easy to scroll past. If each one adds something to the story, there is a reason to keep following. You can then make the direct asks count. Reaching a major milestone, approaching race day or getting close to your target are all natural moments to ask people to help you take the next step. Find A Rhythm That Works For Your Campaign There is no single posting schedule that every charity runner needs to follow. A marathon campaign lasting four or five months gives you far more potential material than a short fundraising campaign. The important thing is to avoid disappearing for months while also avoiding the feeling that you are asking the same audience for money every few days. Think about the natural rhythm of your campaign. Early on, you might introduce the challenge and your reason for supporting the charity. As training develops, you gain milestones and setbacks to share. Later, fundraising progress and the approaching event provide new reasons to communicate. The closer you get to race day, the more naturally the story accelerates. Your final long run, race number, charity vest, fundraising total and race weekend can all create genuine updates without having to invent content simply because your calendar says it is time to post. Keep Updates Focused And Easy To Read People do not need another full version of your fundraising page every time you communicate with them. In many cases, a short update with one clear message will be more effective. Start with the interesting part. If you have just reached £1,000, say so. If you ran 18 miles for the first time, lead with that. If you are three weeks from your marathon and still £300 short of your target, make that clear. Then add enough context for the update to mean something. Explain why the milestone matters, how you felt or what happens next. Finish with an appropriate action, whether that is donating, sharing the page, coming to a fundraising event or simply following the rest of the journey. The aim is not to make every update as short as possible. It is to remove the parts that do not add anything. Vary What You Talk About One of the easiest ways to keep fundraising updates interesting is to stop treating fundraising as the only subject you are allowed to discuss. Your running challenge gives you plenty of material. You can share a training breakthrough, a difficult run, your first time reaching a new distance or the reality of fitting training around everyday life. These moments help people understand the commitment behind the event. Your charity provides another source of stories. You might share something you have learned about its work, explain why a particular part of that work matters to you or pass on an important message supplied by the charity. Then there is the fundraising itself. New donations, fundraising events, support from your workplace, match funding and progress towards your target can all become updates. Alternating between these different parts of the journey creates a much richer story than repeatedly reporting your fundraising total. If you're doing fundraising events, like bake sales, then share how they went. Updates aren't just about training. Use Photos And Video When They Add Something An update does not always have to be a piece of written text. A photograph from a long training run, a short video before a fundraising event or a finish line picture can sometimes tell the story more effectively. Keep it natural. You do not need polished videos, elaborate graphics or professional photography for every update. A genuine photograph showing what you have just done is often more useful than an image created simply because you think a social media post needs one. The same applies to screenshots from running apps. They can show that you completed a difficult training session, but the screenshot itself is rarely the story. Tell people why that particular run mattered. Celebrate Fundraising Milestones Fundraising milestones are some of the easiest updates to write because they contain both news and a reason to thank people. Reaching your first £100, 25 per cent of your target, halfway or another amount that feels significant gives you an opportunity to show that the campaign is progressing. These milestones give you a natural reason to update supporters and thank the people who have helped you get there. The percentage itself is not the most important part. Explain what reaching it means to you and recognise the people who helped you get there. Milestones can also create a natural next goal. If you have reached £750 of a £1,000 target, asking whether people can help you reach the final £250 feels very different from repeatedly asking them to donate without any sense of progress. Thank People As The Campaign Develops Do not save all your thanks until after race day. Your supporters are helping your campaign develop, so acknowledge them along the way. A milestone update can thank everyone who has donated so far. You might also thank people who attended a fundraising event, shared your page, provided a raffle prize or helped you with the challenge in another way. Be careful about naming individual donors publicly unless you know they are comfortable with it. Some people choose to donate anonymously or simply do not want their donation discussed on social media. Thanking supporters also changes the tone of your communications. Your fundraising story becomes something people are helping to build rather than a series of requests being sent to them. Read more about thanking supporters here. Give People Different Ways To Help Not everybody who sees an update will be in a position to donate. That does not mean they cannot help your fundraising. Occasionally ask people to share your fundraising page with somebody who might be interested in your cause. If you are holding a fundraising event, invite them to come along. If your employer offers match giving, an update could remind colleagues to check whether their donation qualifies. Current fundraising guidance commonly encourages fundraisers to ask supporters to share campaigns as well as donate. That can be particularly useful once you have already received support from many of the people closest to you. Changing the action you ask people to take can also make your updates feel less repetitive. Sometimes the most useful thing somebody can do is introduce your story to an entirely new group of potential supporters. Adapt The Update To Where You Are Sharing It The same piece of news can be used in several places, but it does not always need to be presented in exactly the same way. A fundraising page update can contain more context because people visiting the page already know they are reading about your campaign. An Instagram post might work better around a strong photograph, while WhatsApp can be more personal when you are contacting somebody you know directly. LinkedIn might be useful when the story involves your workplace, business support or match giving. Email can work particularly well when you have a group of friends, colleagues or club members who would appreciate a slightly fuller update. You do not have to create completely different content for every channel. Start with the story you want to tell and then adjust its length, opening and call to action to suit where people will see it. Read more about using LinkedIn for your fundraising here. Do Not Panic When An Update Produces No Donations Not every fundraising update will immediately produce money. That does not automatically mean it failed. Someone might see your training update today, your fundraising milestone next month and your race week post later before finally deciding to donate. Another person may already have donated but share your update with somebody who has not. Fundraising communication is cumulative. You are keeping the campaign visible and giving people multiple opportunities to understand what you are doing and why. That is another reason not to make every update feel desperate. If people know they can follow your journey without encountering a hard sell every time, they may be more willing to stay interested in it. Make Race Week Count Race week is one of the strongest natural moments in your entire fundraising campaign. The challenge that may have seemed months away is suddenly happening. Tell people how you are feeling, show them your race kit or charity vest and remind them what you are raising money for. You can also update the amount raised so far and explain how close you are to your target. This is an appropriate time for a clear fundraising ask because there is genuine urgency. People who intended to sponsor you but never got around to it now have a reason to act. Keep the focus on the story as well as the money. The strongest message is not simply that there are three days left to donate, but that months of preparation are about to lead to the challenge you originally promised to undertake. Update People After The Event Your final fundraising update should not be the one you post before the start. Tell people what happened. Share a finish line photograph, your result if it matters to you and something about the experience. Most importantly, thank the people whose support helped you reach that point. If you are still short of your fundraising target, it is reasonable to continue sharing your page after the event. Current fundraising guidance recognises that donations can continue after a challenge has been completed, particularly when supporters can finally see what the fundraiser achieved. When the campaign is finished, share the final fundraising total. That gives everyone who donated, shared, encouraged or helped a chance to see the result of something they were part of. Read more about fundraising post event here. Final Thoughts On Fundraising Updates Good fundraising updates are not repeated requests for money. They are the continuing story of your challenge. Give people something new when you communicate with them, vary the parts of the journey you share and choose moments that naturally give you a reason to talk about your fundraising again. Training progress, fundraising milestones, charity stories, setbacks, events and race day can all keep that story moving. You do not need every update to generate a donation immediately. Keep people interested, make it easy for them to support or share your fundraising when the moment is right, and give them a reason to stay with your story all the way to the finish.

Signing up to run for a charity can be exciting. You have your event, your charity and perhaps a fundraising target to reach, so the natural temptation is to create a fundraising page, share the link and start asking everyone you know for donations. Before you do that, spend a little time making a fundraising plan. You don't need a complicated spreadsheet or a detailed strategy, but it helps to understand how much you want to raise, why people might support you, who you are going to ask and how you are going to reach them. Doing that work before you start can make fundraising feel much more manageable, particularly if you have never raised money for charity before. Start With The Number You Need To Raise Your starting point should be your fundraising target. If you have a charity place in an event, check exactly what fundraising commitment you made when you accepted the place and whether the charity describes this as a minimum amount, a pledge or a target. If you secured your own place through a ballot, general entry or another route, you will not have a fundraising requirement. You can choose a target that feels ambitious but realistic for your circumstances and the amount of time you have available. Once you have a figure, it becomes much easier to make a plan. Raising £500 can feel very different when you start thinking about several possible sources of £50 or £100 rather than one intimidating £500 total, and a larger marathon fundraising target can be approached in exactly the same way. Your target doesn't necessarily have to stay fixed. Most online fundraising platforms allow it to be changed, so if your campaign goes particularly well you can increase it and give supporters something new to aim for. Read more about your fundraising target here. Work Out Why People Will Support You Before asking anyone for money, think about what you are going to tell them. People aren't necessarily donating simply because you are running a marathon, half marathon or 10K; they may be supporting your connection to the cause, the challenge you have taken on or simply you. If you have a personal connection to the charity, explain it if you are comfortable doing so. You don't need to share anything you would rather keep private, but helping people understand why you have chosen that particular charity can make your fundraising story much more meaningful. If you don't have a personal connection, that's fine too. Learn enough about the charity to explain why you chose it, what its work involves and what the money you raise could help it achieve. JustGiving specifically recommends explaining why you chose your charity, how you are challenging yourself and how the money raised will help. This thinking will eventually form the story on your fundraising page, but it will also give you something more interesting to say when you ask people for support. Map Out The People You Can Ask One of the most useful things you can do before fundraising is think beyond the obvious group of close friends and family. Consider the different parts of your life and the people you have genuine relationships with. There might be family, friends, neighbours, current and former work colleagues, running club members, people you know through your children's school, members of other clubs or organisations and contacts from your professional network. Your own list will be different, but writing these groups down can quickly show that your potential fundraising network is larger than you first thought. You don't need to ask all of them immediately. The purpose at this stage is to understand the size and shape of your network so that you don't use every potential supporter during the first few days of your campaign. It may also become obvious that different groups need different approaches. A WhatsApp message could be appropriate for close friends, while email may work better for some colleagues and LinkedIn can give you another way to reach professional contacts. Read more about asking friends and family here and using social media here. Decide How You Will Reach People Don't build your entire fundraising plan around repeatedly posting the same fundraising link on social media. Social platforms can be extremely useful, but they are only one way of reaching potential supporters. You might also use WhatsApp, email, LinkedIn, conversations at work, your running club, community groups or face-to-face fundraising. Think about the groups you identified when mapping your network and where you normally communicate with each of them. You don't need to use every possible channel. Concentrating on places where you already have genuine relationships can be much more effective than suddenly trying to build an audience somewhere new simply because you are fundraising. It is also worth thinking ahead about what you will have to talk about. Training milestones, fundraising progress, updates from your charity and the event getting closer can all give you genuine reasons to contact people again rather than simply reposting the same request. Don't Expect Every Pound To Come From Sponsorship A fundraising target doesn't necessarily have to be reached entirely through individual donations to your online fundraising page. If you have a larger target, it can be useful to consider whether fundraising activities could contribute part of it. A quiz, bake sale, workplace activity or other fundraising event might raise a chunk of your target while also introducing your campaign to people who might not otherwise have donated. Macmillan, for example, encourages event participants to consider additional fundraising activities alongside their online giving page. This doesn't mean you need to fill your diary with fundraising events. Organising them takes time and effort, while training for your running challenge will increasingly demand both, so one well chosen activity that suits your network may be more useful than several complicated events. Think about these activities at the planning stage rather than waiting until you are struggling to reach your target. You can then decide whether you actually need them once you see how your fundraising develops. Getting support and ideas from friends and family is crucial. Check What Your Employer Can Do If you work for an organisation, investigate its charity and community policies before you start fundraising. Some employers offer match giving or matched funding schemes, while others may make charitable donations, support employee fundraising activities or allow fundraising in the workplace. The arrangements vary considerably between employers, so ask your HR, people or corporate responsibility team what is available and what you need to do. There may be eligibility rules, deadlines, evidence requirements or limits on the amount an employer will contribute. It is worth checking this early because employer support could change the rest of your plan significantly. If your company will match some of the money you raise, you may not need to find the entire fundraising target from individual supporters and fundraising activities. Read more about match giving here. Break Your Target Into Smaller Pieces Once you have thought about your network and the different ways you might raise money, try dividing your overall target into smaller amounts. Imagine your target is £2,000. You might initially hope to find £700 from friends and family, £400 through work, £300 from a fundraising activity, £300 from your wider network and another £300 through employer match giving. Those figures aren't predictions and they don't need to be exact. Their purpose is to test whether your overall target looks achievable and to stop you relying on one group of people to provide all the money. The plan can change as soon as fundraising starts. If friends and family are much more generous than expected, that's great; if workplace fundraising produces very little, you can concentrate more effort somewhere else. Get Your Fundraising Page Ready Before You Share It Your fundraising page deserves more than a couple of rushed sentences followed by an immediate social media post. Set it up properly before you start sending people the link. Add a good photograph, set your target and explain what you are doing, which charity you are supporting and why. Where possible, tell potential supporters what the charity does and give them an idea of what donations could help achieve. JustGiving recommends including your reason for fundraising, your connection to the charity and details of your challenge, and personalising online fundraising pages with a photograph and your story. A completed page gives potential supporters much more reason to engage with your fundraising than an almost empty one. If your charity uses JustGiving or Enthuse, we have separate guides explaining how to make the most of your fundraising page. Plan Your First Few Donations Rather than immediately sending an empty fundraising page to everyone you know, consider approaching a few people close to you first. They may already know about your challenge and be happy to help get your fundraising started. Make a personalised approach to close friends and family, and start with your closest contacts. Early donations can encourage other people to donate, and making the first donation yourself is another option. There is no requirement to do this, and you shouldn't feel that you have to donate to your own page. The important point is to think about how you want to start rather than automatically sending the link to your entire network as soon as the page is created. Think About Your Launch There doesn't need to be a dramatic launch day, but you should have some idea of how you are going to introduce your fundraising. Rather than posting a bare link and asking people to sponsor you, explain what you are doing, why you are doing it and why their support matters. You also don't need to contact everyone you know at once. Fundraising for a running event can last for weeks or months, and your training will provide new stories, milestones and reasons to talk about the challenge as the event gets closer. Keeping some audiences and opportunities for later gives your campaign somewhere to go after the initial burst of donations. Regular, genuine updates are also more interesting for potential supporters than seeing exactly the same fundraising request repeatedly. Check The Rules Before Organising Fundraising Activities If you are fundraising as part of an official charity team, ask your charity about any materials, advice and fundraising support it can provide. It may already have resources that will save you time and help you organise activities correctly. If you plan to organise raffles, lotteries, prize draws, public collections or other fundraising activities, check the relevant rules before going ahead. The requirements vary according to the activity and, in some cases, where it takes place; for example, public collections can require permission or a licence, while raffles and other lotteries are regulated activities. If you're unsure, speak to your charity before organising the activity. In the UK, the Fundraising Regulator provides guidance on different fundraising methods, while the Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating lotteries. Read more about organising a raffle here. Understand Where Gift Aid Fits In If you are fundraising for a UK charity, Gift Aid can make eligible donations from UK taxpayers worth 25% more to the charity without costing the donor anything extra. The donor must meet the eligibility requirements and make a valid Gift Aid declaration. However, Gift Aid doesn't apply to every pound that enters your fundraising campaign. Payments for goods or services are not eligible, and special rules can apply to fundraising events and sponsored challenges, so don't automatically add 25% to everything you expect to raise. Your charity or fundraising platform should provide guidance on Gift Aid, and HMRC publishes the detailed rules. For your initial fundraising plan, the important thing is to recognise that Gift Aid can increase the value of eligible donations without treating it as money that you personally have to raise. Read more about gift aid here. Then Build Your Fundraising Timeline Once you've worked through these steps, you have the foundations of your fundraising plan. You know what you are trying to raise, understand the story you want to tell and have identified the people you can approach, the channels you can use and possible additional sources of money. The next step is deciding when you are going to do everything. That's where a fundraising timeline becomes useful, because it allows you to spread your activity across the weeks or months leading up to the event rather than asking everyone at the beginning and then wondering what to do next. Our Charity Fundraising Timeline takes you through that next stage and helps you decide what to do and when. The plan tells you where the money might come from; the timeline helps you turn that plan into action. Read more about your fundraising timeline here. Your Charity Fundraising Plan Doesn't Need To Be Complicated The purpose of planning isn't to predict every donation before you start. You won't know exactly who will support you, which messages will work best or where unexpected donations might come from, and your fundraising will almost certainly change as you go. What you need is a sensible starting point. Know your target and why you are fundraising, think about who you can ask and how you can reach them, check whether your employer can help and consider whether you need other fundraising activities alongside individual donations. Then get your fundraising page ready and start putting your charity fundraising plan into action. Spending a little time thinking about your campaign before you share that first link can make a large fundraising target feel much more achievable.

Mount to Coast is one of the newer names in running shoes, but it has taken an unusual route into an extremely competitive market. Rather than starting with conventional everyday trainers or carbon plated marathon shoes, the company initially concentrated on footwear capable of coping with the enormous distances covered by ultra runners. That focus remains an important part of the brand, but the range has expanded quickly. Mount to Coast now makes everyday road shoes, highly cushioned shoes, stability footwear, road to trail shoes and dedicated trail running shoes alongside its original ultra distance racing models. If you've seen Mount to Coast running shoes and wondered where the brand has come from, what technologies such as LightCell, ZeroSag and CircleCell actually mean or which shoe might suit your running, here's everything you need to know. The History Of Mount To Coast Mount to Coast is a relatively young performance running shoe company. Work began on its first prototype ultra running shoe in August 2022, and that prototype received an ISPO Award in 2023 before the brand officially launched in the United States in April 2024. Long distance running was central to the company from the beginning. Rather than simply designing a conventional road shoe and marketing it towards ultra runners, Mount to Coast concentrated on some of the particular problems created by running for many hours or even several days, including cushioning durability, foot swelling and the need for a secure but adjustable fit. The company's early R1 and S1 shoes subsequently attracted attention through their use in extreme distance events. In 2024, British ultra runner Justin Montague completed the 854 mile JOGLE route from John o' Groats to Land's End in a single pair of R1s. The range has since expanded considerably, including the launch of Mount to Coast's first dedicated trail shoe, the T1, in 2025. Why Are Mount To Coast Running Shoes Becoming More Popular? Mount to Coast arrived at a time when running shoe development was heavily focused on making shoes faster. Carbon plates, very lightweight foams and increasingly sophisticated racing shoes had transformed marathon footwear, but ultra distance running presents a somewhat different set of problems. A shoe that feels excellent for two hours doesn't necessarily need the same characteristics as one intended to remain comfortable through 100 miles or a multi day event. Mount to Coast has therefore concentrated heavily on cushioning consistency, durability, adjustable fit and providing enough space for feet that may swell during very long runs. The range is also becoming relevant to runners who have no intention of completing an ultramarathon. Models such as the C1 and P1 move the company closer to the conventional daily running shoe market, while H1 provides a road to trail option and T1 takes the brand properly off road. That broader range means Mount to Coast is increasingly becoming a running shoe brand rather than simply an ultra running specialist. What Makes Mount To Coast Running Shoes Different? Long distance durability remains the thread connecting much of the Mount to Coast range. The company has developed several technologies around maintaining cushioning, creating a smooth transition through the stride and allowing runners to adjust the fit of their shoes. LightCell is the company's supercritical midsole foam. Mount to Coast uses nitrogen during the foaming process to create a relatively lightweight and responsive material that forms the cushioning base in several of its shoes. ZeroSag is different. Developed with chemical company BASF, it is used as an insert within the midsoles of models including the R1 and S1. Its purpose is to help the cushioning maintain its properties during prolonged use rather than becoming progressively less effective as a very long run continues. The company also uses what it calls GoFlow geometry to influence the transition from landing through to toe off. As with similar technologies from other manufacturers, runners should treat claims about optimising individual stride patterns as manufacturer positioning rather than assuming that the technology will produce the same biomechanical effect for everybody. What Is The Mount To Coast TunedFit System? One of the more unusual features found on several Mount to Coast shoes is TunedFit. Instead of using a single conventional set of laces, the system allows the fit around different parts of the foot to be adjusted separately. This is particularly relevant to ultra distance running because feet can swell considerably during very long events. A runner may want more room around the forefoot after many hours without allowing the entire shoe to become loose. The R1 uses TunedFit to provide separate adjustment around the forefoot and midfoot, while the system also appears on shoes such as the H1 and T1. It isn't used on every Mount to Coast model, with the S1, for example, retaining conventional lacing. You certainly don't need adjustable dual lacing to run an ultramarathon, but it is a good example of Mount to Coast designing around a specific long distance problem rather than simply adding another performance technology to the midsole. What Is Mount To Coast CircleCell? CircleCell is a newer Mount to Coast midsole material and one of the more interesting developments within the current range. The foam is produced using renewable feedstock derived from organic waste and residual biomass. Mount to Coast developed it using BASF materials and a supercritical foaming process, and it is now used in models including the H1 and C1. Mount to Coast makes strong claims about both the energy return and longevity of CircleCell, including comparisons with PEBA foams. Those figures should be treated as manufacturer claims rather than guarantees of how a shoe will perform for every runner. Independent testing of the C1 has nevertheless found the shoe to provide substantial cushioning and a stable platform for long distance running, although testers haven't universally regarded it as particularly fast or exceptionally responsive. That distinction is useful: a foam can work very well for long distance cushioning without necessarily producing the sensation runners associate with an aggressive racing shoe. What Is Heel Drop? Heel drop is the difference in height between the heel and forefoot of a running shoe. There isn't one standard drop across the Mount to Coast range because different shoes are designed for different purposes. The S1 uses a 10mm drop, while the R1 uses 8mm. The newer C1 has a lower 6mm drop, and the trail focused T1 drops further to 4mm. None of those figures makes one shoe inherently better than another. Runners who are comfortable in conventional road shoes may find an 8mm or 10mm drop familiar, while moving to a considerably lower drop can change the demands placed on the calves and Achilles tendons. As with any running shoe, fit, comfort and what your body is accustomed to are more useful considerations than choosing a shoe simply because its drop is higher or lower. Read more about maximalist and minimalist running shoes here. Does Mount To Coast Make Neutral Running Shoes? Neutral road shoes make up an important part of the Mount to Coast collection. The R1 was created primarily for ultra distance road racing and multi day events, while the S1 provides a more conventional daily training option. The newer C1 moves further into the highly cushioned training category and is designed for runners accumulating substantial road mileage. These shoes don't all feel the same simply because they are neutral. Differences in cushioning, stack height, drop, platform width and fit mean that a runner may find one significantly more comfortable than another. Does Mount To Coast Make Stability Shoes? The P1 is Mount to Coast's dedicated stability road running shoe. Rather than relying on a traditional firm medial post, the P1 uses a structure called 3D Archrail alongside a wide platform, midsole geometry and a dual zone insole to provide additional guidance and support. This reflects the wider change taking place in stability running shoes. Many modern models now use geometry, sidewalls and broader platforms rather than the obvious blocks of firmer foam that once defined the category. Independent testing has generally described the P1's support as relatively mild rather than aggressive, particularly around the forefoot. That may appeal to runners who prefer some additional guidance without the feel of a traditional stability shoe. As always, pronation itself isn't automatically a reason to choose stability footwear. Many runners pronate naturally and run comfortably in neutral shoes. Does Mount To Coast Make Carbon Plate Running Shoes? Mount to Coast doesn't currently build its road running range around carbon plated racing shoes. That is notable because the company entered the performance footwear market during a period when many brands were concentrating heavily on carbon plated marathon shoes. Mount to Coast instead focused its original R1 on the different requirements of ultra distance road racing. For runners targeting a fast 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon and specifically wanting a highly aggressive carbon plated super shoe, there are more obvious choices elsewhere. For runners covering much longer distances, however, Mount to Coast's priorities around fit, cushioning consistency and durability may be more relevant. Read more about super shoes here. Does Mount To Coast Make Trail Running Shoes? Mount to Coast moved into dedicated trail footwear with the T1, which launched in 2025. The T1 is designed specifically for long distance trail running and racing. It uses a 4mm heel to toe drop and 4mm lugs, with a Vibram Megagrip outsole designed to provide traction across different trail surfaces. Mount to Coast also offers the H1, but this serves a different purpose. The H1 is a road to trail shoe intended for runners whose routes combine pavement, gravel and trails rather than being a dedicated technical trail model. That distinction is important. If you regularly run from your front door onto relatively straightforward trails, a hybrid shoe can be more practical than an aggressive trail shoe. If the majority of your running is properly off road, the T1 is the more obvious Mount to Coast option. Which Mount To Coast Running Shoe Is Right For You? Mount To Coast S1 The S1 is the brand's versatile road training shoe. It uses a 10mm drop with a 36mm heel and 26mm forefoot stack and combines a LightCell midsole with a ZeroSag insert. It is designed primarily for long distance training rather than outright speed and is one of the more conventional ways to experience Mount to Coast's ultra distance cushioning technology. Mount To Coast R1 The R1 is the shoe most closely associated with Mount to Coast's original ultra running identity. It is designed for ultra distance road racing and multi day events and uses an 8mm drop. The shoe combines LightCell cushioning with ZeroSag inserts and the TunedFit dual lacing system. The latter allows the forefoot and midfoot fit to be adjusted separately, which can become useful as feet swell during very long races. Mount To Coast C1 The C1 (pictured above) is a highly cushioned road training shoe designed for high mileage and long distance running. It has a 42mm heel stack, 36mm at the forefoot and a 6mm drop. CircleCell forms an important part of its cushioning system. Despite being positioned by Mount to Coast as a super trainer, independent testing has tended to find its strengths lie more in cushioning, stability and comfortable long distance running than in outright speed. That potentially makes it relevant to a much wider audience than ultra runners. Runners looking for a substantial shoe for easy runs, recovery sessions and long road mileage may find the C1 more relevant than the brand's ultra racing origins suggest. Mount To Coast P1 The P1 is the dedicated stability model. It uses a 10mm drop and incorporates the company's 3D Archrail structure to provide additional guidance. It is designed for everyday road running and walking rather than racing. The support is relatively modern in its approach, using geometry and structure rather than relying solely on the traditional medial post found in many older stability shoes. Mount To Coast H1 The H1 is the road to trail model and one of the first Mount to Coast shoes to use the company's CircleCell midsole. It is intended for runners whose routes cross different surfaces rather than remaining entirely on road or trail. Its VersaGrip outsole is designed to provide the additional traction needed away from the pavement without turning the shoe into a specialist mud or technical mountain model. Mount To Coast T1 The T1 is Mount to Coast's dedicated long distance trail running shoe. It uses a 4mm drop, 4mm lugs and a Vibram Megagrip outsole incorporating Litebase and Traction Lug technologies. The shoe also uses TunedFit dual lacing and a woven upper reinforced with aramid fibres. It is designed particularly around long trail races, making it the natural Mount to Coast choice for runners who spend the majority of their time properly off road. Mount To Coast H1 Are Mount To Coast Running Shoes Sustainable? Mount to Coast has made sustainability a more prominent part of its recent product development, particularly through CircleCell. The company says CircleCell is produced from renewable feedstock derived from organic waste and residual biomass, with its manufacturing process certified through schemes including REDcert² and ISCC Plus. This is more substantial than simply changing the packaging around an otherwise conventional running shoe. Recycled materials are also used elsewhere in the range. The S1 upper uses recycled yarn, while the R1 incorporates recycled polyester. That still doesn't make a running shoe environmentally neutral. Footwear remains a complex product combining different foams, rubbers, textiles, adhesives and manufacturing processes, and eventually has to be replaced. It is therefore more accurate to say that Mount to Coast is experimenting with lower impact materials and placing unusual emphasis on durability rather than simply describing its running shoes as sustainable. Read more about sustainable running shoes here. Are Mount To Coast Running Shoes Worth It? Mount to Coast is worth considering if you are interested in long distance running, but its appeal is no longer limited to ultra runners. The brand's original focus gives it a clear identity. Features such as adjustable lacing, wide platforms and cushioning designed around prolonged use address genuine issues encountered during very long runs rather than simply copying the technology used by established road running brands. The expanding range is also important. C1 provides a highly cushioned road trainer, P1 introduces stability, H1 covers road to trail running and T1 gives the company a genuine trail shoe. The main limitation is choice. Mount to Coast still has a much smaller range than companies such as ASICS, Brooks, Nike or New Balance, and runners looking specifically for lightweight short distance racers or carbon plated marathon shoes will find more options elsewhere. For runners prioritising comfort over long distances, however, Mount to Coast has become considerably more than an interesting new ultra running brand. Frequently Asked Questions Is Mount To Coast A New Running Shoe Brand? Development of the company's first ultra running shoe prototype began in 2022, and Mount to Coast officially launched in the United States in 2024. It is therefore much younger than most of the major running shoe brands. Where Is Mount To Coast From? Mount to Coast is a relatively new international performance running footwear brand with roots in Hong Kong. It launched commercially in the United States in 2024 and now sells its shoes in a number of international markets, including the UK. Are Mount To Coast Running Shoes Only For Ultrarunners? Ultra distance running was the original focus and continues to influence the design of the shoes, but the range is now considerably broader. Models such as the S1 and C1 can be used for conventional road training, P1 provides a stability option, H1 covers road to trail running and T1 is designed for trails. Does Mount To Coast Make Stability Running Shoes? The P1 is the company's dedicated stability shoe. It uses a 3D Archrail structure alongside other design features to provide additional guidance without relying on a conventional medial post. Does Mount To Coast Make Trail Running Shoes? The T1 is Mount to Coast's dedicated long distance trail shoe and uses 4mm lugs with a Vibram Megagrip outsole. The H1 is a different proposition, designed for routes that combine roads and trails. Does Mount To Coast Make Carbon Plated Running Shoes? Mount to Coast doesn't currently base its running range around carbon plated racing shoes. Its original racing focus was ultra distance running, where it prioritised cushioning consistency, fit and durability rather than developing a conventional carbon plated marathon super shoe. Which Mount To Coast Shoe Is Best For Everyday Running? The S1 is designed as a versatile daily road trainer, while the newer C1 provides substantially more cushioning for runners who prefer a high stacked shoe for longer and easier mileage. Which feels better will depend on the amount of cushioning, drop and overall ride you prefer. Which Mount To Coast Shoe Is Best For Ultramarathons? It depends on the surface. The R1 is designed specifically around ultra distance road racing and multi day events, while the T1 is the dedicated long distance trail option. The C1 is aimed more towards high mileage road training. Are Mount To Coast Running Shoes Good For Wide Feet? Several Mount to Coast shoes provide relatively generous forefoot space, and the R1 in particular was designed with foot swelling during ultra distance running in mind. Fit still differs between models, however, so runners shouldn't assume that every Mount to Coast shoe will fit every wide foot. How Long Do Mount To Coast Running Shoes Last? There isn't a fixed mileage at which Mount to Coast shoes need replacing. The company places considerable emphasis on cushioning durability, particularly in shoes using ZeroSag and CircleCell, but actual lifespan will depend on the model, runner, surface, body weight and usage. Rather than replacing shoes at an arbitrary mileage, look for substantial outsole wear, damage to the upper and noticeable changes in cushioning or comfort. Final Thoughts On Mount To Coast Running Shoes Mount to Coast is an interesting addition to the running shoe market because it began by trying to solve the problems created by extreme distance rather than simply producing another conventional daily running shoe. That ultra running influence remains visible in technologies designed around cushioning consistency, adjustable fit and accommodating feet over very long distances. What has changed is the breadth of the range. Mount to Coast now has shoes for daily road training, highly cushioned mileage, stability, road to trail running and dedicated trail running as well as ultra distance racing. The individual models become easier to understand once you separate their roles. S1 is the versatile daily trainer, R1 is the ultra distance road racer, C1 provides maximum cushioning for high mileage training, P1 adds stability, H1 bridges road and trail, and T1 takes the range properly off road. Mount to Coast is still a young brand, so it doesn't offer anything approaching the choice available from the biggest running shoe companies. But its rapid expansion and distinctive long distance focus make it one of the more interesting newer running shoe brands to watch. Read more about other running shoe brands here.

When you start running regularly, one of the first questions that tends to appear is how often you should actually do it. Is running three times a week enough? Should you be running four or five times if you're training for a marathon? And if somebody on your running app seems to run every day, should you be doing the same? There isn't one number that works for everybody. How many days a week you should run depends on your experience, your goals, how much running you already do and, importantly, how well you recover from it. For many recreational runners, three or four runs a week can provide enough training to improve fitness, prepare for events and become a better runner without allowing running to take over the rest of the week. How Many Days A Week Should You Run? For most beginners, three running days a week is an excellent place to start. It provides enough regular running to develop fitness while leaving plenty of recovery time between sessions. It is also the structure used by the NHS Couch to 5K programme, which has beginners running three times each week with rest days between runs. As your body becomes accustomed to running, you can gradually increase the amount you run or, if there is a good reason to do so, add another running day. More experienced recreational runners will often run three, four or five times each week, but there is no point at which you suddenly have to start running five or six days simply because you are training for a specific event. A more useful question than simply asking how many days you should run is how much running you can consistently recover from. Finding that balance is more important than chasing an arbitrary number of running days. Is Running Three Times A Week Enough? For a large proportion of runners, three runs each week can provide a very effective training structure, particularly if those runs have slightly different purposes. A typical week might include an easy run, a session containing some quicker running and a weekend long run, although beginners don't need to worry about specific speed sessions. Three days is particularly suitable if you are new to running, returning after a break, combining running with another sport or simply don't have the time or desire to run more frequently. You also don't need to make every run difficult for the arrangement to work. Much of the benefit comes from repeating manageable training consistently rather than exhausting yourself whenever you go out. Three days can also work for runners preparing for longer events. Half marathon and even marathon training doesn't automatically require five or six running days each week. The individual runs will generally become longer as the event approaches, particularly the long run, but increasing distance doesn't necessarily mean increasing the number of days on which you run. What About Running Four Days A Week? Moving from three to four running days can be a useful progression once three runs feel comfortably manageable. The additional day shouldn't simply become another hard workout; in many cases, the best use of it is an easy run that allows you to increase your overall running without turning the whole week into a succession of demanding sessions. A runner training four times a week might, for example, include two easy runs, one session containing some faster running and one long run. That can provide a good balance for recreational runners because there is enough running to develop endurance while three non-running days remain available for recovery, strength work or other activities. If you're currently running three times comfortably and making progress, however, there is no reason to add a fourth day simply because you think that is what a more serious runner is supposed to do. Additional running should serve a purpose rather than becoming a measure of how committed you are. Read more about easy runs here. Should Marathon Runners Run Five Days A Week? Training for a marathon doesn't automatically mean running five days a week. It is easy to look at more advanced marathon plans and assume that progressing towards 26.2 miles means progressively filling every available day with running, but recreational runners can prepare successfully using a variety of weekly schedules. A runner who has gradually built a strong base and is comfortable running four times a week may benefit from adding a fifth easy run because it allows weekly mileage to be spread across more sessions. Another runner may be better remaining on four days and gradually developing those sessions. Your training history, available time, recovery and goals matter more than the fact that the event happens to be a marathon. Someone hoping to complete a first marathon also has very different training requirements from someone chasing a substantial personal best. The faster runner may eventually benefit from greater training volume, but the first-time marathon runner shouldn't copy that schedule simply because both are preparing for the same distance. What Happens If You Run Five Or Six Days A Week? Running five or six times each week gives you more opportunities to accumulate training without making every individual run particularly long. That can become useful as runners gain experience and want to increase their weekly volume because another short easy run may be more manageable than making several existing runs considerably longer. The important point is that increasing frequency doesn't mean increasing the number of hard sessions at the same rate. If you run frequently, most of those runs should be relatively comfortable. Long runs, faster workouts and races place greater demands on the body and need sufficient recovery around them, so adding another running day will often mean adding easy running rather than another demanding workout. For the recreational runner, five or six running days should therefore be regarded as an option rather than an objective. Some runners enjoy that frequency and respond well to it, while others make excellent progress on three or four days. There is no prize for collecting the largest number of running days. Should You Run Every Day? Some experienced runners successfully run seven days a week, particularly when several of those sessions are short and genuinely easy. They may have spent years gradually adapting to that amount of running, which makes their schedule the wrong template for somebody who has only recently started running regularly. For most recreational runners there is little reason to deliberately aim for seven running days. A complete day away from running provides an obvious opportunity for physical and mental recovery, while also making it easier to fit strength training and the rest of life around your running. Running streaks can be enjoyable and motivating for some people, but maintaining a streak isn't the same thing as following the most effective training programme. If you are already improving on three, four or five days, increasing your frequency simply so that you can say you run every day isn't necessarily going to make you a better runner. Beginners Need Time To Adapt To Running Running places demands on muscles, tendons, bones and joints that may be unfamiliar when you first start. Your fitness may also improve more quickly than some of the tissues involved in running adapt to the repeated loading, so feeling capable of doing more doesn't always mean that immediately adding substantially more running is the best idea. This is one reason gradual progression matters. Rather than suddenly adding several extra sessions because your first few weeks have gone well, give your body time to become accustomed to the running you are already doing. If you move from two running days to three, for example, you probably don't also need to make all three runs substantially longer during the same week. You may have heard that runners should never increase their weekly mileage by more than 10%. It can be a useful reminder to avoid enormous jumps in training, but it shouldn't be treated as a scientifically proven injury prevention rule that applies to every runner. Gradual, sensible progression and paying attention to how you are responding to training are more useful than trying to make every week's increase fit a particular percentage. Don't Confuse Running Frequency With Running Volume Two runners can both run four days each week while doing completely different amounts of training. One might run 5km on each occasion for a total of 20km, while another could accumulate more than twice that distance over the same number of running days. The number of days you run therefore tells only part of the story. Distance, duration, intensity, terrain and your recent training history all affect how demanding your running week is, which is why simply comparing your number of running days with somebody else's doesn't tell you very much. Adding a fifth day containing a relaxed 20 minute run is also very different from adding another demanding interval workout. When considering whether to run more often, look at your whole training week and the stress it creates rather than simply counting how many days contain a run. Make Most Of Your Running Manageable A common mistake among newer runners is to run at roughly the same moderately hard effort whenever they go out. The result can be that easy days aren't really easy, while the runner isn't fresh enough to get the most from sessions that are intended to be harder. As running frequency increases, genuinely easy running becomes even more useful because it allows training to accumulate without every session creating a large recovery demand. If you run four or five times a week, you shouldn't expect every one of those sessions to feel like a test of your fitness. Many of your runs should finish with the feeling that you could comfortably have carried on. Saving harder efforts for the sessions where they have a purpose can make it much easier to maintain a consistent training routine. Strength training, especially your legs, is an important part of your training programme Where Does Strength Training Fit? Running more days shouldn't squeeze everything else out of your week. Strength training can be a useful addition to a runner's programme and research supports its potential to improve aspects of running performance, but that doesn't mean the recreational runner needs to build their week around multiple gym sessions. For a beginner or recreational runner trying to balance running with work, family and everything else, one dedicated strength session each week is a useful and realistic starting point. If you enjoy strength training, have more ambitious performance goals or have the time to do more, you may choose to include another session, but you shouldn't feel that your running programme is incomplete because you aren't spending several days a week in the gym. Strength work doesn't necessarily need its own dedicated day either. You can combine it with a running day if that makes your week easier to manage, leaving other days available for recovery. The aim is to create a training routine that you can maintain rather than filling every available day with another workout. Read more about strength training here. How Do You Know If You Are Running Too Often? Your running schedule should leave you capable of recovering between sessions and functioning normally outside your training. A difficult workout will naturally leave you tired and heavy legs after a long run aren't automatically a concern, but you don't want fatigue to continually accumulate from one week to the next. Persistent soreness, declining performance, unusually heavy legs, disturbed sleep, a loss of enthusiasm for running or recurring niggles can all be reasons to review what you are doing. Sometimes the solution isn't stopping running completely but simply removing a session, shortening a few runs or replacing something demanding with an easier day. Pain that persists, worsens or changes the way you run deserves particular attention rather than being treated as something you automatically need to train through. Adding more running is rarely a sensible response when your body is already struggling with the amount you are doing. So How Many Days Should You Run? For a complete beginner, three days a week is a very sensible starting point, while even two days can be worthwhile if that is what fits your current fitness and circumstances. Once you are comfortable running regularly, three or four days will be enough for many recreational runners. Those training for a 10K, half marathon or marathon may eventually use four or five days, particularly if they want to increase their weekly running without making individual sessions excessively long. Five or six days tends to become more relevant to established runners who deliberately want greater training volume, while seven days is possible but certainly isn't a requirement for becoming fitter or faster. These aren't levels that you need to work through. You don't graduate from three days to four and then automatically to five. If three or four runs provide the results you want, allow you to recover properly and fit comfortably into your life, there may be no reason to change. Consistency Matters More Than Chasing Another Running Day The best running schedule isn't the one containing the most runs. It is the one you can repeat consistently while recovering properly and still enjoying your running. For someone starting out, three well-spaced runs a week can take you a long way, while an established runner may decide that adding a fourth or fifth run helps them progress towards a new goal. Running rewards consistency over months and years rather than the number of sessions you can squeeze into one particularly ambitious week. Four sensible runs that you can maintain are likely to take you further than six runs that continually leave you exhausted or unable to recover. The aim isn't to run as often as possible; it is to find the amount of running that allows you to keep progressing.

If you have a relatively advanced running watch, you may have noticed a figure for running power alongside more familiar measurements such as pace, heart rate and cadence. Measured in watts, running power provides another way of looking at the demands of your running and can respond quickly when you speed up or the terrain changes. Even for experienced runners, it is not essential. Think of running power as an advanced training tool that may help you fine tune your training and racing rather than a fundamental metric that everyone needs to monitor. What Is Running Power? Before getting into the detail, it is important to put running power into context. This is not a metric that beginner runners need to worry about. If you are relatively new to running, consistently completing your training, gradually building your fitness and learning how different running intensities feel are far more important than analysing your power output. Running power becomes more interesting for experienced, performance focused runners who are looking for additional ways to improve their times. If you are chasing a personal best, completing structured interval or threshold sessions, or trying to control your effort more effectively over hills, power can provide another useful piece of information alongside pace, heart rate and perceived effort. Power is the rate at which work is done and is measured in watts. Applying this concept to running is complicated because your body is moving in several ways at once, while changes in speed and gradient alter the mechanical demands of running. Running watches and specialist sensors use the information available to them and their own algorithms to calculate an estimate of running power. The inputs vary between systems and can include speed, body weight, gradient and movement data, while some systems can also account for the effect of air resistance. One important point is that there is no universally accepted definition of running power across all wearable systems. Different manufacturers can therefore use different methods to produce the wattage displayed on your watch. Running Power Is Not The Same As Cycling Power Cyclists have been using power meters for many years, but running power should not be assumed to work in exactly the same way. A cycling power meter can measure forces applied to components such as the pedals or crank and use these measurements to calculate mechanical power. Running wearables face a different challenge because there is no equivalent drivetrain where power can be measured in the same way. They instead estimate running power using sensor data and algorithms. This does not mean running power is meaningless. It does mean that it should be treated as a training metric produced by a particular measurement system rather than a universal number that can automatically be compared between different devices. What Does Your Running Power Number Mean? Running power is normally displayed in watts, so you might see a figure such as 250W or 300W during a run. A higher number generally represents greater calculated power output, but the figure becomes much more useful when considered in the context of your own running. Body mass can influence absolute power figures, which is one reason some systems also allow power to be expressed as watts per kilogram. However, this does not eliminate differences in how manufacturers calculate running power, so comparing your wattage with another runner using a different system may tell you relatively little. The more useful approach is to learn what your own numbers look like at different intensities while using the same system. With enough training data, you may begin to recognise the power associated with your easy running, threshold sessions, intervals and different race efforts. Read more about other running metrics here. Why Can Running Power Be Useful? One of the attractions of running power is how quickly it can respond when the demands of running change. If you accelerate or begin climbing a hill, the power figure can change rapidly, whereas heart rate normally takes some time to respond fully to an increase in intensity. This can make power particularly interesting during intervals and hill sessions, where effort can change quickly. It may also help runners judge their effort over courses where constantly changing gradients make pace difficult to interpret. Power should not automatically replace heart rate or pace. Each metric tells you something different, and experienced runners may gain more from understanding how power relates to their pace, heart rate and perceived effort than from concentrating on power alone. Running Power And Hills Hills provide one of the clearest examples of where running power can potentially help. Most runners naturally slow down when climbing, which creates the opposite problem if pace is viewed in isolation. Your pace becomes slower even though you may be working considerably harder. Running power systems can account for changes in gradient when calculating power. This gives an experienced runner another way of judging their effort over undulating terrain rather than trying to maintain an identical pace regardless of whether they are running uphill, downhill or on the flat. Power is not a perfect representation of the physiological cost of climbing, however. Research published in 2026 found that Stryd power slightly underestimated metabolic demand at steeper treadmill gradients, although maintaining a fixed Stryd power still produced relatively consistent indications of metabolic demand across the gradients studied. This is a useful reminder that power can help with hills without being a perfect measurement of what is happening inside your body. Running Power Versus Heart Rate Running power and heart rate measure different aspects of your running. Power is intended to quantify aspects of the external mechanical demands of running, while heart rate reflects part of your body's physiological response to exercise. The difference becomes obvious when intensity changes suddenly. Start a hard interval or climb a hill and your calculated power can rise quickly, while your heart rate usually takes longer to respond to the increased workload. Heart rate can also reveal things that a power figure cannot show on its own. Your cardiovascular response can be affected by factors such as heat, fatigue and hydration, so the same power output does not necessarily mean your body is experiencing exactly the same physiological stress on every run. For this reason, running power and heart rate are better viewed as complementary metrics. Looking at both can provide more context than assuming that one should replace the other. Read more about heart rate training here. Running Power Versus Pace Pace remains one of the simplest and most useful measurements available to runners. On a flat road in stable conditions, an experienced runner who knows their training and race paces may find that power adds relatively little. Power becomes potentially more useful when pace stops reflecting changes in the demands of the run. Hills are the obvious example, while systems that account for air resistance can also adjust their calculated power when conditions change. For performance focused runners, power can therefore provide additional context rather than replacing pace. Looking at pace, power and heart rate together can help you build a more complete picture of a training session. Do Garmin, Polar, Coros, Apple And Stryd Measure Power Differently? The major running watch manufacturers and specialist systems can provide running power, but they do not all calculate it in exactly the same way. This is why you should not assume that 300 watts on one system represents exactly the same thing as 300 watts on another. Garmin provides native wrist based running power on compatible watches and allows runners to set power zones and power alerts. Its compatible watches can also account for wind, using weather information, barometer data and GPS heading to adjust the power calculation. Polar uses a proprietary algorithm for wrist based running power on compatible watches. Its calculation uses speed and gradient obtained from GPS and barometric data, with the runner's weight also affecting the result. Coros provides running power on its current compatible running watches and says its calculation is related to weight, speed and other metrics. Apple Watch can display current running power and a power profile during compatible Outdoor Run workouts. Stryd takes a different approach by using a sensor attached to the shoe. It tracks movement through three dimensional space and uses the resulting information to calculate power, while its wind capable models incorporate the estimated cost of overcoming air resistance into total power. Because these systems work differently, consistency matters. If you train seriously using power and then change measurement systems, it is sensible to establish what your numbers look like on the new system rather than assuming your previous wattages and power zones will transfer directly. Running power is a valuable metric when hill training How Accurate Is Running Power? This is where running power needs to be treated with some caution. Research has shown that wearable power systems can produce useful and repeatable information, but studies have also found differences between devices. A study comparing five commercial running power technologies found substantial differences in repeatability and their relationship with oxygen consumption. Stryd performed best among the systems tested, but the research involved earlier generations of running power technology and should not be used to rank today's devices. Another study comparing commercially available devices with laboratory measurements found that absolute power measurements differed between devices. However, running power increased with running speed and was related to aerobic power during level treadmill running, suggesting that the metric can provide useful feedback even though different systems do not necessarily produce the same number. There are also limits to what a running power figure can tell you about your body's energy use. Research has demonstrated that changes in running economy can alter metabolic cost without being fully reflected in power estimated by a foot worn sensor. The practical conclusion is that running power can be useful without being perfect. Trends recorded consistently by the same system are likely to be more useful to a runner than treating the wattage on a watch as an exact and universal measurement of physiological effort. What Are Running Power Zones? Running power can be divided into training zones, much as heart rate is divided into zones. Instead of completing a session at a particular pace or heart rate, you can target a range of power intended to represent a particular training intensity. This can be useful on undulating routes because maintaining the same pace over every hill can produce large changes in effort. A power target may instead encourage you to slow down while climbing and run faster on easier sections while keeping the calculated workload more consistent. If you intend to base training on power, your zones need to be appropriate for you and the system you are using. Garmin, for example, allows compatible watches to base running power zones on a percentage of threshold power, while Stryd uses Critical Power to establish its training zones. Can Running Power Help You Race Faster? Simply displaying running power on your watch will not make you faster. Its value comes from whether the information helps you make better decisions about training and race pacing. For an experienced runner who understands their numbers, power may provide another way of controlling race effort. This could be particularly useful on an undulating course where following an exact target pace might result in working too hard on climbs and paying for that effort later. You need to establish the relationship between your power, pace, heart rate and perceived effort during training before trying to race by power. Race day is not the time to choose an unfamiliar wattage target and hope that it represents an intensity you can sustain. Should You Train By Running Power? If your watch already records running power, you do not need to immediately reorganise your training around it. A sensible first step is to observe the data after your runs and learn how the number behaves during different types of training. Look at what happens on hills, during intervals and at different paces, and compare power with your heart rate and perceived effort. Over time, you can decide whether it is giving you information that actually helps you train more effectively. If power helps you control sessions or pace variable terrain more consistently, you may eventually decide to use power zones or workout targets. If pace, heart rate and perceived effort already give you everything you need, there is no reason to add another metric simply because your watch provides it. Who Is Running Power Really For? Running power is most relevant to experienced runners who already train consistently and are looking for relatively small improvements in performance. It is particularly likely to interest runners chasing personal bests, following structured training programmes, completing regular interval and threshold sessions or training and racing on routes where changes in gradient make pace difficult to interpret. You do not need to be an elite athlete or achieve a particular race time before power becomes useful. A committed recreational runner trying to improve their 10K, half marathon or marathon time may have just as much reason to investigate it as a much faster runner. The important distinction is therefore not simply how fast you are. Running power becomes relevant when your training has reached the point where additional information might genuinely help you fine tune your sessions or race pacing. Do Beginners Need Running Power? For most beginners, the answer is no. Modern running watches provide an enormous amount of information, and it can be easy to assume that becoming a better runner means learning to analyse every metric they produce. Building consistency, increasing training sensibly, recovering properly and learning how different running intensities feel are much more important. Pace and perceived effort are enough to guide a great deal of beginner training, with heart rate available as another useful metric for runners who want more data. There is nothing wrong with looking at running power if your watch records it, but you do not need to structure your training around it. If you later become more focused on improving race times and start looking for smaller performance gains, it may then become worth exploring. Is Running Power Worth Using? Running power can be a useful advanced metric for experienced runners, particularly when terrain makes pace harder to interpret or when intensity changes too quickly for heart rate to respond immediately. Used consistently, it can add another layer of information to pace, heart rate and perceived effort. Its limitations are equally important. Different systems calculate running power differently, figures from different devices should not automatically be treated as interchangeable, and running power should not be confused with a direct measurement of your body's physiological effort. For beginners, there are much more important things to concentrate on. For experienced runners looking to improve their times, running power is worth understanding and experimenting with, but only if the information ultimately helps you train or race more effectively.

For many runners, caffeine is already part of everyday life. A coffee before work, a cup of tea in the afternoon or an espresso before a weekend run might have nothing to do with sports performance, but caffeine is also one of the best researched performance aids available to endurance athletes. For runners, the potential benefits are particularly interesting. Caffeine can improve endurance performance, increase alertness and reduce how hard exercise feels, potentially helping you maintain your pace when a run or race starts getting difficult. However, the amount you consume and when you take it can make a big difference. You don't necessarily need a large dose or a special supplement either. Coffee can provide enough caffeine to influence performance, while caffeinated gels, drinks and chews give runners other options during longer events. What Is Caffeine? Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa and a number of other plants. It affects the central nervous system, particularly by blocking the action of adenosine, a chemical involved in promoting feelings of tiredness. For runners, that can translate into increased alertness and a lower perception of effort during exercise. In simple terms, caffeine doesn't suddenly give you extra fitness, but a pace may feel slightly easier to sustain. Caffeine is available from far more than coffee and tea. It is also added to some energy gels, sports drinks, chews, energy drinks and tablets, giving runners several ways to use it before or during exercise. Does Caffeine Improve Running Performance? There is strong evidence that caffeine can improve exercise performance, with aerobic endurance among the areas where its benefits have been most consistently demonstrated. One of caffeine's most useful effects for runners is its influence on perceived exertion. If the same running intensity feels slightly easier, you may be able to maintain your effort more effectively before fatigue forces you to slow down. Caffeine may also improve alertness, attention and vigilance. That can become particularly useful during longer events, when maintaining concentration becomes increasingly difficult as physical and mental fatigue develop. The response isn't identical for everyone. Genetics, habitual caffeine consumption, individual sensitivity and the dose you take can all influence how caffeine affects both performance and side effects. Listen to our nutrition podcast here How Much Caffeine Should Runners Take? Sports nutrition research has consistently found performance benefits from caffeine at doses of around 3 to 6mg per kilogram of body weight. However, that doesn't mean every runner should immediately aim for that amount. For a 60kg runner, 3mg/kg would equal 180mg of caffeine. For a 70kg runner it would be 210mg, while an 80kg runner would be looking at 240mg. The upper end of the commonly researched range would be considerably higher. There is evidence that smaller doses can also be effective, and taking more doesn't necessarily produce a greater performance benefit. Higher doses are also more likely to cause unwanted effects including nervousness, nausea, headaches and sleep disruption. If you're experimenting with caffeine for running, starting with a relatively modest amount during training is far more sensible than jumping straight to a high dose. When Should You Take Caffeine Before Running? Around 60 minutes before exercise is the most commonly researched timing for caffeine, particularly when it is consumed as coffee or in capsule form. However, the ideal timing depends partly on how you consume it. Some forms of caffeine can be absorbed differently, so there isn't one perfect rule that applies to coffee, gels, chewing gum and every other caffeine product. For most recreational runners using coffee before a race or important training session, having it roughly 45 to 60 minutes before running is a practical starting point. The most important thing is to test your routine during training and learn how your body responds. Is Coffee Good Before Running? Coffee can be a perfectly good source of caffeine before running and may provide a performance benefit. The difficulty is knowing exactly how much caffeine you're consuming. Caffeine content can vary considerably depending on the type of coffee, serving size, beans and brewing method. Two coffees that look almost identical can therefore contain very different amounts of caffeine. That isn't necessarily a problem for an everyday training run. If you're trying to follow a more precise caffeine strategy for a marathon or another target race, however, a product with a clearly stated caffeine content can make your intake easier to control. Coffee can also stimulate the digestive system in some people. That may be useful before a morning run, but it can be less welcome when you're standing in a race start pen, which is another good reason to practise your routine beforehand. How Much Caffeine Is In Coffee And Tea? Caffeine content varies widely, so figures for individual drinks should always be treated as estimates. A typical cup of brewed coffee may contain roughly 80 to 100mg, but some coffees can contain considerably more. Tea generally contains less caffeine than coffee, although its caffeine content also depends on the type of tea and how it is prepared. Energy drinks, cola, chocolate and sports nutrition products can all add to your total intake as well. Even decaffeinated coffee usually contains a small amount of caffeine rather than being completely caffeine free. If you're deliberately using caffeine for running performance, check the label of packaged products rather than assuming how much caffeine they contain. Should You Use Caffeine During A Marathon? Caffeine doesn't have to be consumed entirely before you start running. For longer endurance events such as marathons and ultramarathons, some runners use caffeinated gels, chews or drinks later in the race. This can be particularly useful as fatigue develops, but caffeine should be considered alongside your complete fuelling strategy rather than as a replacement for carbohydrate. A caffeinated energy gel can provide both carbohydrate and caffeine, but it is still the carbohydrate that provides fuel. Keep track of the caffeine from everything you consume. A pre-race coffee followed by several caffeinated gels can quickly add up, particularly if every gel in your race plan contains caffeine. A useful approach can be to use a mixture of caffeinated and non-caffeinated products, depending on your individual strategy and tolerance. Does Caffeine Dehydrate You When Running? Caffeine is often described as dehydrating, which has led some runners to avoid coffee before races. For normal caffeine consumption, this concern is generally overstated. Caffeine can have a mild diuretic effect, particularly in some circumstances, but research does not suggest that sensible caffeine use alongside exercise causes the kind of fluid imbalance that runners once feared. That doesn't mean coffee should replace your normal hydration strategy. You still need to consider the length of your run, weather conditions, your individual sweat rate and access to fluids. There is no need for most runners to avoid caffeine purely because they are worried that a pre-run coffee will automatically dehydrate them. Can Caffeine Help Running Recovery? Caffeine is much more established as a performance aid than as a recovery strategy. Some research has found that consuming caffeine alongside carbohydrate after prolonged exercise can increase muscle glycogen replenishment, but this has often involved relatively large caffeine doses and isn't a reason most runners need to deliberately take caffeine after training. Your priorities after a demanding run should remain appropriate carbohydrate and protein intake, fluids and enough sleep. A normal cup of tea or coffee can comfortably fit into that routine if you enjoy it and tolerate caffeine well. In fact, protecting your sleep may be considerably more important for recovery than trying to gain a potential recovery benefit from caffeine late in the day. Does Caffeine Affect Sleep And Recovery? This is one of the biggest reasons runners shouldn't think of caffeine simply as a performance enhancer. Caffeine can remain in the body for hours, and consuming it later in the day may interfere with sleep. That matters because sleep is a fundamental part of recovery. A caffeinated gel that helps you through an evening training session isn't necessarily worthwhile if it then leaves you struggling to sleep. Individual sensitivity varies considerably, so pay attention to how late you can consume caffeine without affecting your sleep rather than relying entirely on what works for somebody else. Read about the importance of sleep for runners here. How Much Caffeine Is Safe? For healthy adults, caffeine intake of up to 400mg spread across the day is generally considered not to raise safety concerns. A single dose of up to 200mg is also considered safe for healthy adults under normal circumstances, including when consumed before intense exercise. These are safety guidelines rather than performance targets. You don't need to consume 400mg simply because that amount is considered acceptable for most healthy adults. Pregnant women are generally advised to keep total caffeine consumption to no more than 200mg per day. Anyone with a medical condition, taking medication that may interact with caffeine or who has concerns about increasing their caffeine intake should seek appropriate medical advice. What Are The Side Effects Of Caffeine? More caffeine doesn't mean better running. Large doses can cause jitteriness, headaches, nausea, increased heart rate, anxiety and digestive problems, while consuming caffeine too late can interfere with sleep. Some runners are much more sensitive than others. One person may drink coffee before a race without noticing any negative effects, while another may experience stomach problems or feel uncomfortably overstimulated from a relatively small amount. This individual variation is why caffeine needs to be practised in training in exactly the same way as your race-day breakfast, hydration and energy gels. What About Caffeine Tablets? Caffeine tablets provide a more precise dose than coffee, which can make them attractive to runners who want to know exactly how much caffeine they're consuming. That precision can also be a disadvantage if it encourages you to take more than you need. Tablets make it very easy to consume a relatively large amount of caffeine quickly, particularly if you forget to include coffee, tea, gels or other sources when calculating your total intake. If you use caffeine tablets, follow the product instructions carefully and keep track of caffeine from every other source. Should You Stop Drinking Coffee Before A Race? Some runners deliberately reduce or stop their normal caffeine intake before an important race because they believe this will make caffeine more effective on race day. Current evidence doesn't provide a strong reason for every habitual coffee drinker to go through caffeine withdrawal before racing. Suddenly stopping can also cause headaches, tiredness and irritability, which isn't necessarily what you want during race week. If your normal coffee routine works well during training, there is usually little reason to make a dramatic change immediately before your race. Read more about race day nutrition here. Final Thoughts On Caffeine For Runners Caffeine is one of the best supported performance aids available to runners. Research shows that it can improve endurance performance and alertness while reducing perceived effort, although the size of the benefit and the amount required vary between individuals. You don't need huge amounts to potentially benefit. While 3 to 6mg per kilogram of body weight is the range most consistently associated with improved exercise performance in research, lower doses may also help and can reduce the risk of unwanted side effects. For most runners, the best caffeine strategy is therefore a simple one. Find an amount you tolerate, test when and how you take it during training and consider the caffeine contained in coffee, gels, drinks and other products as part of your total intake. Most importantly, don't sacrifice sleep or a well-practised fuelling strategy in pursuit of a caffeine boost. Used sensibly, caffeine can give your running a small but meaningful advantage. It doesn't replace the training that makes that performance possible.

Vitamin B12 is needed for healthy red blood cells, normal nervous system function and the production of DNA. These are important functions for everyone, but some of the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency, including tiredness, weakness and anaemia, are particularly relevant to runners. Most runners who eat a varied diet containing animal products should be able to obtain sufficient vitamin B12 through food. However, runners following vegan diets need to pay particular attention to their intake because vitamin B12 is not naturally present in plant foods in reliable amounts. Some vegetarians, older adults and people with certain medical conditions or taking particular medicines can also be at greater risk of deficiency. So how important is vitamin B12 for runners, which foods provide it, and should runners consider taking a supplement? What Is Vitamin B12? Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that the body needs in relatively small quantities. It plays an important role in the formation of healthy red blood cells, maintaining the nervous system and making DNA. Unlike many water-soluble vitamins, the body can store substantial amounts of vitamin B12, primarily in the liver. This means a deficiency caused by inadequate dietary intake can sometimes take years to become apparent rather than developing quickly. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally mainly in animal-derived foods, including meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Plant foods do not provide a reliable natural source, although many breakfast cereals, plant-based drinks, yeast extracts and other foods are fortified with B12. Why Is Vitamin B12 Important For Runners? One of B12's most relevant functions for runners is its involvement in the production of normal red blood cells. Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs around the body, including to working muscles. A serious B12 deficiency can result in megaloblastic anaemia, in which the body produces abnormally large red blood cells that do not function normally. Anaemia can reduce the body's ability to transport oxygen effectively and may result in tiredness, weakness and reduced exercise capacity. Research examining vitamin and mineral status and physical performance has found that severe B12 and folate deficiency resulting in anaemia can reduce endurance performance. B12 is also important for normal neurological function. That matters because the nervous system controls muscle movement, coordination and many of the processes involved in running. However, there is an important distinction between preventing deficiency and taking extra vitamin B12 in an attempt to improve running performance. There is not good evidence that runners who already have adequate B12 status will become faster, have more energy or improve their endurance simply by consuming additional B12. Correcting a nutrient deficiency can be important, but taking progressively larger amounts of a nutrient you already obtain adequately does not necessarily provide an additional benefit. Does Running Increase Your Vitamin B12 Requirement? There is currently no established separate vitamin B12 recommendation specifically for runners. Although exercise can influence requirements for some micronutrients, research examining whether athletes have greater requirements for B12 remains limited. Research into B vitamins and exercise has found some evidence that physical activity may increase requirements for certain B vitamins, but there is insufficient evidence to establish an increased requirement for vitamin B12. Runners therefore do not generally need to consume more B12 simply because they run. What can matter is the runner's overall diet. Athletes who restrict their food intake, exclude major food groups or have very low energy availability have a greater chance of consuming inadequate amounts of individual micronutrients. The same applies to runners adopting diets that naturally contain little or no B12. How Much Vitamin B12 Do Runners Need? UK dietary guidance sets the Reference Nutrient Intake for vitamin B12 at 1.5 micrograms a day for people aged 15 and over. There is no higher official recommendation specifically for runners or other endurance athletes. Recommendations vary somewhat between countries because different health authorities use different methods when setting nutrient reference values. This is one reason runners searching online may see different daily figures. Rather than trying to hit a precise number at every meal, the priority should be maintaining a reliable long-term source of B12. For people eating animal products, this can normally be achieved through a varied diet. People following a vegan diet need sufficiently fortified foods, an appropriate B12 supplement or a combination of the two. The Best Food Sources Of Vitamin B12 Fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products can all provide vitamin B12, although the amount varies considerably between foods. Fish and shellfish can be particularly rich sources, while milk, yoghurt and eggs can make useful contributions for runners who eat them. For a runner eating an omnivorous diet, obtaining B12 does not usually require concentrating on one particular food. Eating a varied diet that regularly contains B12-rich foods will normally provide a mixture of sources. Vegetarians who consume eggs and dairy also have natural sources available, although research indicates that B12 status can still be lower in vegetarians than in people who regularly eat meat and fish. Long-term vegetarians should therefore still be aware of their overall intake rather than assuming that eating some dairy products or eggs automatically guarantees sufficient B12. Milk and yoghurt are good sources of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 For Vegan Runners B12 deserves particular attention if you are a vegan runner. A well-planned vegan diet can support endurance training and performance, but vitamin B12 is one nutrient that cannot reliably be obtained from unfortified plant foods. Research into nutrition for vegan athletes has identified vitamin B12 alongside nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D as one of the micronutrients requiring particular attention. Vegan athletes can meet their nutritional requirements and perform successfully, but doing so requires appropriate planning. Fortified plant-based drinks, some breakfast cereals, plant-based yoghurt alternatives and fortified yeast extracts can provide B12. The crucial word is fortified: products vary considerably, so check the nutritional information rather than assuming that every plant-based alternative contains B12. For vegan runners, B12 therefore needs to be planned rather than left to chance. The British Dietetic Association recommends using reliable fortified foods or a B12 supplement. Because the amount absorbed varies according to the dose, supplement doses are normally considerably higher than the 1.5 microgram daily UK reference intake. Check the nutritional information on fortified foods and follow appropriate professional or product guidance when choosing a supplement. Signs Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Vitamin B12 deficiency can produce a wide range of symptoms, and several could easily be mistaken by a runner for the effects of heavy training, insufficient recovery or general fatigue. Symptoms can include extreme tiredness, lack of energy, muscle weakness, pins and needles, a sore or red tongue, mouth ulcers and problems with memory or concentration. Neurological symptoms can also include numbness and problems with balance or coordination. Importantly, some neurological symptoms can occur even in the absence of anaemia. A runner experiencing persistent unexplained fatigue or a significant deterioration in running performance should therefore avoid assuming that the problem is simply a vitamin deficiency and self-treating it. Many different nutritional, medical and training-related issues can produce similar symptoms. Who Is More At Risk Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency? Diet is one potential cause of deficiency, but it is not the only one. Vegan runners who do not regularly consume fortified foods or supplements are an obvious higher-risk group, while some long-term vegetarians may also have low B12 status. Absorption can also be a problem. Vitamin B12 from food has to go through several stages before it can be absorbed, and conditions affecting the stomach or the end of the small intestine can interfere with this process. Autoimmune gastritis can reduce the body's ability to absorb B12 and has historically been associated with pernicious anaemia. People who have undergone certain types of gastrointestinal surgery may also have an increased risk, as can people with conditions affecting the part of the intestine where B12 is absorbed, including Crohn's disease. Certain medicines are another consideration. Current NICE guidance identifies medicines including metformin and acid-suppressing drugs such as proton pump inhibitors and H2-receptor antagonists among potential risk factors for B12 deficiency. Older age can also increase the likelihood of problems absorbing B12 from food. Vitamin B12, Iron And Anaemia In Runners Iron deficiency receives considerable attention in running because of iron's role in haemoglobin and oxygen transport, but iron deficiency is not the only nutritional cause of anaemia. Vitamin B12 and folate are both needed to produce normal red blood cells. A deficiency in either can cause megaloblastic anaemia, while iron deficiency typically produces a different form of anaemia. Symptoms such as tiredness, weakness and reduced exercise capacity can overlap, which is one reason diagnosis matters rather than guessing which nutrient might be responsible. This is particularly important for runners because training itself produces fatigue. A poor run or a difficult training week does not mean you have iron or B12 deficiency, but persistent unexplained fatigue deserves investigation. Read more about iron for runners here. Should Runners Take A Vitamin B12 Supplement? Most runners who regularly eat foods containing vitamin B12 and have no absorption problem will not need a B12 supplement specifically because they run. More B12 does not automatically mean more energy or better endurance. The position is different for vegan runners. Because unfortified plant foods are not a dependable source of B12, a reliable strategy involving fortified foods, supplements or a combination of the two is essential. Anyone who suspects that they are deficient should not rely solely on an over-the-counter supplement without considering why the deficiency has occurred. If poor absorption rather than inadequate food intake is responsible, the appropriate treatment may be different. Read more about supplements for runners here. Can You Take Too Much Vitamin B12? Vitamin B12 has relatively low toxicity and no tolerable upper intake level has been established by some major health authorities because available evidence has not shown B12 to cause harm at the intakes assessed. This should not be interpreted as evidence that taking very large doses provides additional benefits. High-dose B12 products can contain hundreds or even thousands of micrograms, which can look extraordinary compared with daily dietary requirements. These doses partly reflect the way B12 is absorbed rather than suggesting that the body needs hundreds of times the normal dietary intake. For runners who already obtain enough B12, taking increasingly large doses is unlikely to provide an additional running benefit. Can You Test Your Vitamin B12 Level? Vitamin B12 deficiency can be investigated using blood tests alongside symptoms, medical history and other relevant information. NICE recommends either total B12 or active B12 as an initial diagnostic test in most circumstances, although interpreting B12 status is not always as straightforward as simply being above or below a single universal number. If you have symptoms that could indicate B12 deficiency, seek medical advice rather than simply starting high-dose supplements. Blood tests can help establish whether B12 deficiency is present and further investigation may be needed to identify its cause. When Should A Runner Seek Medical Advice? Persistent fatigue, unusual weakness, pins and needles, numbness, balance problems or an unexplained decline in exercise capacity should not automatically be attributed to training. These symptoms have many possible causes and vitamin B12 deficiency is only one of them. Early diagnosis matters particularly when neurological symptoms are present because untreated B12 deficiency can sometimes result in neurological problems that become difficult to reverse. Seeking medical advice is therefore important if you have persistent symptoms or believe you may be at increased risk of deficiency. The Bottom Line For Runners Vitamin B12 is essential for normal red blood cell formation and nervous system function, making an adequate intake important for runners as well as everyone else. A significant deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, neurological symptoms and anaemia and can ultimately interfere with endurance performance. There is no convincing reason, however, for a runner with adequate B12 status to take large additional amounts in the hope of becoming faster or more energetic. Most runners eating a varied diet containing animal foods should obtain enough naturally, while vegan runners need a dependable source from fortified foods, supplements or a combination of the two. The important message is not that runners need extra B12, but that they need enough. If persistent fatigue or other symptoms suggest a possible deficiency, getting the cause properly investigated is far more useful than guessing and simply adding another supplement.

If your charity or running event uses Enthuse for online fundraising, you may find that a fundraising page is created for you as part of the registration process. That makes getting started easy, but the page you begin with should be treated as a starting point rather than the finished version your supporters will see throughout your fundraising campaign. The best Enthuse fundraising pages are personal, regularly updated and clearly explain both the challenge and the cause. Your page should tell supporters who you are, what you are doing, why you are doing it and what their donation could help achieve. Personalise the Page Without Removing Useful Charity Information There is good evidence that taking the time to personalise your page matters. During Pancreatic Cancer UK's 2025 London Marathon campaign, the average value of fundraising pages was £3,178, rising to £3,705 among fundraisers who customised their profiles. Enthuse's analysis of Marie Curie's 2026 London Marathon campaign provides another useful insight. Among fundraisers who raised at least £2,500, 99% had added a profile picture, 84% had added their story and 86% had donated to their own page. None of those things guarantees fundraising success, but they show how commonly successful fundraisers make proper use of their page. Spending a little time improving yours before you start asking people to donate is well worthwhile. Depending on the charity and event, your Enthuse fundraising page may already contain information or imagery when you first access it. Some pages are automatically created during event registration, while other fundraisers create their page through a charity's Enthuse website. Do not assume that everything already on the page should be replaced. Enthuse is designed to provide charity branded fundraising experiences, so your charity may have supplied useful information, imagery or content explaining the cause. Instead, look at what is already there and then make the page personal to you. Enthuse allows fundraisers to customise elements including their profile picture, background image, fundraising target and story, although the precise options available can depend on how the charity or event has configured its fundraising pages. The finished page should combine the charity's useful information with your personal story. Somebody who knows you should arrive and immediately recognise that they are supporting your challenge rather than looking at a generic event fundraising page. Add a Profile Picture One of the simplest improvements you can make is adding a profile photograph. Enthuse repeatedly identifies profile pictures as one of the features associated with better-performing fundraising pages, and the Marie Curie data shows just how common they are among successful fundraisers. Choose a clear photograph in which people can easily recognise you. A running photograph, a picture in your charity vest or another appropriate image connected with your challenge can all work well. Remember that the purpose of the photograph is not simply decoration. It reassures potential donors that they have reached the right person's page and immediately makes the fundraising feel more personal. You can also change the photograph as the campaign develops. Pancreatic Cancer UK, for example, encourages its fundraisers to update their profile picture during training, perhaps replacing the original photograph with a training selfie wearing the charity vest. That is a simple way of showing that the challenge is progressing. By race week, your page does not have to look exactly as it did when you first created it. Make Good Use of the Background Image Enthuse also allows a background or header image to be used on fundraising pages, although your charity may already have provided one. If you have the option to replace it, think about whether a personal image would tell your story more effectively. A photograph from training, an image connected with the event or something relevant to your reason for fundraising could all work. Alternatively, the charity's supplied image may already look excellent and reinforce the cause you are supporting, in which case there is no reason to replace it simply for the sake of changing something. Your profile picture and background image have different jobs. The profile photograph identifies you, while the larger image gives you another opportunity to establish the challenge, charity or story behind the page. Write Your Own Fundraising Story Your story is one of the most important parts of an Enthuse fundraising page. Enthuse's fundraising guidance consistently identifies adding a personal story as one of the actions associated with higher fundraising totals. Start by explaining why you are taking on the challenge and why you chose the charity. If there is a personal connection with the cause, explain it if you are comfortable doing so, but your motivation does not have to involve a dramatic personal story to be genuine. Perhaps you have seen the charity's work and want to help, somebody you know has benefited from its services or you simply decided that completing a difficult running challenge was an opportunity to support a cause that matters to you. Whatever the reason, write it in your own words. Avoid making the story sound like promotional copy from the charity. People visiting the page are interested in the organisation, but they are also interested in you and why you have decided to support it. Read more about writing your fundraising story here. Put the Important Part First Do not hide your motivation halfway down a long fundraising story. Someone arriving on the page should quickly understand what you are doing and why it matters to you. A strong opening might establish that you are running your first marathon and why you chose the charity before expanding on the details. Event background and other information can come later if it genuinely helps the story. This is particularly important when there is a personal connection with the cause. Give visitors the information that makes them care about the challenge before asking them to work through less important details. Give the Page a Clear Title Your page title is another opportunity to make the fundraising feel personal. Use it to help somebody understand what the page is about rather than leaving it sounding generic. A straightforward title involving your name, event or challenge will usually work better than something vague. You do not need a clever slogan if a simple title tells supporters exactly what they need to know. Depending on the charity's Enthuse setup, you may also have options to personalise other elements of your page. Use the options available to you, but prioritise clarity and recognition over trying to make every element different. Explain the Charity and the Cause Some people visiting your page will know you but know very little about the charity. Give them enough information to understand what the organisation does and why you believe its work deserves their support. Do not simply copy several paragraphs from the charity's website. Explain the cause naturally and, where possible, connect it with your own reason for fundraising. Remember that your charity may already have provided useful information elsewhere on the page. Your job is not necessarily to repeat it, but to add the personal connection that explains why you have chosen to support its work. Show What Donations Could Achieve A fundraising target tells people how much you hope to raise, but explaining what that money could help achieve gives the figure much more meaning. Check whether your charity provides reliable examples showing what particular donation amounts could contribute towards. If £10 could help provide a particular service or £50 could contribute towards something specific, include suitable examples in your story. Do not invent figures or assume what a donation pays for, because these examples should always come from information supplied by the charity. This approach is particularly useful when fundraising for an organisation that some of your friends and colleagues may not know. It helps turn an abstract donation into something a supporter can understand. Add Useful Links Where They Help the Story Enthuse allows links to be included within fundraising stories, giving you another way to help visitors understand the cause without filling your page with large amounts of copied information. If you mention a particular charity service, project or campaign, you could link to the relevant page on the charity's website where appropriate. Somebody who wants to learn more can then do so while your own fundraising story remains concise and personal. Do not overload the story with links or send people away from the donation page unnecessarily. Use them selectively when they genuinely add useful context to something you have written. Explain Your Challenge Properly Tell supporters exactly what you are doing and when you are doing it. For a running event, include the distance and event and explain anything that makes the challenge particularly significant for you. If it is your first marathon, say so. If you have gone from barely running to preparing for a half marathon, explain the journey, while running in fancy dress, attempting a particularly demanding event or setting yourself another meaningful challenge can also form part of the story. Non-runners may not appreciate how much preparation is involved unless you tell them. Months of training and hundreds of miles before marathon day can make the challenge considerably more impressive to somebody who has never trained for one. Set a Fundraising Target A fundraising target gives supporters something tangible to help you achieve. Enthuse's research consistently identifies setting a target as one of the behaviours associated with stronger fundraising performance. If you have a charity place with a minimum fundraising commitment, make sure your target reflects what you have agreed to raise. Own-place runners can choose an appropriate target based on their challenge and fundraising plans. Do not worry if the original target turns out to have been too cautious. Where your page allows the fundraising goal to be edited, reaching it early can become an opportunity to celebrate and set yourself a more ambitious figure. Start Your Page Early Do not wait until race day is approaching before properly setting up and activating your fundraising page. An early start gives the page time to develop alongside your training and provides more opportunities for supporters to follow the journey. There is evidence that this can make a substantial difference. In Enthuse's analysis of Marie Curie's 2026 London Marathon campaign, runners who started receiving donations in May and June raised £638 more on average. Starting early does not mean repeatedly asking the same people for money for months. It means getting the page properly personalised, beginning the fundraising and then allowing the story, photographs, training and total to develop naturally as the event gets closer. Consider Making the First Donation Yourself An empty fundraising page can be harder to get moving than one where somebody has already donated. Enthuse recommends making a donation to your own page as one way of kick-starting the campaign. The Marie Curie data is particularly interesting here. Among its 2026 London Marathon fundraisers who raised £2,500 or more, 86% had donated to their own page. A self-donation can demonstrate your own commitment and also establishes an early donation amount on the page. You do not have to make a large contribution, and nobody should put themselves under financial pressure to do it. You could also ask a few close friends or family members to help get the page moving before you direct a much wider audience towards it. A page that already shows some support and progress can feel very different from one sitting at zero. Keep changing images throughout your campaign Use Photos and Video to Develop the Story Your page does not need to remain visually unchanged after you set it up. Enthuse supports images and video within fundraising content, allowing the page to become more visual as your challenge develops. Training provides plenty of material for runners. A first long run, your charity vest arriving, a difficult training session, reaching your longest distance and eventually collecting your race number can all help the page develop. The important thing is to use content that adds to the story rather than uploading images simply to fill space. By race week, someone should be able to look at your page and see evidence of the journey that brought you to the start line. Keep Posting Updates An Enthuse fundraising page should be treated as something that develops throughout your challenge rather than something you create once and forget. Fundraisers can add text and photo updates so supporters can follow their progress. Enthuse's research shows that regularly updated pages tend to perform better. That gives you a good reason to return to the page during training rather than concentrating exclusively on the story you wrote when you first set it up. Updates could cover your longest run, a training setback you have overcome, receiving your race number, reaching a fundraising milestone or entering the final week before the event. Each one adds another chapter to the story and gives returning visitors something new to see. Try to make updates worth reading rather than repeatedly writing that you still need donations. Tell people what has happened, add a relevant photograph where appropriate and let the fundraising progress form part of that story. Use Fundraising Milestones Enthuse can automatically add fundraising milestones to a page as the campaign develops. These can include the first donation and progress through different percentages of your fundraising target. These markers help make progress visible to supporters and provide natural moments to celebrate. Reaching halfway, for example, gives you an obvious opportunity to post another update and thank everybody who has helped get you there. This is another reason to set a meaningful fundraising target rather than leaving the page without one. The target gives both the totaliser and those milestones a clear purpose. Connect Your Strava Account For runners, one of the most useful Enthuse features is its Strava integration. You can connect Strava to your fundraising page so supporters can see training activity as your preparation progresses. This turns the training itself into part of the fundraising story. Somebody considering a donation can see that a marathon or half marathon involves considerably more than simply turning up on race morning. There is an important privacy consideration. Check your Strava privacy and activity visibility settings so you understand what information will be displayed before connecting your account. If you are happy sharing your activity, the integration can provide an excellent visual record of the work behind the challenge. It is particularly useful during a long marathon training programme when the page might otherwise have relatively little new activity between updates. Read more about Strava here. Thank Individual Donors This is one Enthuse feature that is particularly worth using. Enthuse provides a way for fundraisers to post a thank you to donors, and the donor can receive your message by email. Enthuse's own research suggests that thanking donors is associated with stronger fundraising performance. A personal thank-you also makes the experience much more human than allowing a donation to appear on the page without acknowledgement. Do not turn this into a standard response that you paste under every donation if you have the time to personalise it. Mentioning the person's message or simply writing a genuine sentence of appreciation can make their interaction with your page feel much more personal. Respect the choices of people who donate anonymously or choose not to make their details public. If somebody has deliberately hidden their identity, do not attempt to identify or thank them publicly. Read more about thanking your supporters here. Add Offline Donations Where Available You may receive donations away from your online page through cash sponsorship or another fundraising activity. On Enthuse pages where the feature is enabled, offline donations can be added so the visible total reflects money raised elsewhere. There is an important qualification because this option is not available on every Enthuse campaign or event. Charities can control the feature and it may not be available on some mass participation event pages. Adding an offline donation does not automatically send that money to the charity. You remain responsible for making sure separately collected money reaches the organisation unless another payment process has been agreed. Read more about managing your offline donations here. Use the QR Code Enthuse fundraising pages can use QR codes to make it easier for somebody to reach the donation page. This is useful whenever the potential donor is looking at something physical rather than already clicking a link online. A QR code could appear on a fundraising poster, workplace notice or material at a fundraising event. Someone can scan it with their phone and go directly to the page rather than having to search for you later. Always test the QR code yourself before using it publicly. The purpose is to make reaching your page as quick and straightforward as possible. Read more about QR codes here. Check the Page on Your Phone Once you have personalised everything, look at your Enthuse page as though you were a potential donor. Check it on a phone as well as a larger screen because many people will arrive through a message or QR code on their mobile. Look particularly at the title, profile picture, background image and beginning of the story. Those elements should quickly answer the essential questions of who you are, what you are doing and why you are asking for support. Read through the complete page as well and check event dates, names, spelling, links and any information about the charity. A page does not need to look professionally designed, but it should look as though you have taken some care over it. Keep the Page Going After Race Day Do not abandon your Enthuse page as soon as you cross the finish line. The post-event period remains an important part of the fundraising journey, and people who intended to donate earlier may still support you once they see that the challenge has been completed. Add a finish line or medal photograph and tell supporters how the race went. Thank everyone who helped you, mention the amount raised and explain how close you are to the target if there is still a little way to go. The completed event provides the final chapter of the story you began when the page was created. It also means that somebody discovering the page afterwards can see the reason for fundraising, the training, the progress and ultimately the achievement they are being asked to support. The Perfect Enthuse Fundraising Page Should Keep Changing A good Enthuse fundraising page is not simply the page created when you register for an event. It should become increasingly personal as the challenge progresses, showing supporters the person, cause and effort behind the fundraising. Start with the basics and do them properly. Add a recognisable profile picture, make good use of the background image, write your own story, retain useful charity information, explain the cause and challenge, and set a meaningful fundraising target. Start early and consider making the first donation yourself. Then add photographs, video and meaningful updates, connect Strava if appropriate, thank individual donors and keep eligible offline fundraising reflected in the total. By the time you reach race day, the page should tell a much richer story than it did at the beginning. Once the challenge is complete, add the result, photograph and final thanks so supporters can see exactly what their donations helped you achieve.

Setting up a JustGiving page takes only a few minutes, but creating a really effective one takes considerably more thought. If you are running a 10K, half marathon, marathon or another challenge for charity, your JustGiving page is where potential donors discover what you are doing, why you are doing it and why the cause deserves their support. Too many fundraising pages are created using suggested wording, given a photograph and then barely touched again. The best JustGiving pages are different because they are personal, visually interesting and regularly updated, gradually telling the story of the challenge from the beginning of training through to race day and beyond. Don't Just Use the Suggested Story The words on your JustGiving page should sound as though they were written by you. Suggested wording and writing tools can provide a useful starting point, but simply accepting generic text wastes one of the most valuable opportunities your fundraising page gives you. People visiting your page want to understand the person behind the fundraising. Explain why you have chosen the challenge, why you are supporting the charity and what reaching the finish line and fundraising target would mean to you. If you are running your first marathon, say so. If you have never considered yourself a runner, explain why taking on the challenge is such a big commitment, while if there is a personal connection with the charity, include it if you are comfortable doing so. Your story does not need to be beautifully written or overly emotional. Genuine, specific wording will usually tell a potential donor far more than a polished paragraph that could appear on anybody's fundraising page. Read more about writing your story here. Put Your Reason for Fundraising Near the Top Do not make somebody read several paragraphs before discovering why you are raising money. The most important part of your story should appear near the beginning of the page, where visitors are most likely to see it. Start by establishing the challenge and your reason for supporting the cause. You can then provide more information about the event, your training and the charity further down the story. This is particularly important when there is a strong personal motivation behind the fundraising. If somebody understands within the opening lines why the challenge matters to you, everything else on the page has more context. Give Your Page a Personal Title Your title should quickly tell people something about the fundraising rather than looking like another generic event page. Keep it clear and personal so somebody arriving on the page immediately understands what you are taking on. Your name, challenge and perhaps the reason or charity can provide the basis of a good title. You do not need to invent a clever slogan if a straightforward title communicates the story more effectively. Choose a Strong Main Photo Your main photograph is one of the first things visitors notice and will also help represent the page when it is shared. JustGiving recommends using a bold, standout cover photograph and encourages fundraisers to add pictures and videos to their pages. Choose a clear photograph that looks personal rather than a generic running image or charity logo. A photograph of you running, training, wearing your charity vest or simply looking recognisable will immediately help visitors connect the fundraising page with the person asking for their support. If there is a personal story behind your fundraising, an appropriate photograph connected with that story may be even more powerful. Always consider the privacy and wishes of anybody else appearing in photographs before uploading them. Don't Stop at One Photo The cover photograph is important, but your page does not need to remain visually unchanged throughout the campaign. JustGiving encourages fundraisers to use multiple pictures and videos, while wider online fundraising research also suggests that using several relevant photographs can help tell a stronger story. Think of the photographs as a visual record of your journey. You might begin with a picture of yourself, later add a photograph from an early training run, then your charity vest, a long training run, your race number and eventually a finish line or medal photograph. Avoid adding photographs simply for the sake of having more of them. Each one should ideally reveal something about you, the cause or the challenge and help somebody understand how the journey is progressing. Consider Adding a Video JustGiving supports video as well as photographs, giving you another way to make your page personal. A short video can be particularly effective if you find it easier to explain your motivation by talking rather than writing. You do not need professional equipment or elaborate editing. A straightforward video recorded on your phone explaining what you are doing, why you chose the charity and why you would appreciate support can feel much more genuine than something highly produced. Video can also be used later in the fundraising journey. A message after a major training milestone or once you have completed the event can provide a fresh addition to a page that supporters may already have visited. Explain Why You Chose the Charity Your supporters may know you well while knowing almost nothing about the organisation you are supporting. Your page should therefore explain both your personal motivation and why you believe the charity's work deserves support. If the charity helped you, a relative or a friend, explain that connection if appropriate. If you simply discovered its work and wanted to support it, that is also a perfectly good reason, but tell visitors what made the organisation important to you. Avoid copying a long section of corporate wording from the charity's website. Summarise what it does in clear language and connect that work with your reason for fundraising. Read more about choosing the right charity for you here. Show What Donations Could Achieve A fundraising target tells people how much you hope to raise, but explaining the potential impact of that money gives the figure meaning. Check whether your charity provides examples showing what particular donation amounts could help fund. If £10 could provide something specific or £50 could contribute towards a particular service, include appropriate examples on your page. Only use figures supplied by the charity or another reliable source rather than guessing what donations might pay for. This can be particularly valuable when fundraising for a smaller or less familiar organisation. Someone may arrive because they know you, but your page can help them leave with a much better understanding of the cause they have supported. Explain the Challenge Properly Do not assume everyone understands what your event involves. Tell visitors what you are doing, where it is taking place and when you will be doing it. For runners, it is worth giving some context to the challenge as well. Training for a first marathon might involve months of preparation and hundreds of training miles, something that may impress a non runner considerably more than simply writing that you are running 26.2 miles. Include anything that makes your challenge particularly personal. It might be your first half marathon, an attempt at a particular time, a return to running after years away or completing the race in fancy dress. Set a Fundraising Target A visible target gives both you and your supporters something concrete to work towards. JustGiving actively recommends setting a target, and charity fundraising guidance also consistently encourages fundraisers to use one. If you have a charity place with a minimum fundraising commitment, your target should at least reflect that requirement. For an own place runner without a minimum commitment, choose something ambitious enough to motivate you while still giving supporters the feeling that their individual donations matter. Your first target does not have to become a ceiling on the campaign. JustGiving allows targets to be changed, so if you reach £1,000 surprisingly early, you can celebrate the achievement and consider setting a new goal. Use Milestones to Keep the Page Moving Your final target does not have to be the only figure that matters. Reaching 25%, 50% or 75% gives you an opportunity to update the page, thank supporters and show that the campaign is making progress. Training milestones can work in exactly the same way. Your first 10 mile run, longest training run or beginning the final countdown to race day can all become part of the page's developing story. This prevents the page from becoming static between launch and race day. Someone returning several weeks later should be able to see that both your training and fundraising have moved forward. Get the First Donations Onto the Page An empty fundraising page can feel very different from one where people have already started giving. Before sharing your page as widely as possible, consider asking a few close friends or relatives to help get the fundraising underway. JustGiving itself recommends starting with close friends and family and says their donations can encourage others to give. It also notes that people may be influenced by amounts already donated. If you are comfortable doing so, making the first donation yourself is therefore worth considering. You could also approach somebody you expect to be particularly supportive early in the campaign rather than leaving your strongest potential donors until much later. Keep Updating Your JustGiving Page Your JustGiving page should not look exactly the same three months after you created it. JustGiving provides page updates specifically so fundraisers can share milestones and turn the page into a continuing record of their fundraising. Use updates to tell supporters about significant developments rather than simply writing another request for money. A successful long training run, reaching half of your target, receiving your race number or getting through a difficult period of training all provide genuine additions to the story. Add photographs or video to updates where they improve them. Wider fundraising research also supports combining updates with fresh visual content because it helps supporters continue to feel involved in the journey. Regular does not have to mean repetitive. The aim is for somebody returning to your page to discover something new rather than seeing exactly the same page they saw when you launched it. Make Your Updates Worth Reading An update saying only that you still need donations does not add much to your page. Give supporters a reason to read it by telling them something that has happened since your previous update. A runner might explain how their first 18 mile training run went, share a photograph from the route and then mention how close the fundraising is to its next milestone. Another update might introduce a particular aspect of the charity's work before showing what the campaign has raised so far. The fundraising ask can still be there, but it becomes part of an interesting update rather than the entire purpose of it. Over several months, those updates build a much richer picture of the effort behind the challenge. Keep the Fundraising Total Accurate Not every contribution to your campaign will necessarily be made directly through the online donation button. Someone might give you cash or you may raise money through an offline fundraising activity. JustGiving allows offline donations to be added to the total displayed on a fundraising page. This means the totaliser can reflect the complete fundraising effort rather than only the money donated online. Remember that adding an offline donation to the page does not transfer that money to the charity. You remain responsible for ensuring any money collected separately reaches the organisation. Read more about managing offline donations here. Connect Your Training If you are fundraising through a running challenge, JustGiving allows compatible fitness services including Strava and Fitbit to be connected to your page. This can turn your actual training into part of the fundraising story. For a marathon runner, seeing the miles accumulate can demonstrate months of commitment in a way that simply saying you are training cannot. Maps, distances and training activity also give returning visitors something new to see as race day approaches. You do not have to connect a fitness app to create a successful page. However, for somebody whose fundraising challenge is based around running or another physical activity, it is a useful JustGiving feature worth considering. Read more about Strava here. Personalise the Thank You Message Do not overlook the message supporters receive after donating. JustGiving allows you to personalise the thank you message included with a donor's email receipt, giving you another opportunity to make the experience feel less automated. Write something that genuinely sounds like you and reflects the campaign. A supporter has just chosen to contribute their money to your cause, so a personal message is far better than leaving them with generic wording. You can update your thanks again as the campaign develops if appropriate. The message does not need to be long, but it should make donors feel that their contribution has been noticed and appreciated. Read more about saying thank you here. Use Your QR Code Every JustGiving fundraising page can have a QR code that takes somebody directly to it. This is particularly useful when somebody wants to sponsor you in person because they can scan the code and reach the donation page immediately. JustGiving explains that a page's QR code can be accessed by adding /qrcode to the end of its page address. You can save the code and use it on appropriate printed materials or have it available on your phone when talking to people about your challenge. JustGiving also offers options for keeping your fundraising page accessible through your mobile wallet. The important principle is to remove the gap between somebody deciding they want to support you and actually reaching the donation page. Read more about QR codes here. QR codes are easy to generate and perfect for fundraising events Check the Page on Your Phone Before you start directing people towards your JustGiving page, open it yourself and look at it as a potential donor would. In particular, check it on a phone because many supporters will reach the page after tapping a link or scanning your QR code on a mobile device. Look at what appears first and ask whether the photograph, title and opening part of the story quickly explain the challenge. Then read the entire page to check names, dates, event details and spelling and make sure there is no unfinished or generic wording left behind. The page should answer three questions without making the visitor work for the information: what are you doing, why are you doing it and why should somebody care? If those answers are immediately clear, the foundations of the page are strong. Update the Page After the Event The finish line should become part of your JustGiving page rather than marking the point at which you abandon it. Add a finish line, medal or post-race photograph and tell supporters how the event actually went. Thank the people who supported you and update them on the fundraising total. If the target has not quite been reached, the completed challenge provides a natural final chapter to the story and may encourage people who were waiting to see whether you finished to donate. Your page then tells a complete story rather than ending just before its most important moment. Someone discovering it afterwards can see the reason for fundraising, the training, the progress and ultimately the achievement they are being asked to support. The Perfect JustGiving Page Tells Your Story There is no single photograph, fundraising target or piece of wording that guarantees a successful JustGiving page. The strongest pages combine several simple things: a genuine personal story, good photographs, a clear explanation of the cause, an appropriate target and regular evidence that the challenge is progressing. Start by making the page unmistakably yours rather than relying on generic wording. Explain your motivation near the top, choose a strong main photograph, show what donations could achieve and give supporters enough information to understand the scale of your challenge. Once the page is live, keep improving it. Add photographs, videos and meaningful updates, connect your training if useful, keep offline fundraising reflected in the total and personalise the thank you message supporters receive. By race day, your JustGiving page should look very different from the page you originally created. It should have become a record of the training, fundraising, setbacks, milestones, supporters and ultimately the challenge itself, giving every visitor a clear reason to become part of the story.

One of the biggest decisions you'll make when fundraising for a running event is choosing which charity to support. With thousands of worthy causes doing incredible work, knowing how to choose a charity that is right for you isn't always as straightforward as it first appears. Many runners focus purely on securing a charity place in a race and only think about the charity afterwards. While that approach can work, you'll usually have a much better experience if you take the time to find a cause that genuinely matters to you. Remember, unless you're running on a guaranteed charity entry with a minimum fundraising target, you can raise whatever amount you feel comfortable with. That gives you the freedom to choose a charity for the right reasons rather than simply picking one with the easiest entry requirements. Here are five things to consider before making your decision. Choose A Charity That Means Something To You The most successful charity fundraisers are usually those with a genuine connection to the cause they're supporting. Perhaps the charity helped a friend or family member through a difficult time. This is often referred to as your fundraising "why". Maybe you've benefited from their services yourself, or perhaps you're simply passionate about the work they do. Whatever the reason, having a personal connection can make fundraising much easier. There will inevitably be times during your training when motivation dips, and being able to remind yourself why you're supporting the charity can make a huge difference. It also makes it easier to talk about the cause with friends, family and potential donors. People are far more likely to support your fundraising when they can see how much the charity means to you. Understand The Support They Offer Not all charity running programmes are created equal. Some charities provide exceptional support throughout your fundraising and training journey, while others offer very little beyond a fundraising page and a running vest. Before committing, find out exactly what support is available. Do they have a dedicated fundraising contact? Will they provide fundraising advice and materials? Are there training plans, webinars or social groups you can join? What support is available on race day? Many of the larger charities organise cheer points along the route, post race celebrations and hospitality areas for their runners. These extras may not be the reason you choose a charity, but they can certainly enhance the overall experience. The best charity partnerships feel exactly that, like a partnership. Read more about support offered by charities here. Find Out How Your Fundraising Will Be Used Most runners want to know that the money they raise is making a real difference. Before committing to a charity, spend some time understanding how donations are used. Many charities provide annual reports and impact statements that explain how funds are allocated and the difference they make. Some charities direct fundraising income towards specific projects, while others pool donations and allocate them where they are most needed. Neither approach is necessarily right or wrong, but it's important that you're comfortable with how the organisation operates. Being able to explain where the money goes can also help when speaking to potential donors. It is also worth checking that the organisation is a registered charity where applicable. In the UK, you can search the relevant charity register to confirm its status and find information including its activities, finances and trustees. Check The Fundraising Requirements If you're hoping to secure a guaranteed charity place in a popular race, it's important to understand what's expected in return. Fundraising targets can vary significantly depending on the event, the number of places available and the level of demand. Major events often have substantial fundraising requirements because of the popularity of the race and the limited number of charity places available. Before applying, make sure you're comfortable with the fundraising target being requested. Some charities may also require a registration fee or a fundraising commitment agreement. If you already have your own race entry, this becomes much simpler. In most cases, charities will be grateful for whatever you can raise and there will be no minimum fundraising target to meet. It is also worth asking what happens if you struggle to reach the fundraising target. Charity place arrangements vary, so understand the charity's expectations before accepting a place and find out what support will be available if your fundraising falls behind. If you have your own race entry, there will usually be no minimum fundraising target, so this is unlikely to be an issue. Read more about what happens if you don't reach your target here. These runners supported a local charity, St Raphael's Hospice, and had a real connection with the cause Consider Supporting A Local Charity For many runners, supporting a local charity can make the fundraising experience even more meaningful. Knowing that the money you raise is helping people within your own community can be incredibly rewarding. Local hospices, community organisations and smaller charities often rely heavily on fundraising income and can benefit enormously from the support of local runners. You may also find it easier to build relationships with local charities and see first hand the difference your fundraising is making. If supporting local causes is important to you, ask questions about where the money will be spent and who will benefit from it. How To Choose The Right Charity For You Choosing a charity shouldn't be rushed. The right charity can transform your running challenge from a personal achievement into something far more meaningful. It can provide motivation during training, make fundraising easier and leave you with a genuine sense of pride when you cross the finish line. While it may be tempting to choose the charity with the lowest fundraising target or the easiest route into a major race, that's rarely the best long term approach. The most rewarding experiences usually come from supporting a cause you truly care about. Take your time, do your research and choose a charity that feels like the right fit. You'll enjoy the journey far more and your supporters will be much more likely to come along with you. More Advice On Choosing A Charity Our blog and podcast with Paul Courtney looks in more detail at how your personal "why" can influence fundraising, motivation and your connection with the charity you support.

Garmin Connect and Strava are two of the biggest platforms in running technology. Both can store and analyse runs, track progress and provide tools to help runners understand their training, but they have been developed with quite different priorities. Garmin Connect is primarily the training, health and activity platform behind Garmin watches and other Garmin devices. Strava is a broader fitness platform built around activity tracking, performance analysis, routes, segments and a large social community. For runners who use a Garmin watch, this does not necessarily have to be a choice between Garmin Connect and Strava. The two services can be connected so that activities recorded on a Garmin device automatically synchronise with Strava, allowing runners to use the strongest features of both platforms. So which is better for runners, Garmin Connect or Strava? The answer depends on whether you value detailed training and recovery data, social features, segments, routes or a combination of all of them. What Is Garmin Connect? Garmin Connect is the main fitness and health platform used with Garmin watches and other Garmin devices. Activities recorded on a compatible Garmin watch are synchronised with Garmin Connect, where runners can examine their training data, activity history and longer term trends. The platform goes considerably further than simply storing runs. Depending on the Garmin device being used, Garmin Connect can bring together information including pace, heart rate, training load, sleep, recovery, stress and other health and fitness metrics. Garmin also offers Garmin Coach, which includes adaptive and prebuilt training plans for running and other activities. Garmin Run Coach can generate personalised workouts that change according to a runner's performance and health information, while workouts can be delivered to compatible Garmin watches. This integration between watch, training data and health information is one of Garmin Connect's biggest strengths. Rather than simply showing what happened during a run, it can help provide a broader picture of how that activity fits into your overall training and recovery. Read more about Garmin Connect here. What Is Strava? Strava is an activity tracking and social fitness platform used by runners, cyclists and participants in many other sports. Activities can be recorded directly through the Strava app or uploaded from compatible watches and fitness platforms, including Garmin. Running is one of the main sports supported by Strava, and the platform combines activity tracking with performance analysis, route planning, challenges, segments and social interaction. Runners can follow other athletes, give kudos, comment on activities, join clubs and compare their performances. Segments are one of Strava's most distinctive features. These are defined sections of roads, trails or routes where runners can compare their efforts with previous performances and, where appropriate, with other Strava users. Strava also provides more serious training tools than its reputation as a social running app sometimes suggests. Subscription features include Relative Effort, Fitness & Freshness, custom goals and additional activity and segment analysis, giving runners several ways to monitor training workload and progress. Read more about Strava here. Garmin Connect vs Strava For Recording Runs Both Garmin Connect and Strava can contain a complete history of your running, but they normally receive that information in different ways. Garmin Connect is designed to work closely with Garmin devices, while Strava is designed to accept activities from numerous watches, apps and fitness platforms. A runner wearing a Garmin watch would normally record the activity on the watch and allow it to synchronise with Garmin Connect. If Garmin Connect and Strava are linked, that same activity can then be transferred automatically to Strava. Strava can also record a run directly using a smartphone. However, if you already run with a Garmin GPS watch, there is normally little reason to record the same run separately through Strava because the Garmin activity can be synchronised automatically. For Garmin owners, recording through the watch therefore makes most sense. You retain the detailed information gathered by the Garmin ecosystem while still having the activity appear in your Strava account. Which Has Better Running Data? Garmin Connect generally provides the deeper picture for runners using a compatible Garmin watch. The exact information available depends on the device, but Garmin can combine individual activity data with broader health, training and recovery information collected throughout the day. A completed run may contain distance, time, pace, heart rate, elevation, laps and other information, with more advanced Garmin watches and sensors providing additional metrics. Garmin can then place that activity alongside information such as sleep, training load and recovery to provide considerably more context. Strava also provides detailed activity analysis and is particularly good at making runs easy to explore and compare. Its Relative Effort feature assesses cardiovascular effort using heart rate data or perceived exertion, while Fitness & Freshness uses training information to show longer term patterns in fitness, fatigue and freshness. The distinction is therefore not that Garmin provides data and Strava does not. Garmin Connect has the advantage when you want the fullest picture from a Garmin device and its surrounding health ecosystem, while Strava is particularly strong at turning activity information into comparisons, trends and social context. Garmin Connect vs Strava For Training Garmin Connect has a significant advantage if you want structured training to work directly with a Garmin watch. Garmin Coach provides adaptive and prebuilt plans, while compatible watches can receive workouts and guide runners through scheduled sessions. Garmin Run Coach can also adapt workouts according to performance and health metrics. That creates a much closer relationship between training plans, the watch and the physiological information being collected by the Garmin ecosystem. Strava offers meaningful training analysis of its own. Subscribers can use tools including Relative Effort, Fitness & Freshness and custom goals to monitor their workload and development, and Strava also provides running training plans. For runners who want workouts delivered to a Garmin watch and integrated with Garmin's wider training and recovery system, Garmin Connect is the stronger option. Strava is particularly useful as an additional analysis and comparison platform rather than a complete replacement for Garmin's training ecosystem. Garmin Connect vs Strava For Routes Both Garmin Connect and Strava offer route functionality, although they approach it from slightly different directions. Garmin is particularly useful for creating courses that can then be followed on compatible Garmin devices, while route discovery is a prominent part of the Strava experience. For a Garmin runner, one of the main advantages of Garmin Connect is the close relationship between the platform and the watch. A course created or transferred into the Garmin ecosystem can be sent to a compatible device and followed during the run. Strava's large volume of user activity gives it another useful dimension. Its mapping and route tools can help runners discover popular roads and trails, which can be particularly useful when running somewhere unfamiliar. The platforms are not completely separate here either. Garmin and Strava integration allows runners to combine aspects of the two ecosystems, so owning a Garmin watch does not prevent you from making use of Strava's route and mapping tools. Strava Segments vs Garmin Segments Segments are one of Strava's defining features and one of the clearest areas where the platform has an advantage. They allow runners to compare performances over particular sections of roads or trails and can turn an ordinary training route into a series of personal challenges. Strava subscribers receive additional segment functionality and comparison tools. Live Segments can also provide real time information while completing selected running or cycling segments, with some additional comparison screens available to subscribers. Garmin also has segment functionality, but segments are much more central to the Strava experience. Strava's size and community emphasis mean that runners are more likely to encounter active local leaderboards and large numbers of previous performances. Compatible Garmin devices can also support Strava Live Segments when the required Garmin and Strava accounts, compatible hardware and subscription arrangements are in place. This is another example of the two services complementing rather than completely replacing one another. Which Is More Social? Strava is comfortably the stronger social platform. Activities are built around a feed where runners can follow other athletes, exchange kudos and comments, take part in challenges and interact through clubs and shared activity. Garmin Connect also contains social elements, including connections, challenges, badges and other ways of comparing activity. However, these features are less central to the overall Garmin experience because Garmin Connect is fundamentally built around managing your own devices, training and health information. For some runners that difference will be extremely important. If seeing friends' runs or participating in a running club helps motivate you to train, Strava can add a social element that Garmin Connect does not reproduce as effectively. Other runners may have little interest in sharing their training. In that situation, the stronger social features of Strava may add relatively little to what Garmin Connect already provides. Strava encourages competition and community through features including segment leaderboards, group challenges and Local Legends. Image: Strava Garmin Connect vs Strava For Health And Recovery Garmin Connect has the clear advantage when it comes to broader health and recovery information. Compatible Garmin devices can collect data outside individual activities, allowing the platform to build a picture that includes training alongside sleep, stress, heart rate and other health information. Some Garmin watches also provide metrics such as Training Readiness. Garmin says this can take account of factors including sleep, recovery time, HRV status, acute training load and stress, although the exact features available depend on the device being used. This type of information gives Garmin Connect a different role from Strava. Instead of looking principally at your completed activities, the Garmin ecosystem can examine how training interacts with the rest of the information collected by your watch. Strava can provide useful insights into workload and fitness through features such as Relative Effort and Fitness & Freshness. However, it is not designed to replace the wider health and recovery ecosystem provided by a compatible Garmin watch and Garmin Connect. Safety And Live Tracking Both Garmin and Strava offer features that can allow another person to follow your location during an activity. These can be useful for runners training alone, running somewhere unfamiliar or completing particularly long sessions. Garmin's LiveTrack feature creates a real time view of an activity that can be shared with other people. Garmin Connect+ has also expanded LiveTrack functionality beyond the standard Garmin Connect offering. Strava offers Beacon, which generates a link that can be shared with safety contacts. When recording through the Strava mobile app, Beacon can share a runner's real time location with up to three contacts, although location updates depend on factors including mobile coverage. These features can provide additional reassurance, but runners should still use normal safety precautions. Mobile connections, GPS signals and batteries can all fail, so live tracking should not be regarded as a guarantee of safety. Is Garmin Connect Free? Garmin Connect itself continues to provide extensive functionality without requiring a separate premium subscription. Garmin Coach also provides free custom training plans, although compatible Garmin hardware is naturally required to make full use of many Garmin features. Garmin also offers Garmin Connect+, a paid premium service that adds features including additional analysis, Active Intelligence insights, enhanced LiveTrack and further training content. Garmin has continued to expand Connect+ since its introduction, so runners should check the current feature list before deciding whether the subscription offers anything useful for their training. For most Garmin owners, the important point is that paying for Connect+ is not required simply to use Garmin Connect. The standard platform remains extremely capable and contains the core functionality most runners associate with their Garmin watch. Is Strava Free? Strava also offers both free and paid access. A free account can record or receive activities and provides access to many of the platform's core activity and social features. A Strava subscription unlocks additional functionality including expanded training analysis, goals and more advanced segment features. Features such as Fitness & Freshness and the full range of subscription analysis tools are aimed particularly at runners who want to examine their training in greater detail. Whether the subscription represents good value depends partly on what other technology you already use. A runner with a sophisticated Garmin watch may already have access to extensive training analysis through Garmin Connect, which can make some of Strava's premium functionality less essential. Garmin Connect vs Strava For Beginners A beginner who owns a Garmin watch should probably start with Garmin Connect. It provides more than enough information to track distance and pace, examine previous activities and begin following structured training without needing another platform. Garmin Coach can also make the ecosystem particularly useful for new runners who want some guidance with their training. Adaptive and prebuilt plans are available for running, giving beginners a straightforward route into more structured sessions. Strava becomes particularly useful if the social side of running provides additional motivation. Following friends, joining clubs, completing challenges or comparing performances can help make training feel less solitary, and a free Strava account may be enough for many beginners. There is certainly no requirement for a new runner to pay for both Garmin Connect+ and a Strava subscription. It makes more sense to start with the free functionality available and only pay for additional features when you know you will actually use them. Garmin Connect vs Strava For More Serious Runners More experienced runners may benefit most from using both platforms. Garmin Connect can provide detailed information from a compatible Garmin device alongside structured workouts, training history and the health and recovery information collected by the watch. Strava can then add another layer of comparison, route discovery, segments and social interaction. Its training tools can also provide an alternative way of looking at workload and fitness, particularly for athletes whose activities come from several different devices or platforms. There is inevitably some duplication between the services. Runners considering either Garmin Connect+ or a Strava subscription should therefore look carefully at which additional features they would genuinely use rather than assuming that more data will automatically improve their training. The best running technology is ultimately the technology that helps you make useful decisions. Having two platforms displaying different versions of similar information is only worthwhile if those additional insights change the way you train. Garmin Connect vs Strava: Which Is Better? Garmin Connect is better suited to runners who want detailed integration with a Garmin watch, structured training, health information and recovery data. It sits at the centre of the Garmin ecosystem and provides considerably more context about the information collected by compatible Garmin devices. Strava is stronger for its social community, segments, activity comparisons and the ability to bring together activities from many different devices and platforms. Its route and performance tools also make it valuable even for runners who already use Garmin Connect. If you own a Garmin watch and have little interest in sharing activities or competing on segments, Garmin Connect may provide everything you need. If running with friends, joining clubs, comparing performances and exploring segments are important to you, Strava adds features that Garmin Connect does not reproduce as effectively. For many Garmin runners, however, the best option is not Garmin Connect or Strava but Garmin Connect and Strava. Record the run on your Garmin watch, allow it to synchronise with Garmin Connect and then automatically send the activity to Strava, giving you the strongest parts of both platforms without having to choose between them. Read more about running apps here.

Stress fractures are among the more serious overuse injuries that runners can develop. Unlike an acute fracture caused by a fall or other sudden trauma, a running related stress fracture develops when repeated loading causes bone damage faster than the body can repair it. The term stress fracture is often used to describe the whole problem, but sports medicine increasingly describes these injuries as bone stress injuries. They exist on a spectrum, beginning with changes in the bone caused by excessive repetitive loading and potentially progressing to a stress fracture if the problem continues. Recognising the warning signs matters because continuing to run through a suspected bone stress injury can allow it to become more severe and potentially increase recovery time. What Is A Stress Fracture? Bone is living tissue that continually remodels and adapts to the demands placed upon it. Running provides a mechanical stimulus that can help bones adapt, provided the amount of loading is appropriate and there is sufficient recovery and nutrition. Problems can develop when repeated loading creates microscopic bone damage faster than the normal remodelling process can repair it. This can produce a bone stress injury. A stress reaction is a term commonly used for an earlier stage of bone stress injury, before a stress fracture has developed. A stress fracture represents the more severe end of the bone stress injury spectrum, with structural changes such as sclerosis or a fracture line detectable on imaging. Identifying a bone stress injury early is important because appropriate management may prevent it progressing to a more serious injury or complete fracture. Where Do Runners Get Stress Fractures? Bone stress injuries in runners occur predominantly in the lower body because these bones repeatedly experience loading during running. The tibia, or shin bone, is one of the most common locations, but bone stress injuries can also occur in the metatarsal bones of the foot, fibula, navicular bone in the midfoot, femur and pelvis. Not all locations carry the same risk. Some bone stress injuries are regarded as relatively low risk because they generally heal well with appropriate management. Others occur in areas where healing can be more difficult or where progression of the injury could have serious consequences. High risk locations include certain injuries involving the femoral neck at the hip, the navicular in the foot and the anterior surface of the tibia. These require careful medical assessment and may need specialist treatment. What Does A Stress Fracture Feel Like? One of the characteristic features of a bone stress injury is localised pain. In its early stages, the discomfort may appear only during running and improve with rest, making it tempting to continue training. As the injury progresses, pain may begin earlier during a run, become more intense and persist afterwards. More advanced injuries can cause pain while walking or even at rest. There is often a relatively precise area of tenderness over the affected bone, and some runners also develop swelling around the injury. This can differ from some other common running injuries. Shin splints, for example, typically produce more diffuse tenderness along a broader area of the inside of the tibia, whereas a tibial bone stress injury is more likely to cause focal bony tenderness. Symptoms alone cannot reliably confirm or exclude a bone stress injury. Persistent focal bone pain should therefore be medically assessed rather than self diagnosed. Nutrition And Bone Stress Injuries Training load is only part of the picture. Bones also need sufficient energy and nutrients to maintain normal remodelling and repair. Low energy availability occurs when dietary energy intake is insufficient in relation to exercise expenditure to support the body's needs. When low energy availability becomes prolonged or severe enough to become problematic, it can contribute to impaired bone health and may lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, commonly abbreviated to REDs. REDs can affect runners of any sex and is associated with a range of potential health and performance consequences. Menstrual disturbances in female runners can be an important warning sign of problematic low energy availability, but the absence of menstrual disturbance does not by itself rule out low energy availability or REDs. Calcium and vitamin D are also important for normal bone health. A runner with an inadequate diet or an underlying deficiency may need nutritional or medical assessment, particularly if bone stress injuries are recurrent. Simply taking calcium or vitamin D supplements is not a substitute for investigating why a bone stress injury occurred. Supplementation should be considered according to individual dietary intake and clinical circumstances rather than assumed to prevent stress fractures. Read more about calcium here and vitamin D here. Other Risk Factors Previous bone stress injury increases the risk of another, which makes identifying contributing factors particularly important for runners who experience repeated problems. Other potential risk factors include low bone mineral density, inadequate nutrition and certain medical conditions or medications that affect bone health. Individual biomechanics and the way training load is distributed through the body may also contribute. Risk is therefore rarely explained by one factor alone, so a runner who develops a stress fracture should look beyond simply asking whether they increased their mileage too quickly. Stress Fracture Or Shin Splints? The distinction between shin splints and a tibial bone stress injury is particularly important because both can cause pain around the shin. Shin splints, medically known as medial tibial stress syndrome, usually cause tenderness across a more extended section of the inner border of the tibia. Symptoms from shin splints are generally less precisely localised than the focal bony tenderness associated with a bone stress injury. A tibial bone stress injury tends to produce more localised bony pain and tenderness, while pain that becomes progressively worse with impact activity or starts occurring during normal walking should increase suspicion that something more significant than uncomplicated shin splints may be involved. There is enough overlap between the conditions that runners should not rely on these differences to diagnose themselves. Persistent or very localised shin pain deserves professional assessment. How Are Stress Fractures Diagnosed? Diagnosis begins with a clinical assessment. A healthcare professional will consider where the pain is located, how it developed, recent changes in training and whether there are risk factors for impaired bone health. The affected area will usually be examined for localised tenderness, swelling and pain associated with loading. No single physical test can reliably diagnose or exclude a bone stress injury. An X ray is commonly the first imaging investigation when a bone stress injury is suspected. However, X rays have relatively low sensitivity, particularly during the earlier stages of an injury, so a normal result does not necessarily rule one out. MRI is generally the preferred definitive imaging method when further investigation is required. It can identify bone stress changes that may not be visible on a conventional X ray and can help determine the extent and severity of the injury. Should You Run With A Stress Fracture? Running through a suspected stress fracture is not advisable. Unlike some soft tissue problems where carefully modified running may sometimes form part of rehabilitation, continuing repetitive impact loading on an injured bone can allow a bone stress injury to progress. A runner with persistent focal bone pain that worsens during running, particularly if it is beginning to affect walking or is present at rest, should stop running and seek appropriate medical assessment. This is especially important for pain around the hip or groin because bone stress injuries involving the femoral neck can have serious consequences if they progress and require prompt medical investigation. How Are Stress Fractures Treated? Treatment depends on the bone involved, the severity of the injury and whether it is classified as a low or high risk bone stress injury. The fundamental principle is to reduce the load on the affected bone sufficiently to allow healing. For some low risk injuries this may primarily involve stopping running and other painful impact activities. Other injuries may require a walking boot, crutches or a period of restricted weight bearing. High risk bone stress injuries need specialist management and some may require surgery. Femoral neck bone stress injuries are particularly important because some types require urgent surgical assessment. Receiving an accurate diagnosis is therefore more important than simply deciding to rest for a few weeks. Rehabilitation should also address factors that may have contributed to the injury, including training load, nutrition, low energy availability and underlying bone health. How Long Does A Stress Fracture Take To Heal? There is no single recovery time for a stress fracture because recovery varies considerably according to its location and severity. Many lower risk bone stress injuries require several weeks away from running, while higher grade or high risk injuries can take substantially longer and may require specialist intervention. It is therefore misleading to assume that every stress fracture will heal after a fixed six or eight week period. Recovery and return to activity should be guided by the location and severity of the injury, symptoms and clinical assessment rather than simply counting the number of weeks since the injury occurred. Follow up imaging may also be required for some injuries. Maintaining Fitness During Recovery Being unable to run does not always mean being unable to exercise, although alternative training must not load the injured bone in a way that interferes with healing. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, activities such as swimming, deep water running or cycling may sometimes be possible. The appropriate exercise will differ between injuries, so cross training should be agreed with the healthcare professional managing the recovery rather than assumed to be safe. Rehabilitation may also include appropriate strength and conditioning work, depending on the injury and the individual runner. The objective during recovery is not to maintain fitness at any cost. Allowing the bone to heal properly is more important than preserving every aspect of running fitness. Returning To Running After A Stress Fracture Returning to running should be gradual and should only begin when the injury has healed sufficiently for impact loading to be reintroduced. For many lower risk injuries, being able to walk normally and complete everyday activities without pain is an important milestone before running resumes. The exact criteria can differ according to the bone involved, and higher risk injuries may require evidence of healing on imaging before return to running. The first runs are normally short and easy, sometimes using a combination of walking and running, before running volume is increased progressively provided symptoms do not return. Speed sessions, hills and high volume training should not all be reintroduced at once. Bone adaptation takes time, even when cardiovascular fitness makes a runner feel capable of doing more. A recurrence of focal pain during a return to running should not simply be pushed through, and training should be stopped and the situation reassessed. How To Reduce The Risk Of Stress Fractures No strategy can completely eliminate the possibility of a bone stress injury, but sensible training progression is one of the most important preventative measures. Avoid sudden increases in running volume or intensity and allow sufficient recovery after demanding training. There is no universal percentage by which every runner can safely increase mileage each week. Rigid rules such as the often quoted 10% rule should therefore not be treated as a guarantee against injury. Adequate nutrition is equally important. Runners need sufficient overall energy to support their training and normal physiological functions, alongside a balanced diet providing the nutrients required for bone health, including calcium and vitamin D. Adequate recovery also matters because bone needs time to remodel and adapt between periods of loading. Runners returning after a break should be particularly cautious about rebuilding both volume and intensity gradually rather than allowing cardiovascular fitness to dictate how quickly training progresses. Most importantly, respond to persistent focal bone pain early. A few missed runs while an injury is investigated are preferable to allowing an early bone stress injury to progress into a more severe problem. When Should You Seek Medical Advice? Seek medical assessment if you develop persistent localised pain over a bone, particularly when it worsens with running or other impact activity. Pain while walking, pain at rest, significant swelling or symptoms around the hip or groin require particular attention. Runners with a history of repeated bone stress injuries should also be assessed for possible underlying contributors rather than repeatedly treating each injury in isolation. A stress fracture cannot be reliably diagnosed from symptoms alone, so getting the correct diagnosis and understanding its location and severity provides the safest route back to running. Read more about the importance of physios here. The Bottom Line Stress fractures develop when accumulated bone stress and damage exceed the body's ability to adapt and repair. They sit at the more severe end of the bone stress injury spectrum and can be associated with a combination of training load, inadequate recovery, nutrition and individual risk factors. Early symptoms can be deceptively mild, but persistent focal bone pain should not simply be regarded as something a runner needs to tolerate. Early assessment and appropriate reduction in loading can help prevent an injury becoming more serious. Most runners can return successfully after a bone stress injury, but the process cannot be rushed. Allow the bone to heal, address the factors that contributed to the injury and rebuild running gradually. Protecting the recovery process is far better than turning an initially manageable injury into a prolonged problem.