| Running Events - Your Questions |
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1. How do I apply for a Team YMCA Charity place? We purchase charity places from the London Marathon and the Great North Run organisers. In return for one of our London Marathon places, we ask for a minimum sponsorship pledge of £1,700. For the Great North Run places, we ask for £300. To apply, simply This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please note, we ask all applicants to also apply to the London Marathon or Great North Run ballot. You will then need to contact us as soon as you receive the result of your application to either the London Marathon ballot (October) or the Great North Run ballot (February), when we will begin allocating our Charity places. 2. What is a Charity Place runner? What is an Own Place runner? The YMCA provides places to Charity Place runners, whereas Own Place runners secure their places directly from the race organisers. If you have signed up to Team YMCA as an Own Place runner, and have not received a place from the race organisers, you should contact us as soon as possible. 3. Why do Charity Place runners have to make a fundraising pledge, but Own Place runners don't? Since the YMCA pays for charity places, the runners who are allocated one of these are required to make and meet a fundraising pledge. As a charity, we need to make sure that not only do we cover the cost of these places, but also make money for our charitable work. This is, after all, a fundraising event for the YMCA. Own Place runners, have secured, and paid for, their own place from the race organiser. This means that the YMCA has incurred minimal costs, so any money you raise will go towards our charitable work. Hence the reason we do not ask for a minimum sponsorship. 4. How much do I have to raise? We ask that all our London Marathon Charity Place runners pledge to raise a minimum of £1,700, and our Great North Run Charity Place runners raise at least £300. This will be due in within two months after the event. Of course, we’ll give you all the encouragement and support you’ll need to make sure you smash that target! If you have your Own Place, then we just ask you to raise as much as possible and we’ll provide you with the same level of care and support that our Charity Place runners receive. 5. Does Gift Aid count towards my fundraising pledge? Regrettably, the tax claimed on Gift Aid donations cannot be allowed as part of your fundraising total. You should encourage your sponsors to tick the Gift Aid box where appropriate, as this is an important source of additional income for the YMCA. 6. Do I need to pay anything now? If you are offered a Charity Place you will be asked to pay a £200 non-refundable deposit for the London Marathon, or £50 non-refundable deposit for the Great North Run. Your place will only be secure once this payment has been received by the YMCA. 7. When do I find out whether or not I’ve been successful in obtaining a my Own Place? The results of the official London Marathon ballot are generally announced in October, and the official Great North Run ballot results are announced in February. You will be sent a letter or email informing you of whether or not you have been successful. We will start allocating our Charity Places once these results have been announced. Please contact us as soon as you hear the ballot result. If you are successful, we’d love to have you on the team! If you are unsuccessful, however, we may be able to put you on a waiting list for one of our Charity Places. 8. What kind of support will the YMCA give me if I join the team? When you join Team YMCA, you will be supported throughout your entire running experience. This will include fundraising and nutrition tips before the event, and support on the day at our cheering points and post-race reception. 9. Is there an age restriction? All London Marathon runners must be aged 18 or over on race day, and Great North Run entrants must be 17 years or over. These are conditions of the race organisers and are strictly adhered to. There are no maximum age restrictions. 10. What physical preparations should I undertake? All Team YMCA runners are advised to follow a good training programme to ensure that they are fit enough to run a marathon/half-marathon. On sign up, the YMCA Fundraising Team will provide you with a set of training plans and tips. Distance running is a strenuous activity and you must ensure that you are in good health. If you have a medical condition which could be adversely affected by exercise, or if you have any doubts about your health, please seek your doctor’s advice before taking part. 11. I haven’t run a marathon/half-marathon before so will YMCA help me with my training? Of course! When you sign up to run either the London Marathon or the Great North Run with Team YMCA, we will provide you with a comprehensive training pack. We will also advise you of other useful sources of information to help you prepare for the big day. 12. What happens if I get injured? If you get injured whilst training we recommend you contact your GP, physio or specialist sports injury clinic. They will be able to advise you if you are fit enough to run. If you do need to withdraw, you will need to let the race organisers know as soon as possible, and contact the YMCA Fundraising Team so that your place can be passed onto a runner on our waiting list. 13. When will I get my race number for the London Marathon? At the end of March/beginning of April you will receive your Official Programme from the race organisers. This will include full details about the London Marathon exhibition which you will need to attend to pick up your race number. The exhibition usually takes place in the week leading up to race day. 14. What’s the deadline for returning sponsorship money? The fundraising deadline is 2 months after the day of the event. If you have any problems in meeting these deadlines, you should contact the YMCA Fundraising Team as soon as possible. 15. Where can I find more specific information about these events? Go to the Virgin London Marathon Website or the BUPA Great North Run website for more details on each of these events. |
