UK runners lap Earth 9,000 times for charity
Melanie May | 21 April 2016 | News
Ahead of this weekend’s London Marathon, Britons have already lapped the planet 9,000 times for charity in the past 12 months, according to the Charities Aid Foundation.
CAF’s research shows that about 3.6 million UK adults have taken part in a fun run, half marathon or marathon during the past year, clocking up 226 million miles in training and competition and raising around £680 million for charities.
The 226 million miles equate to running around the world 9,000 times or to the moon and back 473 times. It is also equivalent to 448,000 return trips to the International Space Station and back – where British astronaut Tim Peake will be running the London Marathon while attached to a treadmill.
The research, based on polling by Populus, found that 7% of UK adults had run for charity in the past year with fun runs proving the most popular type of event. The median average amount raised was £190.41 with participants each running an average 63 miles in events and training.
An incredible 3.6 million UK adults have run for charity: https://t.co/YFA5ctMOOn #londonmarathon pic.twitter.com/HM6nbsIkyA
— Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) (@Caf) April 23, 2016
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The poll also revealed:
- Fun runs (4%) are the most popular running event to raise money for charity followed by half marathons and marathons (2% each)
- Women are more likely than men to have taken part in a fun run (6% vs. 2%)
- Women are also more likely than men to have participated in any event to raise money for charity in the past year (19% vs 16%)
- 18-24 year olds were the most likely age group to have taken part in a charity fun run in the past year (7%)
- The 65+ age group were least likely to have participated (2%).
The London Marathon holds the record for the largest amount raised by an annual single day charity fundraising event. In 2015 runners generated £54.1 million for charity bringing the total raised since the event was founded in 1981 to more than £770 million. Approximately 38,000 people are expected to line up on the start line on Sunday.
Susan Pinkney, head of research at CAF, said:
“For many runners, raising money for a good cause can be one of the crucial motivating factors. The ever growing popularity of marathons and fun runs is great news for the good causes which are being helped to go the extra mile by the millions getting active for charity.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.