Staying in shape is an important part of my lifestyle. I like to keep fit not only for the health benefits, but also for the peace of mind it gives me. And, I like to challenge myself. The best activity I’ve found to meet those goals is competitive running.
I started running cross-country in high school. I continued to run during college, but not competitively. Once I graduated and moved to DC last year I noticed that there are a lot of races in this area. I decided to get back into the game
The first race I ran was in June 2006, “The Race for a Cure” 5K in DC, sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support breast cancer research. It was really rewarding to participate in this race, and to see all the people who came out to run or just support the cause. This was a great race to start with because it allowed me to get back into something I enjoy, while also supporting a worthwhile cause.
After that, I was pretty much “off and running.” I ended up doing a total of seven races by the end of 2006. My goal for this year is 12 races, with the longest being a half-marathon. Then in 2008 I plan to train for a marathon.
So where does public relations come into all this? From my personal experience, I’ve seen that sponsoring a charitable event such as a race is a great way to raise awareness, generate publicity, and expand support for your organization.
There are two options you can take. One, if you’re a non-profit or an association you can hold a race yourself to bring awareness to a specific cause. But if you can’t support that cost, you’ll need to get sponsors to donate money or services. That’s the second option: Co-sponsorship.
Many large corporations, such as ING, McDonald’s and Ford Motor Company, sponsor the big “brand-name” marathons. However, there are tons of smaller races that need sponsors, too. So whether your race, or your company, is large or small, there are opportunities for mutual benefits.
Sponsoring a race allows you to bring your message to a wide variety of people. Running is a lifetime sport that people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy. From DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, to the Fortune 100 CEO, to the entrepreneur with the next great idea, you never know who you might “run into” at a race.
Check out RunWashington.com for a calendar of local races. Maybe you’ll find something that might interest you as a sponsor. Or, maybe you’d like to participate in a race yourself and see what the buzz is all about.
Photo Credit: brightroom.com – DC Mayor Adrian Fenty took part in this past weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day 8K Race.
