It's the time of year when runners search for ways to give back, both in general and to the sport that's given so much to us.
Luckily, there are myriad ways to do so, from donating old gear to supporting local charities that use running to help the less fortunate among us build better lives. A few ideas:
- Volunteer at a race. You know those race volunteers handing you water and Sports Beans? The ones you would thank if you weren't so out of breath and frantic? Thank them by taking their place at an upcoming race. Check out tips on how to do so here.
- Donate old shoes. Runner's World has compiled a list of worthy places to send your old running shoes so they end up on the feet of runners in third-world countries — or ground up and made into playground equipment. Many local running stores accept old shoes, too.
- Give to a local charity that uses running programs to benefit those who are less fortunate. Back on My Feet, which aims to establish self-sufficiency in the homeless population by getting shelter residents involved in organized running programs, is setting up a chapter in Washington, D.C. Washington-based Girls Gotta Run, which supports Ethiopian girls training to be professional runners, has grown steadily in the past couple years, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars to buy shoes, training clothes, food and other training essentials for Ethiopian girls' training efforts. Recent donors include three Girls on the Run teams at the Washington International School. Girls on the Run aims to increase the self-esteem and self-confidence of young girls by getting them involved in running. The three teams raised more than $3,000 for Girls Gotta Run this fall, and wrote letters to the Ethiopian girls, says Pat Ortman, founder of Girls Gotta Run.
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