You might have trained for months or even years to take part in a marathon, so you do not want to get to the finish line and realise that you have not made the most of your experience. Here is a guide by Georgina Monk to making every mile count in your next marathon.

Find a great charity

The first step that you should take to make every mile count is to pick a charity for your run that needs and appreciates the funds that you have raised the most. Otherwise, you will be running solely for your own benefit.

You should check how much of your money will go directly to helping the cause in question without getting tied up in administrative fees, and you should ensure that the charity has generally good PR. You should also make sure that they are constantly acting on the promises that they have made to the communities that they serve.

You should also check the charities register to see whether they are genuine so that you will be able to donate your money to a safe cause.

Pick the right marathon

Once you have chosen the charity that you want to run in aid of, you should then think about finding the best marathon for you. Although you might believe that they are all much of a muchness, this is not the case. Some have easier terrain than others, and some have larger crowds of people participating in them than others. These factors can wildly affect your experience and whether you enjoy or even complete the marathon.

For instance, if you want to take part in one of the most famous marathons for a beloved charity, which can encourage people to donate to your cause, you might consider looking into the Edinburgh Marathon 2025 – Macmillan Cancer Support.

Get enough sponsors

The next step that you should take is getting enough sponsorships. Otherwise, you might feel as if running the marathon is pointless and you might begin to flag quicker. Not only this, but you might think that the miles that you complete count for nothing because you are not having a giant positive effect on the world.

However, even a small donation is better than nothing and could help a charity to thrive, especially when paired with a large number of donations from other runners at the marathon in question. This means that you should do all you can to get sponsors. You might print off a sponsorship sheet and take it around your workplace, send your child to school with it, or post on social media about what you are going to be doing.

Look after yourself on the run

You do not want to find that you flag and have to drop out halfway through the challenge. This means that you should make certain that you are drinking enough water, that you are pacing yourself, and that you slow down if you become breathless or are struggling to keep going. This will allow you to cross the finish line, no matter the time that you finish in.

Georgina Monk: Since leaving university with an English and creative writing degree, Georgina has worked as a freelance copywriter, writing articles on everything from business technology to charitable giving. As well as running her own blog and performing in and writing plays, some of which have been staged in local theatres, she also volunteers at historical houses and enjoys getting out into nature.