Don’t just run for yourself, run for others too.

What do you run for?

Most people run to lose weight, keep fit, reduce their guilt for indulging or they simply love running. However, there is a lot more meaning to running if you do it for a greater cause – for charity. This trend of running for charity has been picking up lately, as we see individuals, companies and race organisers incorporating a charity angle to all these mass running events.

There are many ways to run for a greater cause. For one, there are races such as the Terry Fox Run, an annual international non-competitive event held around the world to raise funds for cancer research in commemoration of cancer activist Terry Fox. In Singapore, we have had the Singapore Airlines Charity Run and Run for Hope.

Then there are also races such as Sundown Marathon which adopts charities to raise funds for, or encourages participants to adopt their own charities. Last year, I was appointed one of the Sundown Marathon charity ambassadors where we raised funds for Handcycling Association Singapore (HAS), Life Community Services Society, Singapore Disability Sports Council and Society for the Physically Disabled. I also teamed up with Kelly Latimer and Claire Jedrek for the KM Duathlon to raise funds for the Children-At-Risk-Empowerment Singapore.

It really makes a difference when you run for a greater good. Suddenly you realise that you’re not running alone, in the sense that there are others out there counting on you to complete the run. It’s no longer about aiming to finish the run, beating your previous times or setting a new personal record, but making a difference in others’ lives instead.

That’s how the term ‘charity athlete’ came about. While regular athletes compete for personal glory and raise money to fund their training and competitions, charity athletes have an added purpose of raising funds for charities.

I have these two friends – couple Jonathan Ang and Jayve Goh – who actively compete in marathons and triathlons with one mission – to raise funds and awareness for HAS and Singapore Cancer Society. It doesn’t matter where they go or what they compete in – it’s all for charity.

Ultimately, the objective is to make a change in the mindset of athletes. Do away with the competitiveness and realise that your passion can help to better the lives of others. You can still carry on with your athletic goals, but why not do more and gain that greater sense of fulfilment to bring joy to the beneficiaries?

*This was first published in RUN.