Running for a charity (for a Disney race, or really any "in demand" race)

[VAfamily1998]

So if you're not able to get in a race in a traditional way, and it sells out before you get a chance to register, one option is to raise money for a charity and they will give you a bib.

Personally, I'm not great at raising money. I would just feel too awkward asking friends/family/total strangers for money so I can go do something that I enjoy. Also, when I look at some of the charities that have the bibs--I'm sure they are great charities and do a lot of good work--but they might not be the causes that I hold most "near and dear" to my heart, you know? If I don't personally know someone with XYZ disease, will I really be able to "sell" it to someone that they should contribute to the cause (so that I can run.) It just seems dishonest for me to do so.

Sometimes I've thought about buying a charity bib--meaning that if they require someone to raise $1000, then I'd just pay that $1000 out of pocket. I wouldn't ask anyone to donate or post on facebook or anything. I wouldn't try and go above and beyond that $1000. I would just pay that $1000 and consider it my race entry fee. Is that ok? Do the charities expect that you will be "promoting" them more? Or are they ok with just getting their minimum contribution?
I know a lot of the charities provide a specific T shirt with the charity's name on it for you to wear during the race--and I probably wouldn't want to do that either. Or attend any of the special pre or post race gatherings they sometimes have. I would want to treat it just like any other race bib (except for the fact that it cost me a lot more than registering in the traditional way.)

Are charities generally "ok" with that?

 

[Chiomaca]

I'd say it depends on the race and the charity. I ran my first marathon with Team in Training which required $1500. My fundraising pitch was primarily on Facebook and went along the lines of:

I'm crazy and have decided to run my first marathon. Team in Training is a great organization and am sure some of you have been touched by these cancers, so I am fundraising for them as part of the process. I'm not a fan of asking for money, but I'm sure many of you will enjoy watching me beat myself up as I figure out this distance running thing. I promise to post regular training updates and race pictures. If you donate $100 or more, I will wear your name (or the name of your choice) on a ribbon during the race.

I posted the link to my fundraising page each time I posted long run stats, but I didn't make a big pitch other than that first one. I was really surprised at the number and volume of donations. That's the only big race I did for charity because I really hate asking for money and there are so many fundraising requests out there already.

I probably won't do it again, unless there were a race I really, really wanted to run - then I might well just do as you are thinking and pay the full donation as long as it were within my means. I came close to doing that for the San Francisco Half last year because I decided to surprise my mom at the last minute and run with her. But I'd want to find one that I really could get behind and I'd probably be willing to wear the jersey as long as they provided it. I don't know if I'd choose to run for someone, even with the motivation of getting into a race, if I weren't willing to be seen wearing the jersey. That said, as long as they're getting their donation, I don't think they'll care where the money came from or if you're promoting awareness.

I have run several smaller charity races locally - Chris4life and the National Race to End Women's Cancer regularly. For those, I pay my entry fee and the requested donation, then post the link on my FB page with a note that I'm running the race. Again, I've been surprised at the number of my friends who come out of the woodwork to donate.

TL;DR: As long as they get the donation, I'm not sure they care. But I'd still try to find something that I felt like I could get behind.