REMF Brighton Marathon Team - We Are In

[Lord Bracknell]

It'll do no harm Ed, but ultimately you cannot get away from the fact that anyone considering running a marathon for charity will go to a runner's site or the marathon site for information on how to do that.

In other words, people specifically considering running a marathon will say: "I fancy running a marathon. Now where do I find a charity who will get me a place?"
They don't say: "I wonder whether REMF has charity places available for the Brighton marathon?"

Exactly.

But there is no harm in the message that runners read on, say, .: WELCOME to EAST LONDON TRIATHLETES :. saying:-

Want to run in the Brighton Marathon? REMF has places for runners prepared to raise £XXX. Find out more about REMF and apply for a place at Robert Eaton Memorial Fund homepage Deadline in 31 October 2010 (or whatever).

I only mention East London Triathletes, as an example, because the teaboy is a member. There will be other runners' sites where existing REMF supporters have contacts.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

I'd expect us to announce that REMF has charity places for the 2011 Brighton marathon shortly. But yes , we need to post this information on running sites, not football message boards. Sure, it'd be great if Gus ran but I can't see why the tabloid press would be falling over themselves to report on a League 1 football manager running a local marathon. Let alone a League 1 football supporter from Croydon. (No offence, chaps!)

What we need is a longer, properly planned strategy for press coverage at the same time as the structured forward planning which should ensure REMF makes the most of these charity places. None of this is best arranged on NSC.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Crikey, when you spell it out like that, it all seems so SIMPLE.

Simple being the operative word. I am an amateur when it comes to this sort of thing!

I catch the drift. So it would seem best that I run independently and raise money for REMF in that respect. I have a relative with a rather healthy looking charity trust fund, so that should set me off in good stead. or not in my case

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Which part of the advice you got about how you should distribute REMF places did you not understand?

What ?.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Please FOR F*CKS AKE ONE AND ALL. CAN YOU STOP YOUR BITCHING. This thread was to alert people we are in. Where exactly did I say it was exclusively for NSC members ?, where can you show me ?. When we gauge the NSC interest we can put the net out wider and select a team based on all avenues , spaces available and fund raising. Please give it a rest as its really pissing me off now. If however you feel the need for yet another binfest carry on.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I think it was this question, Gareth:-

Who is in ?.

The point was made that NSC folk who want to run and raise money for REMF are free to enter as individuals anyway.

The REMF 'team' - as you describe it - could be selected exclusively from applicants that we don't know and who probably don't know us. That way, more money is raised.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

It just seems people want to have a pop for the sake of it and it is not me being thin skinned. Just wind your necks in. Igot the e mail , the idea was mooted on nsc and I posted the good news on NSC, that is all. If you rad that its a " closed shop " or " its for all the mates " or " we are going to do it for our ego's " do one.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I think it was this question, Gareth:-

I explained that above Ed.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I explained that above Ed.

And I've added to my earlier post. Nobody is bitching. We are trying to help the cause.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Sorry Ed but I do think some people are just stirring shit for the sake of it. No offence to you or Roz.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

May I add that running is a useful tool to aid stress relief.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's useful for depression as well.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Sorry HT

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It just seems people want to have a pop for the sake of it and it is not me being thin skinned. Just wind your necks in. Igot the e mail , the idea was mooted on nsc and I posted the good news on NSC, that is all. If you rad that its a " closed shop " or " its for all the mates " or " we are going to do it for our ego's " do one.

Gareth, calm down. You are MILES off the mark on this one.

No-one is suggesting any of that at all. You can put together a team of volunteers off here to run the race, and raise sponsorship for the REMF. That will be great. Those people will all happily apply for places themselves though, and raise money off their own back.

You bond places, however, can basically be 'sold' to other people with NO INTEREST whatsoever in the REMF, who will nonetheless raise the requisite figure, in return for their spot.

It all adds up to MORE MONEY.

Everyone is trying to HELP you, not have a dig.

Relax.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It's useful for depression as well.

My doctor told me that. As long as the run doesn't end up killing, all good.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

It is the assumption made by sveral people I did not have the intelligence to think about advertsiing it elsewhere but it was just a jolly for mates on NSC. And the pop about leaflets ?, just leave it Gareth it ain't worth it.

 

[Simster]

Sorry Ed but I do think some people are just stirring shit for the sake of it. No offence to you or Roz.

What, so Ed and Roz have offered constructive advice but HT and I are simply "shitstirring"?

Personally I've run two marathons, for two different charities - one of whom was for my stepfather's charity when he organised the gold bonds for St Catherine's hospice 11 years ago. On this issue, I know what I'm talking about.

However, I wish I hadn't commented on this now. Again.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I excluded ed and roz anyway we will buld up a team from ALL avenues.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It is the assumption made by sveral people I did not have the intelligence to think about advertsiing it elsewhere but it was just a jolly for mates on NSC. And the pop about leaflets ?, just leave it Gareth it ain't worth it.

Nobody has ever suggested that running for over TWENTY SIX MILES, to raise money for a charity, is in any way a 'jolly' for anyone.

No-one has had a pop. No-one is out to get you.

Relax.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

...When we gauge the NSC interest we can put the net out wider and select a team based on all avenues , spaces available and fund raising....

Actually, no. It sounds harsh but in this PARTICULAR instance, REMF should not be filling marathon places by offering them to NSC members and only later put the net out wider.

I don't want a binfest nor do I want to take away the achievement of getting REMF registered for charity places in the 2011 Brighton Marathon. It's marvellous news.

But.......and it is important to repeat this.....if you are a charity who has been allocated marathon places, then you don't start filling those places by asking your friends whether they fancy a 26 mile run. No matter how good those friends or how dedicated they are to your cause.

Instead, you plan a strategy aimed at delivering the maximum return for those gold bond places. You do this by setting a minimum amount of sponsorship for each place and you advertise these spaces amongst the running community. There is no reason to exclude people from, say, NSC (in fact you welcome anyone prepared to run on their own behalf but in support of REMF) but you don't give them priority.

It would be very sensible to promote REMF's involvement in the 2011 Marathon on the REMF website, right now - not least because the forthcoming Memorial Match brings more visitors to the site. But until a sensible strategy has been worked out, you ask for emailed expressions of interest only.

I'll bet there are people on NSC who know about gold bond places and charity status for marathons (Simster for starters). We should talk to him/them. But not right here, right now.

PS. I don't want to be excluded from offence. If I cause it, feel free to be offended. I don't, however, ever set out to do any such thing!