After last year’s success, we’re inviting everyone to dust off their trainers and get ready to walk a Marathon in a Month for people with PMR and GCA. We hope many of you will want to join in again or if you didn’t take part last year, will have been inspired by those who did. Even if you don’t physically feel up to it, maybe you have a friend or relative(s) who could take part in your place. We are very grateful for everyone’s support in whatever form it takes.
This month-long event is taking place in July and open to individuals, groups, families and friends. Last year some people chose to walk individually and achieve the 26.2 mile goal by themselves. Others joined forces to share the miles, so that even those who might find a whole marathon difficult could contribute some miles towards the total.
The beauty of this challenge is that the walks can be anywhere and any time e.g.:
- Getting off the bus one stop earlier
- A daily dog walk
- The local park, woodland or to the post box and back
- A regular family or support group walk
A marathon is 26.2 miles, less than a mile a day (and a mile is around 2,000 steps). However a person or group wants to take part, it can be tailored to fit. Particularly, if you have PMR/GCA you can vary the days to suit your energy levels.
Last year we heard from many participants about the benefits of taking part. People told us they had improved sleep, more energy and generally felt better mentally and physically. It was also a great opportunity for friends to catch up with one another and those that walked as part of a support group made new friends.
As a small charity, this fundraiser is vital to help fund our core work of supporting people with PMR and GCA. So do join in and “Keep going to keep going!”
Getting started!
- Decide if you want to join in individually or as part of a group
- Set up a JustGiving page – you can do this as part of our campaign . See the bottom of this post for a set-up guide. Alternatively, download a sponsor form (also below) or use both if needed.
- Decide on where you’re going to walk – this may be one route or several – and measure it if possible. If not, see the next step about measuring your steps
- If you don’t already have a tracking device to measure your steps, get the Active 10 app designed by Public Health England. You’ll need a smartphone for this
- Register to join our launch webinar on 12th June at 11am BST. We’re thrilled that Consultant Rheumatologist Mark Hughes is going to talk to us about the effects of steroids on muscles and how exercise can help. Many of our members will be familiar with Mark as he ran the Arc of Attrition (a race of over 100 miles) in January and raised a staggering £2,500 for the charity. Mark will also talk about this challenge he undertook for us. Register by emailing webinar@pmrgca.org.uk – this webinar is open to everyone
Raising awareness!
- Tell your friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances what you’re up to – the more people who learn about PMR and GCA, the better!
- Share details of your training and activity on social media
- If you have a JustGiving page, share this on social media too
- Take photos of your walks and/or walking team (if you have a team, and with their permission) and share on your social media using hashtag #PMRGCAMarathon. If your team is happy, please send images to us too. We would love to share images on our social media of people Walking a Marathon in a Month for PMR and GCA
Collecting money!
- Ask people to sponsor you!
- If you set up a JustGiving page, the funds will be automatically paid to us by JustGiving
- If you collect money, please send a cheque made payable to PMRGCAuk to BM PMRGCAuk, London WC1N 3XX or transfer the funds into our account. Email info@pmrgca.org.uk for our bank details. Remember to also send a copy of the sponsorship form to us so we can claim gift aid on any eligible donations
