Victoria Runs a Marathon
A beloved member of the Livestrong mission team, Victoria Threadgould sees the impact of Livestrong’s survivorship programs first-hand. Determined to do more, she registered to participate in the 2021 Chicago Marathon. Learn how she uses her unique skills and passion for helping cancer survivors to fundraise.
Running a marathon is tough, and training for a marathon during the Texas summer heat is brutal. Asking people for donations to support your fundraising efforts is equally tough, especially if you think money is a personal subject. But do you know what is tougher than running and fundraising? Cancer.
Whether it be a cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, spending time as a cancer survivor, living with the fear of a cancer recurrence, or the sad reality that someone you know has received a terminal diagnosis. Yes, cancer is tough, which is why I decided to sign up for the Chicago marathon and raise money for Livestrong.
Livestrong’s focus is to provide immediate support for anyone affected by cancer; to offer resources about cancer to patients, survivors, caregivers, and loved ones; to provide programs nationwide for the cancer community, and to help solve everyday cancer problems that simply don’t deserve to exist.
I decided to run the Chicago marathon and fundraise for Livestrong in April. I knew that gave me plenty of time to train and meet the minimum fundraising requirement for my charity spot. I didn’t really know where to begin, but I knew the end goal: run 26.2 miles and raise $3,000. On the running front, I started with a couple of runs during the week and a long run on a Sunday — I’ve been sticking to this plan throughout my training, gradually increasing the miles and hours week by week.
On the fundraising front, I kicked things off myself by donating the marathon registration fee. Once I set up my fundraising page, following Livestrong’s handy Participant Guide, my friends, family, and work colleagues started making donations. Over the first few months, people close to me were very kind with their words of encouragement and generous with their wallets. I even used my mediocre creative skills to make a poster with a QR code that linked to my fundraising page (thanks Canva!). I put up the posters in the office and my Pilates studio (due to COVID, this hasn’t been seen by many, but it was a fun project one Sunday afternoon as I rested my legs).
Over the summer, using Livestrong’s Fundraising Toolkit, I wrote personal emails to local businesses. At first, I didn’t think I knew many people who could support me, but the list started to grow. I was amazed at how the business community — just like nonprofits — values local support. I emailed my physical therapist, chiropractor, orthodontist, dermatologist, financial advisor, eye doctor, and even my eyelash salon (they were the first to donate!). I made an effort to thank businesses and individuals once they’d donated, and highlighted their support in my fundraising updates. If I frequently had my nails painted, my hair cut, or bought flowers from a local florist, I would have emailed those professionals too.
As fall is approaching, I don’t want to lose momentum, so I’ll keep running (I’m up to 20 miles on my long Sunday run) as well as fundraising. I plan to host some donation-based Pilates classes (I’m a qualified instructor), which have been successful in the past when I’ve previously taught mat and reformer Pilates for charity. It’s a great way for people to do a workout — perhaps try something new — and support my fundraising efforts.
It’s easy to take a hobby or skill and turn it into a fundraiser. I like to crochet and have made cat and dog coasters, which people have “bought.” I also did some pro bono research work, and instead of payment, I asked for a donation. If I were any good at baking, I’d do a bake sale.
With only a few weeks to go, I will keep running, fundraising, and updating my Facebook page with weekly updates. This holds me accountable to everyone who’s supported me so far. It’s also a nice way to journal my miles, hours, and where I ran (or, more importantly, what I ate after running!). I’ve never visited Chicago, so I’m looking forward to exploring on foot for 26.2 miles!
Written by Victoria Threadgould.
