Official London Marathon charity
Because of the extraordinary determination of Oxfam’s runners, whole communities will work their way out of poverty.
Determination is everything
2011 Virgin London Marathon
Virgin London Marathon
Well done to all our Oxfam runners in the 2010 London Marathon. Thank you for being so determined, getting across that finish line and raising over £100,000 for Oxfam's work around the world.
Meet the Oxfam runners
2010 London Marathon photos
The projects
The money our runners raise will provide exactly what people have asked for to succeed. It means people will get the training, skills and support they need to develop their small businesses and transform their lives.
It means families earning a decent living. More children in school. Dignity. Independence. And financial security for future generations.
Marathon guide
How to:
- Get a place in the London Marathon
- Train, prepare mentally and eat right
- Fundraise – using your passion
- Do everything right on race day
Join our team and you can bank on all the training support, nutrition advice and fundraising ideas you’ll ever need. Basically, we’ll make sure you’re the very best you can be.
Matt's tips
If you're thinking of running the 2011 Virgin London Marathon with Oxfam, have a look at Matt Kurton’s top 10 tips for going the distance – and having a great time while you train.
Related links
Ethiopia
Your support will enable The Assosa Farmers' Enterprise to earn a better living from their vegetable and seed oils. The plan is for more than 6,000 farmers to benefit, each earning 35% more income.
Your fundraising will:
- Buy better machines so farmers can process more seeds into oil.
- Help farmers sell their oils for a better price.
- Provide better economic opportunities for women.
- Support better business management and coordination.
Find out more about this project. Combined with your determination, it has the power to revolutionise life for whole communities, for good.
This infographic demonstrates the growth potential for this business in the market.
Honduras
Members of the Aproalce co-op in Honduras are ready to help business boom. By selling vegetables to more people, and getting more farmers involved, 400 families will see their income grow by 40%.
Your fundraising will:
- Improve crop collection and storage.
- Provide vital supplies, from machinery to seeds.
- Boost quality control, and improve packaging and shipping.
- Provide accounting and marketing training.
Find out more about this project. Combined with your determination, it has the power to revolutionise life for whole communities, for good.
This infographic demonstrates the profit and market potential for this business.
Sri Lanka
The Vavuniya District Livestock Breeders’ Cooperative Societies sells fresh milk and other dairy products to schools, hotels and local markets. 80% per cent of members are women. And this project will help 1,500 members earn 20% more.
Your fundraising will:
- Provide machinery to help the business to expand.
- Provide training and mentoring
- Support the introduction of new products like pasteurised and sterilised milk.
Find out more about this project. Combined with your determination, it has the power to revolutionise life for whole communities, for good.
This infographic demonstrates the growth opportunities in Sri Lanka's dairy sector.
Tanzania
Katani Limited processes, manufactures and markets sisal – a type of stiff fibre. Your determination could help to raise the income of 8,000 processors and farmers – half of them women – by a poverty-busting 20%.
Your fundraising will provide:
- 15 small processing plants in Kishapu, Shinyanga.
- Machines, training and support to help to develop the sisal industry locally.
- Training on sisal production, by-product processing and handicrafts to processors and farmers.
Find out more about this project. Combined with your determination, it has the power to revolutionise life for whole communities, for good.
This infographic demonstrates the potential for harvesting Sisal in Tanzania.
Running the London Marathon with the Official Charity
As Official Charity, we’ll use every ounce of our determination to make sure you have the experience of a lifetime.
- sign up
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Running the London Marathon for charity
There are two ways to get a 2011 London Marathon place:
London Marathon Ballot
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The 2011 Virgin London Marathon ballot has closed in a record 14 hours!
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If you entered the ballot, you'll get an "Accepted" or "Commiserations" magazine in the post at the start of October.
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If your application is successful, why not use your place to run for Oxfam?
London Marathon charity place
- Many charities are allocated entries from the organisers, what is known as a Golden Bond, Gold Bond or guaranteed charity place.
- As Official Charity, Oxfam has hundreds more guaranteed places for the 2011 race.
- The Oxfam place entry fee is £100 and the fundraising pledge is £2000.
- We encourage you to apply for a ballot place too.
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- train
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We'll support your training to get you to the London Marathon start
Simon Rea - Lecturer in Sport Science for The Open University
Oxfam works with experts in running, who’ll be on hand to help you with:
- A training event – with podcasts for anyone who can’t attend
- Training plans to suit you
- An online training advice hub – talk to the experts and share tips with fellow runners
- An email hotline to ask about anything
- Regular email advice on eating right, building your determination, goal setting and recovery advice
- All the detail of race day – like how to avoid getting a water bottle-related injury!
- Last minute advice – with a race week direct dial number to the experts
- fundraise
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Fundraise online
Oxfam recommends you use Virgin Money Giving to promote your fundraising. Online giving is fast, safe and easy. Plus we’ve found that people give more online than off – getting you to your target faster. Other ways to fundraise
- As well as your fundraising pack, through the year we’ll keep you up-to-date with seasonal fundraising ideas by email.
- We’ll share the best ideas that our London Marathon fundraisers have and practical advice to suit a range of lifestyles.
- run
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On the day of the Marathon
We’ll do everything to get you to the start line and then months of determined training and fundraising will pay off.
Running for the Official Charity means you’ll join hundreds of Oxfam runners:
- Wearing your Oxfam running vest, in all its green glory!
- Being supported along the route by hundreds of Oxfam volunteers and staff cheering you on and shouting your name until we’re all hoarse.
- Getting high-fives from massive green hands, and seeing reminders of our running mantra – “Determination is everything” to get you to the end.
- Celebrating at the Oxfam reception with a sports massage and carb-heavy recovery meal (and more cheers) super close to the finish, at the British Academy.
- Knowing that your footsteps are being felt around the world.
Related links
Running the 2011 Virgin London Marathon
Matt Kurton ran the 2009 London Marathon as well as other running events for Oxfam. Here is some of his good advice.
1) Enjoy it
The most important tip of all. Running is much easier when you’re having a good time. So enjoy the great outdoors. Enjoy getting fitter and faster. And if you start to struggle, imagine how incredible you’ll feel when you cross the finish line of the 2011 Virgin London Marathon.
2) Put your feet first
You’ll run hundreds of miles training for the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, so wearing the right shoes is vital. Get yourself along to a proper running shop, and the staff will watch you run and recommend the perfect pair to keep your feet happy.
3) Food matters
Putting the right fuel in your tank makes a big difference to your running. Think carbs, lean proteins and plenty of fruit and veg. Energy drinks and gels can give you a serious boost on longer runs (you’ll get used to their unique taste). And don’t forget to treat yourself now and again; you’re burning a lot of calories, after all...
4) Warm up and cool down
Start and finish at a snail’s pace. Your muscles will be very grateful the next day.
5) Follow a London Marathon training plan
It’s the best way to make sure you’re mixing things up and not increasing your mileage too quickly. Slow runs, fast runs, hill runs, long runs and interval runs should all be part of your 2011 Virgin London Marathon training. Make sure you vary where you run too, to keep things interesting.
6) Listen to your body
If you feel a niggle that seems worse than just a bit of muscle ache, don’t ignore it. Rest, and head to a physio if it doesn’t clear up. Carry on running and chances are you’ll make things worse.
7) Go long
The long runs are the most important part of your 2011 Virgin London Marathon training, so don’t skip them. As well as giving you a real sense of achievement, they help you get used to spending several hours on your feet. And you’ll be amazed how distances that seemed impossible at the start of your training suddenly become much more straightforward.
8) Enter a practice race
Running a half-marathon six weeks or so before the big day (2011 Virgin London Marathon; 17 April) is a great way to get used to running at the right pace; and to enjoy the atmosphere of an organised run (although nothing will prepare you for the amazing London Marathon race day buzz).
9) Stick with what you know
Come London Marathon morning, make sure you’re not doing anything for the first time. Nothing new for breakfast. No clothes or shoes you haven’t run in before. And plenty of Vaseline on those sensitive areas. That way you’ll make sure you don’t get any new blisters or nasty chafing.
10) Celebrate!
Running the London Marathon is a serious, life-changing achievement, so make sure you plan a proper party for afterwards. And seeing as you’ve got the running habit, why stop with the 2011 Virgin London Marathon? There are dozens of other brilliant races out there; and each of them is another opportunity to raise even more money for Oxfam!
London Marathon training plans
