One of the most popular sporting events in Brighton is the Brighton Marathon. First held in 2010 – set up by athlete Tim Hutchings – the race traditionally starts in the leafy grounds of Preston Park, traversing 26 miles and 365 yards to Madeira Drive on the seafront.
It’s a great occasion that champions athletes and charities alike, with a record 20,000 registrants having already signed up to take part in this year’s event.
But, of course, you might already know this. If you’re reading this article, either you’re a runner who has taken part in the marathon before – yet for whatever reason cannot run this year – or you are a Brighton local who wants a way of getting involved in such a momentous occasion – without the hard graft of training for a marathon to add to the mix!
Whichever it is, you’ve done the right thing by clicking on the article. No matter what marathon is going on, there are always roles to be performed on the sidelines, all of which help to make the event a success and ensure the safety of all the runners participating.
With this in mind, here’s a quick look at everything you could do to participate in 2023’s Brighton Marathon and how it will help everyone involved:
Volunteer For The Starting Point
There are always methods of supporting the runners during mass participation sports events, but one of the best is actually becoming a worker on the ground. If you register your interest in volunteering at the Brighton Marathon, you can put your skills and enthusiasm to good use and actively assist the runners as they get ready to set off.
Volunteer For The Finish Point
As well as this, support volunteers can also be positioned at the end of the race, organising the runners as they finish, assisting those who are struggling and cheering on the ones who need that last bit of encouragement. As mentioned before, the Brighton Marathon only gets bigger and bigger every year, so there will always be a need for volunteers to hold their hands up and help out.
Assist At The Refuel Stations
Being located in Brighton, this is one of the hardest marathons in the UK, especially if it’s on a particularly hot day. Compared to other marathons, Brighton does not have a lot of covers, and with the ocean right on the doorstep, the sun is often reflected off the water to cause issues with hydration and exhaustion among the runners. This is why fuelling stations are so necessary. If you assist with the distribution of fluids – and we mean thousands of water bottles to every runner – then you can help to keep the runners safe and protected on their journey.
Cheer From The Sidelines
Of course, you don’t have to be on the ground working to assist the runners. Not a lot of people realise just how important a crowd is during a marathon, with as many as 92% of runners stating that the interaction with crowds plays a significant role in their performance and emotions – as well as the quality of the event experience. If you stick to the sidelines and show your encouragement – either instructional, motivational or personal, if you have someone you know in the race – you will be helping those runners in ways you cannot even imagine.
Donate To A Charity
Lastly, one of the absolute best ways to support the Brighton Marathon is by actually donating to the charities that are being represented. The reasons these runners do it is not only for the experience or the competitive edge of racing but because they have a reason to run and a message to communicate. If you want to support these runners, then put in a donation to their charities. If you’re finding it hard to choose which charity, find the one that might have an emotional connection to you.
As mentioned before, you might not be running this marathon because you’re injured or just because you don’t think it’s for you, but either way, that might change. In a year or two, you might be the one running. And you would want to know that the charity you are wearing on your shirt is going to be supported through your amazing achievements.
