Oh, Hey!
If you’re reading this, you’re likely familiar with the concept of charity running teams. You see them in major races across the globe raising awareness and boatloads of money to benefit charities doing some really great things. The concept of Team Still I Run (TSIR) is no different.
What is different is that our charity runners can create their fundraiser to coordinate with their goal race. This means there are no large fundraising goals to earn a bib and racers can participate anytime throughout the year.
Our charity runners receive access to:
Pre-designed training plans from Still I Run RRCA certified coaches (5K to half-marathon)
Access to the Still I Run playlist on Spotify
Fundraising tips and support
Special discounts from organization partners like FRE Skincare, Noxgear, and BRANWYN
Branded graphics for your social media platforms
Links to mental health resources for continued education on mental health topics
Support from Still I Run Core Team members
Oh yeah, did I mention that our racers are mailed two Run.Write.Fight (I’ll explain what that program is shortly) cards to send to loved ones who might need some encouragement?
BIG Dreams
I’m not gonna lie – we have big dreams (HUGE!) when it comes to expanding our presence. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to see the birth of a speaker series, podcast, video series, more races, bigger events, chapters all over the country (and all over the world?!)…oh, man! The possibilities are endless! All in the name of normalizing the conversation and stopping the stigma.
Why Our Team Still I Run Athletes Run for Mental Health
Mental health awareness isn’t just a one-person effort. Nor is eliminating the stigma easy. We’d like the Staples “Easy Button”, trust us. We rely very heavily on the community that supports us. As a TSIR co-captain, one of the best parts of TSIR is getting to connect with the Warriors who choose to run in support of Still I Run’s mission – educating others about running for mental health, raising mental health awareness, providing encouragement to others, and helping people experiencing hardship get started in their running journey. Their reasons for choosing to run for mental health are simply amazing and inspiring.
Here are a few:
“Our group of friends consists of ex-athletes who have all transitioned out of elite sports at some stage of their life. Over the last few years, many of us have found the transition challenging, especially from a mental health perspective. Exercise – specifically running for some of us – has been crucial throughout that life adjustment. We wanted to share our journey with others and become runners for Mental Health Awareness.” – NM
“I’m Running for Mental Health! I’m running for my husband. For my brother-in-law, who lost his battle to PTSD. And, for me. For everyone who is suffering silently. To break the stigma. It’s okay to not be okay. You are not alone!!” – KW
“I am running this race and raising funds to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. This race is on what would have been my student’s 18th birthday. His memory lives on in all of the lives that he touched.” – LD
“I’m running in honor of my dear friend J and for Mental Health Awareness!” – SM
“I recently lost a sister-in-law to postpartum depression, a mental health disease that can be silent and serious.” – VW
“I’m running a solo marathon dedicated to mindfulness and gratitude, while raising awareness for mental health issues.” – DW
“I’ll be Running Gazelle Girl for Mental Health! I’m running in honor of my mother who died by suicide in 2017.” – AS
“I am a Juvenile Probation Officer for juvenile mental health court. I am not only running for my own mental health but for the youth I work for as well.” – JZ
It’s easy to keep talking about Team Still I Run. Instead of going on and on, why don’t you join the Team? Check it out HERE!
Why Fundraise?
As a growing 100% volunteer-led non-profit organization, Still I Run relies on donations and fundraising to continue the growth of our existing programs such as:
RUN.WRITE.FIGHT
RUN.WRITE.FIGHT: Created to connect people in the spirit of mental health through handwritten letters on custom Still I Run stationery. Yup! Real pen-to-paper writing!
Sometimes, when we’re going through a rough patch, the sentiments that mean the most to us are the ones that come from people that truly understand the pain of mental illness; the people that can truly empathize with another about what it feels like to have a mental health condition.
Ambassador Program
Ambassador Program: Our community grows and thrives through our ambassadors. It’s important to us to spread the word about Still I Run in an organic way through REAL people like YOU. Our ambassadors are spread throughout the country and they’re all individuals passionate about the benefits of running for mental health, defeating the stigma around mental health, and connecting with others in a powerful way.
Still I Run National Chapters
Still I Run National Chapters: While Still I Run is an online, the national chapters exist to bring a portion of our virtual community to physical locations across the nation. These are smaller, geographically tied Still I Run communities where you can meet, network, and RUN together somewhere near you!
We currently have chapters in Gnadenhutten, Ohio; Wichita, Kansas; Grove City, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Elmira/Corning, New York; Lansing, Michigan; and Southern Maryland (Charles County).
Starting Line Scholarship
Starting Line Scholarship: Our scholarship is designed to help up to 40 participants annually overcome any barriers that may hold people back from their running and mental health journey.
The scholarship provides recipients with a proper pair of running shoes and gear, a personal running coach, individualized training plan, a mentor to be a cheerleader along the recipient’s journey, and registration to a local race of their choosing to capstone their training!
Events
Events! We currently have 3 major virtual events – Breaking Stigma In Stride 5K sponsored by Altra Running, May Mental Health Month Runstreak, and World Mental Health Day 5K (which is also Still I Run’s birthday celebration!)
So if you’re training for a race and you want to run for mental health AND raise money for mental health at the same time, we hope you’ll consider joining Team Still I Run!!!
