Charity Running In 2025/26: What Is Actually Working To Grow Your Events

Runners competing fiercely in a race on a vibrant blue track, showcasing their determination and effort in pursuit of victory — Photograph by Unai82 on Envato

If you are trying to grow events income this year, the wind is at your back. Running is booming again, ballots are breaking records, and the charity place has never looked more valuable. Here is a practical, keep-it-simple plan shaped by Mark Roby from Run For Charity’s session at the Events Fundraising Conference 2025, plus the latest sector data.

Who Is Signing Up Now

The profile of a charity runner has shifted. Younger people are piling in, especially women. London Marathon’s 2025 ballot hit a world-record 840,318 applications and edged toward gender parity, with female applicants rising to 49 percent. [1]

Gen Z are a big part of the surge. Reports across the sector point to a third running boom driven by under-30s and fuelled by social media and the fashion of running culture. JustGiving’s Event Fundraising Report 2025 also shows participation growing fastest among people in their 20s. [2]

The takeaway for charities is straightforward. Offer an on-ramp. If your portfolio is only half marathons and marathons, you are missing the entry point many younger supporters want. Add 5K and 10K options to bring people in early and keep them for the long term.

Pick The Right Races And Secure Places Early

Popular events are selling out earlier. When general entry disappears, your charity places become the hot ticket. That demand is showing up everywhere from Hackney to Paris and is reflected in broader reports like Massive’s Mass Participation Pulse 2025, which charts resilient mass-participation income and bigger fields. [3]

Action for you:

Prioritise high-demand races where a charity place is the only realistic route in.
Lock in inventory earlier. Treat place acquisition as a campaign in itself, not an afterthought.

Charge A Registration Fee To Cut Dropouts

Mark’s data is blunt. When runners do not pay a registration fee, they are far more likely to drop out. Even a modest fee signals commitment and reduces risk. Balance matters, so test pricing, but do not be afraid to protect your investment in places.

Recruit Where Decisions Are Made

If your plan relies on people stumbling across your listing on an event website, you are leaving conversions to chance. The Mass Participation Pulse points to social media and word of mouth as top discovery channels for participants, with charities themselves also ranking highly. [3]

What to do this quarter:

Run always-on social posts with clear next steps, not one-off blasts.
Encourage peer invites. Make it easy for signups to bring a friend.
Put your charity at the centre of discovery. Landing pages and sign-up flows should be fast and mobile-first. Younger runners have low patience for clunky forms.

Motivate Beyond “Run This For Us”

Health, headspace and personal goals are the biggest triggers to start running. Research from England Athletics and the Running Industry Alliance highlights physical and mental health as prime motivators, with “entering a race” a minor reason to begin. [5]

Mirror that in your copy. Lead with what the supporter gains and weave your cause through the story.

Try this structure:

Benefit to them. Feel stronger. Clear your head. Hit a goal.
Social proof. Show real runners like them on the journey.
Impact. Here is what their page funds and why it matters.

Time Your Push For When People Actually Commit

January is useful for planting seeds, not for peak signups. Sector data and platform experience show a stronger surge in spring as people turn intention into action. [2] Plan heavier recruitment for March and April, and ride the inspiration that follows big televised events.

Tactical tip. Sundays and Mondays are life-admin days and “Medal Monday” fills feeds. Schedule your strongest calls to action then.

Support That Reduces Dropouts

More first-timers plus longer lead times means more chances to wobble. Keep people in the event with light-touch, regular help.

Welcome fast. Share training plans from day one and invite them into your WhatsApp or Strava group so they feel part of something.
Celebrate small wins. First 5K, first £50, first long run. Recognition keeps momentum high.
Teach the basics. Pacing, fuelling and strength work prevent injuries. Workshops and partner content pay for themselves in retained runners.

Do Not Ignore Shorter Formats

2024 saw a surge in 5K and 10K interest. They are social, accessible and a brilliant gateway to lifetime value. Running still raises serious money per page, and shorter distances widen your funnel. [2]

Keep An Eye On The Rising Tide

There is plenty to be cheerful about. Enthuse’s Charity Pulse 2025 finds most charities held or grew income last year and optimism is up for 2025 and 2026. London Marathon fundraising records keep tumbling, with Enthuse reporting its best year yet on the event. [4] Use the momentum.

Your Checklist For The Next Eight Weeks

Add at least one 5K and one 10K to your lineup and give them equal prominence.
Secure places in one high-demand race and build a simple, fast sign-up flow.
Introduce a sensible registration fee and test small increases.
Schedule your heaviest recruitment for Sundays and Mondays through March and April.
Lead with benefits to runners, not just the cause.
Launch a runner community touchpoint and celebrate every micro-milestone.

Get these basics right and 2026 will not just be bigger. It will be better for your runners and your bottom line.