Good Running?: The Rise of Fitness Philanthropy and Sports-Based Charity Events

Abstract

This article offers a sociological account of the growth in popularity of mass participation sports-based charity challenges. It argues these events have emerged as unique social, health, and philanthropic phenomena in the context of healthism and neo-liberalism. Drawing on the concept of “embodied philanthropy,” the key argument is that “fitness philanthropy” represents a new form of giving in which displays of fitness are increasingly also displays of civic engagement and being a “good person.” The growth of fitness philanthropy highlights changing responsibilities for health and wellness and addresses key sociological concerns with identity, community, and civic engagement that are now manifest in sports charity challenges.

Keywords:

• sports charity
• running
• healthism
• neoliberalism
• embodied philanthropy

Notes

1 While most charity challenges involve running, other epic, no-running charity challenges include the Tour de Cure cycle event held along the east coast of Australia or the exploits of Sean Conway who swam the length of Great Britain (1047 km) to raise money for the War Child charity.

2 Oprah Winfrey ran the Marine Corps marathon in 1994, Gordon Ramsay ran the 2012 London marathon.

3 This is perhaps not surprising, given the rates of breast cancer death and diagnosis. Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, with 1.67 million new cases diagnosed in 2012 (Ferlay et al., 2013). In Australia, breast cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2015 and it is estimated that the risk of an individual being diagnosed with breast cancer by their 85th birthday will be 1 in 16; 1 in 719 males and 1 in 8 females (Cancer Australia, 2016). In Australia, 15,600 new cases of breast cancer among women were diagnosed in 2015 (Cancer Australia, 2016).