y a W r u o Y k Wal Summer marathon challenge Your step-by-step fundraising guide
You re amazing! By signing up to the Walk Your Way summer marathon challenge, you ve taken the first step towards an incredible personal achievement, and a huge step towards changing the lives of stroke survivors and their families. Thank you for signing up Ruth, stroke survivor and Stroke Association supporter. Now you just need to dust off your comfy walking shoes and make a start. And this step-by-step guide can help you all the way to your marathon goal. Going the extra mile to raise money for stroke It may surprise you to learn that more than 70% of stroke survivors suffer lower leg weakness or paralysis that lasts for days, weeks and months after their stroke. Many face a long, painful recovery learning to walk again, while others are left with lifelong disabilities. That s why Walk Your Way is so special. The funds you raise could help fund stroke recovery, care and support as well as life-changing research. So a big thank you and enjoy Walking Your Way! Need a leg up? Read on to find inspiration on how to complete our summer marathon challenge your way. You ll also find a training plan with hints and tips on how to prepare.
How to Walk Your Way An easy step-by-step guide Step 1: Decide how you want to take on the challenge. Will you walk the whole 26.2 miles in one go, do it over a weekend or spread the distance over a week or two? You decide what works best for you. Step 2: Make a plan Think about where you are going to walk, whether you want to do it with friends, family or on your own, and how many miles you will cover each day. Step 3: Spread the word Tell your friends, family and workmates what you re doing, invite them to walk with you and ask them to sponsor you. Also, tell them why stroke is a cause you care passionately about. Step 4: Walk Your Way! On Sunday 17 June, join hundreds of other summer marathon challengers up and down the country. Put on comfy walking shoes and start to tally up the miles Walking Your Way for stroke. Step 5: Cross the finish line Share your photos and your achievement at facebook.com/thestrokeassociation. Collect your sponsorship money and send in your donations.
signs of a stroke and called the local depot to take Paul to hospital. In June 2017, Paul and his wife Janet dug out their walking boots and took on the Walk Your Way summer marathon challenge for the Stroke Association. Paul said: The Stroke Association is such an amazing charity and I was so excited to take this challenge on with my wife Janet and raise much-needed funds for such a worthy cause. Paul Carter, stroke survivor and fundraiser for the Stroke Association Paul s story This is Paul. He is a 55 year-old HGV driver from Darlington. In August 2016, Paul had a stroke while driving a truck at work in Scotland. He managed to pull the truck over as a colleague recognised the The charity s website was such a useful tool for helping me understand my stroke, and they gave me and my family a lot of information and advice at a really hard time. That s why I wanted to raise funds for the Stroke Association and help other people recovering from a stroke to get the support they need. By signing up to Walk Your Way, you will be helping us continue to support people like Paul as we work towards a world where there are fewer strokes and where stroke survivors get the support they need, when they need it.
Planning your marathon challenge Planning your route You may already know where you d like to walk: your local park or gardens, a national park or even walking to the shops and back. But if you re looking for a little inspiration, here are some useful websites where you can find public trails and pathways near you: nationaltrail.co.uk and walking-routes.co.uk Keeping track of your mileage If you haven t got a smartwatch, fitness tracker, or pedometer, there are lots of great smartphone apps you can use to keep track of your mileage we recommend mapmywalk.com. And of course, you can calculate your mileage the old-fashioned way using a map, or even by driving the route you plan to walk. Walking the right way If you re new to walking, start gently by clocking up one or two miles per day for the first few days and make sure your walking shoes are comfortable and broken-in. Don t forget to rest; take regular breathers on longer walks and take at least one day off each week to let your body recover. And finally Enjoy the challenge. Walk Your Way is a great opportunity to walk with friends or family and discover new places. And while you re walking, think about how you re saving and changing the lives of stroke survivors. Signpost your walk Join the conversation on Facebook: facebook.com/the StrokeAssociation Don t forget to post a picture! Post on Twitter: #WalkYourWay
Training plan Don t forget: The Walk Your Way summer marathon challenge starts on Sunday 17 June If you plan to cover the distance over a couple of weeks at a comfortable pace, you probably don t need to follow a training programme. Just make sure you do one or two weekly 15 30 minute walks in the three weeks leading up to Sunday 17 June, when the summer marathon challenge starts. On the other hand, if you d like to challenge yourself to walk the full 26.2 miles over just a few days, this training plan will help you prepare. WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 1 Rest 30 mins stroll 20 mins brisk 30 mins stroll Rest 30 mins brisk 3 miles 2 Rest 30 mins stroll 20 mins brisk 30 mins stroll Rest 30 mins brisk 3 miles 3 Rest 35 mins stroll 20 mins brisk 35 mins stroll Rest 20 mins brisk 2 miles 4 Rest 35 mins stroll 25 mins brisk 35 mins stroll Rest 40 mins brisk 5 miles 5 Rest 35 mins stroll 25 mins brisk 35 mins stroll Rest 40 mins brisk 6 miles 6 Rest 40 mins stroll 25 mins brisk 40 mins stroll Rest 30 mins brisk 4 miles
Fill your fundraising boots Set up your JustGiving page at: justgiving.com/stroke Here are a few ideas to set you off in the right direction Ask your friends and family to step up Get your closest friends and family to donate first on your JustGiving page. When your other supporters see a nice big sponsorship amount, they ll be encouraged to help generously too. Walk the dog Raise even more by offering to walk a friend or family member s dog for a donation. Get sponsorship Ask local businesses to sponsor you and promise to wear their logo on your T-shirt when you re clocking up the miles. Local businesses get even more generous when there s a chance of good publicity. So consider telling your local newspaper what you re doing and proudly tell them about your local sponsors. Celebrate with a picnic at the end How about inviting your nearest and dearest to celebrate your achievement at a celebratory picnic? You could even sell sandwiches and cakes to boost your fundraising total. Every penny you raise has the potential to save lives.
Summer marathon challenge Walking 26.2 miles is no walk in the park but with a little planning and preparation, we know you can do it. Use this planner to work out how many miles you plan to walk each day of the challenge. 3-day challenge 7-day challenge Day 1 Day 2 14-day challenge Day 1 Day 2 Day 8 Day 9 Day 3 Day 3 Day 10 Day 4 Day 11 Day 1 Day 5 Day 12 Day 2 Day 6 Day 13 Day 3 Day 7 Day 14 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 It doesn t matter whether you take two days, a week or even two weeks. Walk Your Way to complete your marathon. Every penny you raise will go towards making a world of difference for stroke survivors. Good luck! CUT OFF THIS SECTION TO ALLOW FLAP TO FOLD INTO BACK COVER Together we can conquer stroke Item Code: A07M74 Stroke Association is a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales (No 61274). Registered office: Stroke Association House, 240 City Road, London EC1V 2PR. Registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No 211015) and in Scotland (SC037789). Also registered in Northern Ireland (XT33805) Isle of Man (No 945) and Jersey (NPO 369).
CUT OFF THIS SECTION TO ALLOW FLAP TO FOLD INTO BACK COVER I m going the extra mile for stroke 21 20 19 18 22 23 17 16 24 15 25 26.2 1 2 Tick off each mile as you complete it. 14 13 12 11 3 Walk Your Way Progress wheel 10 4 9 5 8 6 7 Sponsorship goal Raised Raised Raised Raised Tear off and stick this on your fridge so you can keep track of your challenge. Together we can conquer stroke Item Code: A07M74 Stroke Association is a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales (No 61274). Registered office: Stroke Association House, 240 City Road, London EC1V 2PR. Registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No 211015) and in Scotland (SC037789). Also registered in Northern Ireland (XT33805) Isle of Man (No 945) and Jersey (NPO 369).
How to pay in your money You are on the final leg and the home straight is in sight. Now cross the finishing line, add up your fundraising total and send us your donation. There are three ways to send us your money: Every donation we receive goes a long way to helping those affected by stroke Call us: to make your donation by debit or credit card, call us on 0300 330 0740. Then post any signed Gift Aid forms back to us at the address below so we can receive an extra 25% in tax relief from the government. Send a cheque by post: put the cheques and your donation form in the Freepost envelope in your pack. Or you can return them to: Walk Your Way Donations, Stroke Association, 1 Sterling Business Park, Salthouse Road, Brackmills, Northampton NN4 7EX Please do not send cash in the post. Online: visit stroke.org.uk/walk/sponsorship and make a credit or debit card payment securely online. Remember to post any Gift Aid forms back to us using the address above so we will receive an extra 25% in tax relief from the government. Together we can conquer stroke Item Code: A07M74 Stroke Association is a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales (No 61274). Registered office: Stroke Association House, 240 City Road, London EC1V 2PR. Registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No 211015) and in Scotland (SC037789). Also registered in Northern Ireland (XT33805) Isle of Man (No 945) and Jersey (NPO 369).