Fruit makes a good heart

Image source iamhomosquirrel

Every blog that I’ve read recently has referred to the topic of goal setting, me included. I agree that setting goals is perhaps the most important factor in determining if you will fail or succeed in your ambitions for the coming year. That said, goal setting is about self, people ask how can I achieve this or that, the advice people give refers to your goals, and people set about their own needs for the year. Then, a few days ago i received a letter from the British Heart Foundation wishing a Happy New Year to me and all my family, and mentioning that no doubt after Christmas and the new year that i may feel the need to get fit and active. I thought to myself, “Why not integrate my fitness goal with the needs of others?”

In 2005 one in five men and one in six women died from heart disease, including heart attacks, making heart disease the biggest killer of people in the UK. - bbc.co.uk/health

Stats via - Office for National Statistics

What can you do to help?
This is the simple part. Combine your goals with that of a charity. A fitness goal of mine this year is to enter 5 or more running events. Not necessarily road running, but, cross country, adventure runs, and multi terrain. The letter that the BHF sent my way offers me the opportunity to tick off the first event of the year. I live in a seaside town in the UK called Bournemouth where fortunately we have access to 7 miles of beaches. The BHF holds biannual runs along a coastal path for people to enter from all over Europe. The events are the half marathon, 10 km, and 5 km distances that attract over 2500 runners each year. If you are from Europe and are interested then use the following link to find an event in the UK.

Link: Events

The events are mixed and varied in terrain, so if running is not your thing then choose cycling or swimming.

In the USA
If you do not live in the UK or Europe then the American Heart Association provide a similar events calender. They organise a Heart Walk geared towards raising money to fight heart disease by raising money for a sponsored walking event. Also, Hoops for Hearts is an event where people can play basketball, shoot hoops, and have fun while raising money for the AHA.

Link: Events

I know that i have only provided links for the UK and USA so here is the link for the World Heart Federation. I couldn’t possibly appraise every heart charity for every country in the World so please forgive me. Point you browser to this site, you will find links to every continent in the World that participates.

How will it help you?
Charity events are an ideal way to set yourself a fitness goal. They are perfect in allowing you to follow the SMARTER principles of goal setting. They are fun and you make many new friends. By taking part you will be looking after your own heart as well as raising money for those with more vulnerable hearts, and to assist research. One day the recipient might be you.

Why not enter an event outside of your local area? This way you get to travel, see some new sights and meet new friends.

What about the sense of achievement? How many people do you know that have run a marathon, swam for 2 miles in the sea, or cycled for 50 miles? Not many.

What this post isn’t.
Don’t think of this post as a way for me to tell you what you should be doing this year in terms of charity work and goals. I simply posted this because of the great opportunity that landed on my door mat. I want to enter more running events, I like the idea of helping a charity, and hey presto i can run an event and raise money for charity. If the letter hadn’t arrived through the post would i have considered running for charity? Probably not.

One last thing, if you do consider an event for charity then by no means should you choose a heart related event on the basis of this post. I didn’t sit down and think of which charities to run for, it came to me. Make your own choices but please do let me know. I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment or send an email and I’ll get back to you.