One of the most wonderful things about training for a marathon is that every mile I run can be used for a better purpose than simply helping me get ready for my 26.2 mi goal. Somehow (and I honestly don’t remember at this point), I came up on a free app for my phone: Charity Miles. The way it works is that you turn it on when you go for a run, walk or bike ride, select a charity from their list of about 25, and then you hit ‘start’. The app tracks the distance you go, and a corporate sponsor will donate 25-cents per mile of running/walking or 10-cents per mile of bike riding to the chosen charity.

Which might not seem like much, but you can really earn some decent money for your charity. I have been regularly choosing Stand Up to Cancer, and in the past 18 months, I have used the app enough to earn about $150 for this organization (and I also donated a bit of a matching effort, so they have received more than $200 from my running alone).

There is also another app that might mean something to people who are following my blog because I am running for the Humane Society of Tulsa. The app, called ‘Walk for a Dog’ is similar, but they encourage you to walk your dog while you use it. And you can select the animal rescue charity of your choice (in the US), where they receive the donations from your walking efforts. Of course, the more people who participate, the greater impact there is. Please consider doing this when you take your dog for a walk, as HST can greatly benefit from this app!

My June 2015 donation to Stand Up to Cancer through the Charity Miles app!

And let’s face it, using an app like Charity Miles or Walk for a Dog this is the only way I’ll ever get a corporate sponsorship! I’m just thankful it is available to help a cause that I believe in!