Terrie and her training buddy

Here at Team Firstgiving, we are continuously inspired by marathon fundraisers like Terrie, who not only accomplish the amazing feat of training for and running a marathon, but also take on the challenge of fundraising several thousand dollars for charities like Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary.  Originally from Boston, Terrie has been living abroad this year and training for the marathon on an island we’ve heard is only 7 miles long by 3 miles wide! She was kind enough to take a break from training to share some insights with us on both her running and fundraising:

Why are you running the Boston Marathon?

It’s been something that I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. I found the qualifying times quite daunting, however when I discovered the possiblity of running on behalf of a charity it seemed the perfect solution-I get to fulfill a lifelong goal AND run as part of a team working to help others-it’s a win-win!

Why are you fundraising for Team Eye and Ear?

I have a personal connection with Team Eye and Ear, as I have family members who have been fortunate enough to receive superiour service under the care of physicians at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary.

What is your best training tip?

As this is my first marathon (I ran a half in February in Coamo, Puerto Rico), I found a plan and stuck to it! Having a plan all laid out (on paper) helped me to stay focused, move forward and note progress.

What is your best fundraising tip?

Sending out regular email updates (with photos/links/etc.) helped keep my goal at the forefront of people’s minds.

How has Firstgiving helped you fundraise?

Use Firsgiving! Honestly, I have found it easy to use and update.  Allowing people to donate online with a link that I could provide made things easy.

Is there anything Firstgiving could do better?

Some folks who donated offline wished they could have appeared online with a comment. 

Thanks for the feedback, Terrie.  We’ve heard this from other fundraisers as well, and we’re always listening and thinking about how we can make our site better.  In the absence of this functionality at present, some fundraisers have added comments from offline fundraisers in the personal text section of their fundraising pages.  

Anything else you’d like to share about your training or fundraising experience?

It has been an amazing few months. I’ve run further than I EVER thought possible and have been humbled by the generosity of those giving in support of my run. It’s been a great experience, and I hope to do it again!

Kudos, Terrie!  Thanks for sharing your story with us, and congratulations on having met (and exceeded) your fundraising goal.  See you in Boston!