As the recipient of many great questions, I thought it might be useful to post a series of "How To's" over the next several blog columns. The focus will be on addressing some of the more commonly asked questions with a "road map" approach to achieving the desired outcome. Of course, I don't profess to have all of the answers and so will rely on those of you who know more than I (and there will be plenty of you) to chime in with relevant information.

Melissa Perlman Is the Feel-Good Story at Boston Honolulu Marathon back in 1995 with Team in Training, I never could have foreseen the huge impact for-cause running would have upon the participant sports world. It makes complete sense, however, to combine a running endeavor with raising money for a worthwhile cause. Fifteen years after that inaugural event, "TNT" has become one of the most successful fundraising programs of all time!

There are literally hundreds of charities to choose from. When someone asks me about the best approach to running for a cause, I always advise him or her to look inward. What cause or charitable organization is near and dear to your heart? Identify the charity that is most important to you. That is always the best place to start.

Many of these charities will already have preexisting programs in place. Registering online is fairly straightforward. You agree to raise a certain amount of money, and in return you receive professional coaching, travel arrangements to and from the event, registration, and all of the necessary support services. Once you've signed up, you'll be provided with a dedicated website where supporters can make secure online contributions. You typically have the ability to customize this site as much, or as little, as you desire.

If you're choosing to support a cause that doesn't have an existing program in place, my recommendation is to sign up with a service such as Active.com or EventsOnline. Once you've registered with Active.com or EventsOnline, you can build a customized fundraising page that will allow your supporters to make secure contributions online. Active will mail you a check at the end of each month, minus their small processing fee. On Active.com, you can also allow others to register as fundraisers for your cause to assist you in reaching your goals.

Whether you utilized an existing program or set one up yourself, I would then recommend sending an email blast to your entire list of friends, family and co-workers officially announcing your intentions. Provide them with the web address of your fundraising page and encourage them to support your cause. This not only helps raise the necessary funding, it puts added pressure upon you to perform! Now, multiple people know you're running an upcoming race. The pressure is on!

I hope that this provides the foundation for answering the question: "How To Fundraise." Again, for those of you who have tips and suggestions, please post these in the comments section below so that others can benefit from your experiences. When it comes to fundraising for a worthwhile charity, no amount of advice is too small.

Many thanks to all of you for your contributions. The next post will address the question of how to get a running book published.

This Runner Has a Goal of 100 Endurance Races!

Dean