[Closed] Dry Atheletes....

I've never heard of it, but thanks for the warning. 😆

I've not heard of it either; sounds bonkers!

Dryathlon, I suppose if sponsorship motivates someone to give up alcohol for a month and a charity benefits then it can't all be bad...

What is the point? I expect most will just binge drink at the end of it anyway. If you want to moderate your drinking just get a grip and do so instead of involving others in your lack of willpower.

PJ, I agree entirely, what a pile of shite.

I'm happy to offer my services and be a "wet athlete". I assure you I've trained hard over the last few weeks and with the right sponsorship.......

FFS stop whining.

it's just people raising money for Cancer Research !

What does it matter what they do to achieve it ?

You're making it sound they are trying to make money for themselves 🙄

Yes it's another pants thing for a worthy cause.

Giving up something you don't need at all? what hardship does not having a drink bring? Many people don't drink anyway.
I drink, but I know I didn't drink from early September until Christmas Eve, super long distance dryathlete.

What does it matter what they do to achieve it ?

Because it's being racist to teetotalist's

I expect most will just binge drink at the end of it anyway

You should add that you have no idea if that's true or not.

Because it's being racist to teetotalist's

They can do the opposite and get sponsored to spend January out on the piss.

Its a sad reflection of our nation that a month is seen as a big challenge and that your sponsors agree too by sponsoring you.

Its great that a charity benefits but it shouldn't be the deal some make it out to be. I did it last year as a response to requests / statements of intent. Was quite easy and will be doing it again maybe.

I expect most will just binge drink at the end of it anyway

So what if they do.

I sponsored a bloke doing the Great North Run for Charity.

I didn't refuse and say....

"Balls to him, he'll probably just stop running and have a sit down as soon as he's finished" 🙄

nealglover - Member

I sponsored a bloke doing the Great North Run for Charity.

I didn't refuse and say....

"Balls to him, he'll probably just stop running and have a sit down as soon as he's finished"

He should be taking the bus ... 😆

It does seem a bit odd to me. Feels very much like sponsoring someone to do something they should be doing anyway (controlling their drinking).

Address your complaints to Cancer Research, they came up with the idea. I'm doing it, and as a daily drinker, who likes wine and has a glass a day, I will find it a challenge due to habit, albeit a very easy one compared with the things I've done for charity before.

I wont be badgering people for sponsorship though, i will donate a bit myself.

[b]Fun[/b]draising needs fun in it.

You should add that you have no idea if that's true or not.

No I don't, I'll make my own assumptions thanks.

spurious statements

😆

Can someone sponsor me to sleep early please as I usually sleep less than 6 hours per night. I can't seem to sleep earlier than 2am. For every pound sponsored I promise to sleep at 10pm per night ...

I didn't realise it was a charity thing. I thought it was just a change for life type thing (but just for a month). It may or may not be difficult depending on your addiction I suppose. Then it's probably a lot tougher for most than growing a moustache or wearing a red nose.

Im doing a version of LEJOG in June and im getting fed up with being asked if its for charity .No its a bloody holiday !do you lie on your fat arse in Magaluf for charity?

I'm having a dry January, mainly cos I drank far too much over the xmas period. No charities involved.

Its a sad reflection of our nation that a month is seen as a big challenge and that your sponsors agree too by sponsoring you.

If anyone has lots of alcohol but is going dry for January email me and I'll let you know where to post it.

For charity you understand.

I reckon I might have a beer after reading all that

I might detox for January. Some celeb with a DVD to sell says its brilliant.

I'm thinking of doing a sponsored nostabbingpeopleathon if anyone's interested in supporting a worthy cause?

Its a sad reflection of our nation that a month is seen as a big challenge and that your sponsors agree too by sponsoring you.

No really it's not. It's a bit of a novelty thing to ask people to go dry after Xmas and NYE to raise money for charity. It's neither a challenge or a reflection on the nation.

I'm thinking of doing a sponsored nostabbingpeopleathon if anyone's interested in supporting a worthy cause?

What charity are you raising money for ?

That's the important bit.

I couldn't care less what you are actually doing to raise the money.

is not having an alcoholic drink for a whole month really that much of a challenge people have to be sponsored to get through it?

is not having an alcoholic drink for a whole month really that much of a challenge people have to be sponsored to get through it?

No. Well not for me but maybe it is for other people or others are just doing it to raise money for charity as it's an easy way to raise money.

is not having an alcoholic drink for a whole month really that much of a challenge people have to be sponsored to get through it?

Are you deliberately not getting the point, or is it accidental ?

I might do a gettingthepointathon neal.

Will you sponsor me? 😛

I might do a gettingthepointathon neal.
Will you sponsor me?

Which charity are you raising money for ?

As others have probably mentioned making a challenge "challenging" is self defeating if your aim is to get as many people as possible participating. The challenge in these things is never the headline event, the challenge is getting people to dig into their pockets.

No doubt there's some people who said it's not worth sponsoring someone to do this, but the thing is there's a world of difference between expressing this thought on a forum, and refusing point blank to donate when someone you know actually asks you face to face.

I'm all for raising money for charity by whatever means and accept that some sponsorship challenges are more worthy than others. I did a sponsored tandem charity jump and genuinely felt guilty about it because there was no element of challenge for me. I fully understood some people's reluctance to sponsor me.

As for Dry Athletes, I definitely feel uncomfortable about it as a challenge but struggle to put into words why. Does it mock alcoholism?

is not having an alcoholic drink for a whole month really that much of a challenge people have to be sponsored to get through it?

For some people I'm sure it very much is.

Does it mock alcoholism?

No.

How do they prove they've done it? Regular breathalyser tests?

Its a sad reflection of our nation that a month is seen as a big challenge

Not drinking for a month is hardly a challenge is it?

I'm having deja vu. Did we do this topic last New Year?

For some it is a challenge. For others, it's just an easy way to raise some charity money. There's probably a whole spectrum of people in between.

Not drinking for a month is hardly a challenge is it?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that already and it's not been covered.

That's right ross980. Let's make it challenging like say running 100 marathons in 100 days.
Now let's see how many people sign up.
Oh.
I'll sponsor you a pound for each one, but you're not getting the money if you don't complete it 🙂

how about those people not drinking just put the money they save to charity and then they wouldnt have to ask for sponsorship...

how about those people not drinking just put the money they save to charity and then they wouldnt have to ask for sponsorship...

Some might be and then also kindly ask for a little more you know for charity.

how about those people not drinking just put the money they save to charity and then they wouldnt have to ask for sponsorship...

Instead of doing this as a sponsored event, the Dry Athletes should simply donate all the money they (don't) spend on booze to charity. Everyone's happy.

[EDIT Jambo beat me to it]

Not drinking for a month is hardly a challenge is it?

Reading a one and a bit page thread is too much of a challenge for some people it would seem, so who knows.

Holy fuss in a teacup

It's Cancer Research, highlighting the dangers of too much booze/cancer, for people who perhaps need it pointed out to them, whilst also earning some money.
It's like a sponsored silence for kids in the behavioural unit at school..........

Just say no to them, explaining why and that you already donate to chosen charities via gift aided standing order.

Instead of doing this as a sponsored event, the Dry Athletes should simply donate all the money they (don't) spend on booze to charity. Everyone's happy.

Sigh.

Not drinking alcohol for a month is hardly a challenge is it? Come on now!

if they capped it off with a sponsored skydive I might reconsider...

Oops, wrote the post a while ago but forgot to hit the post button.

Ian - why not make it about [i] doing[/i] something rather than not doing something. I'm sure they're are plenty of sedentary people out there who would really benefit from walking a mile every day in January (in one go). Not too difficult takes only 15/20 minutes.

15/20 minutes

45 mins for some people...depending on how sedentary they are.

You can ask when you meet one.

All very admirable, but what this whole thread highlights is that some are uncomfortable in dealing with people asking for sponsorship if they don't believe in it for whatever valid or mis-judged reasons. One of the great things about putting sponsorship requests on the internet (e.g. Facebook) is that you don't actually have to say "no" to someone's face when asked to sponsor them.

I'm sure they're are plenty of sedentary people out there who would really benefit from walking a mile every day in January

Any minute now STW will erupt with people who just refuse to get the point, telling you that walking a mile isn't a challenge and fat people shouldn't be "getting paid" to exercise.

[i]It's Cancer Research, highlighting the dangers of too much booze/cancer[/i]

Too much cancer can be pretty nasty

I can't believe we're actually encouraging people to join a dryathlon in this country. Is it really that hard to give up alcohol for a few weeks?

Ian - why not make it about doing something rather than not doing something. I'm sure they're are plenty of sedentary people out there who would really benefit from walking a mile every day in January (in one go). Not too difficult takes only 15/20 minutes.

Indeed, and because this is a sports relief year, later on in the year, when you stand more chance of getting people outside, I imagine they'll be plenty of such events. People will then whine that these things won't be a challenge either 🙂
Giving up alcohol is still pretty good though.

I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to work this morning. If only someone would pay me to do it.

I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to work this morning. If only someone would pay me to do it.

I'll donate £2 to cancer research if you pull your finger out and get on with it.

So you're giving all your pay to charity.
Cool.

Indeed, and because this is a sports relief year, later on in the year, when you stand more chance of getting people outside, I imagine they'll be plenty of such events. People will then whine that these things won't be a challenge either
Giving up alcohol is still pretty good though.

I did a sponsored tandem charity jump and genuinely felt guilty about it because there was no element of challenge for me. I fully understood some people's reluctance to sponsor me.

These are the only requests I refuse - simply because so much of the money I donate is going into the expense of the 'experience' for the sponsored person. Oh, and chuggers - would never sign up to a direct debit to a charity via a 3rd party street 'charity' worker simply because of the commission that is taken before the charity you think you are donating to gets a penny. If they convince you on the street that the charity they are 'working' for is good tell them so but inform them that you'll be signing up directly online. They tend not to like this much!

Dryathlon - where's the harm? Some people think a bit about how much they consume, the connection between excessive drinking and cancer is reinforced in the public consciousness and a few quid (I suspect a very few quid) is made too. I'd imagine the money raising aspect is relatively secondary - if it raises enough cash to fund the campaign but a bunch of folk have a healthier month then that's great.

Anyway, isn't it Fanuary now? Anyone had requests from their lady friends for a bit of sponsorship yet?

Anyway, isn't it Fanuary now? Anyone had requests from their lady friends for a bit of sponsorship yet?

Without photo evidence I'm not sure I'd be convinced. Second thoughts......

Ah that reminds me Scotroutes meant to send a tweet yesterday.

I don't drink, and get stick for it from people who i haven't known me long. Saying you're not drinking for charity sounds like a great way to shut up the idiots who don't understand there is life without booze - and there are many more than you'd think.

FFS. It's only a mechanism to get people to give. Charities get more money by keeping awareness high through things like this.

[b][u]It's really simple - give if you want or don't give! [/u][/b]

is Lance allowed to compete in a dryathlon?

If people in this country need an incentive to see there's life without drink - and a whole month might be a life changer for these people - then what's the harm?

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Movember yet! Sponsoring a man to electively suspend shaving of his upper lip! What next? He'll only shave it off when the month's over... Etc.

I'm doing an unofficial and un sponsored dryathlon this January, just because I want to. Might give a few pints' worth of quids to a worthy cause when I'm done. And see if I can bear existence without those few pints. I'll be over compensating in riding and running time, so shouldn't be too tough, but if I didn't have these interests I'd be twiddling my thumbs.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Movember yet! Sponsoring a man to electively suspend shaving of his upper lip! What next? He'll only shave it off when the month's over... Etc.

That's because people don't get on their high horses over facial hair.

But alcohol that's a different matter, lots of opportunity to be all superior and talk down to/about people.

If it was about TV we would now be listening to people telling anyone that will listen that they don't have a TV and don't miss it at all. (But waste countless hours online, a lot of it more than likely watching TV 😉 )

“Son, never trust a man who doesn’t drink because he’s probably a self-righteous sort, a man who thinks he knows right from wrong all the time. Some of them are good men, but in the name of goodness, they cause most of the suffering in the world. They’re the judges, the meddlers. And, son, never trust a man who drinks but refuses to get drunk. They’re usually afraid of something deep down inside, either that they’re a coward or a fool or mean and violent. You can’t trust a man who’s afraid of himself. But sometimes, son, you can trust a man who occasionally kneels before a toilet. The chances are that he is learning something about humility and his natural human foolishness, about how to survive himself. It’s damned hard for a man to take himself too seriously when he’s heaving his guts into a dirty toilet bowl.”

? James Crumley

I used to read Charles Bukowski's novels and got sucked into the romance of booze. Though I still occasionally kneel before toilet bowls, I've kind of grown out of the belief there's something decent or redemptive in frequent excesses.

Also, I think the above author's point is aimed more towards the self-righteous, per se, rather than January abstainers. And did Crumley ever witness the spectacle of any British town centre on a Friday or Saturday night? More people trying to run away or hide from themselves there, I'd warrant.

i made an effort this christmas to spend my money locally.

no chance that im going to withdraw my support for the local breweries and pubs for a month. Charity begins at home after all.
Still for those who give their hard earned to a large faceless multinational.... then sit at home drinking.... maybe a month off will give them some perspective.

Lets follow Fanuary with Pubruary.

WTF is that only trust those who take drugs and do them to the level that they need to puke before a toilet as anyone else has issues

granted its well written and poetic but its bollocks
How much easier would your job be without drunks Drac - the real job and STW 😉

For some people not drinking for a month is o problem at all. For others it is a challenge. For some people doing a 50 mile cycle for charity would be a challenge. For most of us we could do 50 miles this afternoon. Everyone's different.

I think it's a good thing. I used to be cynical about these sponsored events as I was of the opinion "Well why not just give money regardless". However I realised that people are more likely to give if they are actually asked.

That said, being dry in January isn't for me. I'll certainly be cutting back quite a bit, but I have a few social events on that I know will be more enjoyable with a few beers. If you are going totally dry though then well done, good luck and enjoy February 1st!

how about those people not drinking just put the money they save to charity and then they wouldnt have to ask for sponsorship...

See my post on page 1 🙂

See my post on page 1

there is a page 1?

There is a danger tho - if a dryathlon became a massive, massive thing, there might be no booze companies left to sell booze after a month of empty pubs.

No one thinks of the breweries, I'll be doing my best to support them this January... 😉