What’s this event all about? 

The Run United Virtual Marathon is an event to support United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s efforts to bring books to students. We’re aiming to raise at least $150,000 to support these efforts, which can provide up to 15,000 books to local students through our My Home Library program!

How does a virtual marathon work? 

The “race” officially starts Sept. 14. You’ll have between then and Oct. 16 to log at least 25 miles. On Oct. 16, we’ll all celebrate together (virtually) with our last 1.2-mile run/walk/ride for a total of 26.2 miles — the length of a marathon! 

How do I sign up? 

Signing up takes less than 10 minutes and can all be done at UnitedWaySEM.org/VirtualMarathon. Register, add some information and a photo, connect to your social media and add a fundraising goal. Sign up is open through Oct. 16, so even if the event has already begun, you can still participate! 

I’m not a runner – can I still sign up? 

Yes! The Run United Virtual Marathon is about having fun, connecting with other people and making a difference in our community. How you complete your miles (running or walking) is up to you! You can complete your miles all in one go or one at a time. 

You can also get involved by volunteering to support our education work (remote/virtual options available). 

Can my kids participate? 

Yes! The Run United Virtual Marathon is open to people of all ages and abilities. Please note that shirts come in adult sizes. 

Why is there a cost? 

The $30 registration fee goes toward supporting our goal of providing books to students to build their home libraries. It also helps offset the costs of the tech shirts and other swag items we’re sending you. 

Do I have to fundraise? 

No, fundraising is not required to participate, but is encouraged, and we promise we’ll make it easy for you. Check out our Run United Toolkit for some tips on easy ways to raise funds, like making an ask on social media. 

There are also tons of other ways to support this cause as a Run United Virtual Marathon participant, like signing up to volunteer, recruiting your friends and posting to social media. All of these things earn you points, and points earn you bragging rights and a chance at prizes! 

How do I earn points? 

By completing activities! Once you complete your registration, you’ll see an option to “complete activities.” All of these earn you points, including: 

You’ll also earn points from the following: 

I am running one of the Detroit Free Press Virtual Marathon races. Can I still participate? 

United Way is proud to be a Red Charity Partner of the Detroit Free Press Marathon, which is in person this year (2023). You do not have to sign up for the Free Press Marathon to participate in the Run United Virtual Marathon, but because we recognize that some people will choose to do both, we’ve aligned the dates of our two events. 

If you already registered for that virtual race and want to run ours, too, email RunUnited@liveunitedsem.org with your Free Press confirmation number for a special discount code. 

When will I get my tech shirt and swag? 

Participants who register before Aug. 18 will receive their packet before Sept. 14. Those who register after Aug. 18 will still receive a packet, but we can’t guarantee that you’ll get it in time for the event start date of Sept. 14.