Your questions answered

How do I apply for my own place in the Berlin Marathon Ballot?

Simply log onto www.real-berlin-marathon.com and you can then register online to sign up for your own place until 25 April 2008. If you manage to secure your own place then fill in our online form and we will send you a Fundraising Pack full of hints and tips about how to make your Berlin Marathon experience an unforgettable one.

How do I apply for a Team Macmillan Guaranteed Place?

In order to apply for one of our Guaranteed Places you need to fill in our online form. In return we ask for a minimum sponsorship pledge of £1,000. We will contact you within three days of receiving your application form to let you know whether you have been successful in obtaining a place.

How much do I have to raise?

We ask that all our Guaranteed Place runners pledge to raise a minimum of £1,000. This will be due in two months after the event (28 November 2008). Of course we'll give you all the encouragement and support you'll need to make sure you smash that target.

If you have your own place then we just ask you to raise as much as possible and we'll provide you with the same level of care and support that our Guaranteed Place runners receive.

When do I find out whether I've been successful in obtaining a place?

We will contact you within three days of receiving your application form to let you know whether you have been successful in obtaining a place.

What kind of support will Macmillan give me if I join the team?

When you join Team Macmillan you will be supported throughout your entire Berlin Marathon experience. In addition to our initial Fundraising and Training pack, we will send you regular newsletters full of tips to help you prepare for the big day. And if that isn't enough, we will give you the loudest support possible throughout the race from our supporter point.

I haven't run a marathon before so will Macmillan help me with my training?

Of course! When you sign up to run the Berlin Marathon with Team Macmillan we will provide you with a comprehensive training pack and regular newsletters full of top training tips. We will also advise you of other useful sources of information to help you prepare for the big day.

What happens if I get injured?

If you get injured whilst training we recommend you contact your GP, physio or specialist sports injury clinic. They will be able to advise you if you are fit enough to run. If you do need to withdraw you will need to let the race organisers and Macmillan know if you are running on your own place,and let Macmillan know if you are running on a guaranteed place as soon as possible.

When will I get my race number?

At the beginning of September you will receive your race pack from the race organisers. This will include full details about the Berlin Marathon exhibition which you will need to attend to pick up your race number before race day. Details of how to register for the race plus everything else you need to know will be contained in your Team Macmillan pre-race newsletters.

Where can I find more specific information about the event?

Click on www.real-berlin-marathon.com for a map of the course, training info and much more.

What difference will I make?

The Berlin Marathon is an extremely important fundraising event for Macmillan. The money raised from this event goes such a huge way to help people affected be cancer, for example:

£50 could buy a liquidiser for someone who can't eat solid food.
£220 could fund 1,000 copies of The Cancer Guide, providing valuable information about cancer, its treatment and care, and lists of helpful organisations
£1,000 could pay for 10 clothing grants for people who experience weight loss/gain as a result of their treatment.
£52,520 could fund a Macmillan nurse for one year, providing practical and emotional support for people living with cancer and their families.
£293,000 could pay for the Macmillan Benefits Helpline for one year, enabling staff and volunteers to ensure that cancer patients are receiving the benefits and financial support that they are entitled to.
Approximately £2.5million could pay for a day oncology unit (depending on size, location and facilities)

(These are estimated costs for 2006. Please note that costs do vary across the UK)