Why?

Why a marathon?

(I actually keep asking myself that question during every training run. Why am I doing this when I could be sleeping an extra hour or so?)

Growing up, I associated marathons only with road blocks. I knew that on the day of the marathon, certain roads in Pune or Mumbai would be closed and we would have to take detours. Marathons also signified an event where all the top athletes came together and ran. Infact, I always thought that only athletes participated in marathons. It was only in 2004 when my sister Sharmila and her husband Chetan took part in the Mumbai marathon, that I realized that even people like me can actually run the whole 26.2 miles. I felt like I actually knew someone who ran a marathon. Maybe even I could do one? But by then I was already immersed in a different kind of marathon, graduate school.

After completing graduate school, I moved to Boston in 2009 and just a few weeks after joining my new workplace, I actually witnessed the Boston Marathon and saw the elite runners zoom by. The crowd cheering on, the runners pushing through, seeing all the achievement left a lasting impression on me and I just knew that I have to experience this at least once in my lifetime!

So finally in April 2010, I went for a trial group run with the team AIDAsha and since then there was no turning back. I initially had aimed for the half marathon, but in May I decided that I will give it my all and train for the full marathon.

Why Asha for Education organization?

'Asha' means 'hope'. Asha for Education is an organization that is dedicated for change in India by focussing on basic primary education for all with the belief that education is critical for bringing about socio-economic change.

The cause for education is very near and dear to my heart. My parents instilled in me deep respect for education through their actions. Many children in India are still deprived of this basic human right of education. Asha for Education is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that is trying to change this. Asha's volunteers work to find, develop and fund education projects in the hopes of empowering India's youth.

I have registered to the run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC on October 31st. I will represent the Asha for Education organization and have pledged to raise $100 for every mile I run. So for 26.2 miles, I have pledged to raise $2620.