Atlanta ING Marathon 2011
Asha for Education is a secular organization dedicated to change India by focusing on basic education in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change. Asha has supported more than 800 different child education projects allover India. Asha has disbursed nearly $15,000,000 to projects in last 16 years. In 2008 alone, Asha chapters raised and disbursed more than $3,000,000 to over 300 projects. To learn more about Asha For Education and the the specific projects it undertakes, please visit: http://www.ashanet.org
You can help by contributing towards my fund raising. Every dollar you donate will help underprivileged children. All donations are 100% tax deductible. (Tax Id 770 45 9884)
It was spring of 2009 when Gopal, my future husband, and I decided to go out for our first run together one day. Excited by the prospect of exhibiting my fitness and the possibility of out-running Gopal, I sprinted ahead but crashed even before a mile was over complaining of stitches and breathlessness. While Gopal cut short his run that day to accompany me back home, he became my source of inspiration and motivation to become a better runner. My main issue, I soon figured, was not challenging myself enough both physically and psychologically - not investing at all in knowing how to improve my technique and how to not be afraid of sore knees and legs (temporary soreness is actually a good sign I believe). But most importantly I soon started to (re) learn and develop running not as a task that had to be performed to stay fit but as an activity that, if rightly calibrated, can be one of the most satisfying and pleasurable forms of physical exercise (ah, those endorphins!).
I soon stepped up my runs while focusing on breathing and momentum, and ran my first 10K in March 2010 followed by my first half-marathon (13.1 miles) in October. These races have been great fun and have encouraged me to push myself beyond my zone of comfort. Running is slowing becoming a passion and I am thrilled that it can also be a means to associate myself with a non-profit organization like Asha to raise donations for a worthy cause.
I will be grateful if you supported and helped me reach (or surpass!) my goal of $500 as I run my second half-marathon for ASHA on March 20, 2011 in Atlanta. Thank you so very much!
And yes, my husband will be running too!
UPDATE -- Friends, I finished the Atlanta half-marathon in 2:21:52, about 10 mins faster than my last half-marathon! [http://results.active.com/pages/oneResult.jsp?pID=101291537&rsID=106846]Thanks to all of you who donated to ASHA. I appreciate your support very much.