Kick Off	Team Asha

I can vouch for the hilly terrain, even though I walked and ran the last few miles, as a part of the cheering squad. In spite of the hilly course, the runners were up for the challenge and ran brilliantly, with Sona Seghal marking an awesome finish time of 1hr 52 mins. It was truly amazing to watch everyone finish with a sense of achievement, happiness and belief that they did it. The smiles and the medals said it all. The half marathon was well supported with an enthusiastic cheering squad consisting of our volunteers, Madhav, Sudha, Anurag, Steve, Sudipa and Shuvo, who were encouraging the runners all along the course.

It has indeed been a very satisfying and memorable experience to be a part of Team Asha. The program's success is credited to the hard work by several Asha volunteers and the coaches especially Nick and Ramesh Kurup. A special thanks to last year’s marathon coordinators Kirk Campbell and Aswin Majjiga who have been a pillar of support. Personally, this would not be possible without my co-coordinators Hareesh and Devesh who have been truly wonderful to work with. On a parting note, as we enter into the new year, please help us spread the word about Asha's Marathon Program. You can make a huge difference to a child's life. Start training and run a marathon. As one of the runners quoted “running a marathon is truly a life time experience and every individual should experience it once”.

Carbo Loading
- Avanti Kulkarni

Every year since Team Asha’s participation in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.have upheld the tradition of fueling runners with good carbohydrates, a day before the big event. This provides a perfect opportunity for runners and coaches to meet socially with friends and family in tow if desired, and calm any last minute pre-race anxieties, answer pre-race questions etc. The setting has typically been the cozy confines of the Filomena Ristorante in the upbeat Georgetown area of Washington DC. Who does not like the idea of hot bowls of pasta and lasagna washed down with red wine on a cool Oct afternoon in the heart of the nation’s capitol? The event this year like the preceding years went off as planned. Runners from DC had a chance to meet out of town Asha runners from Boston as well. Coach Nick and John were present to give much needed advice to all runners about the course and pre-race day preparation.

Carbo loading Courtesy: USDA

Marine Corps Marathon
- Hareesh Subramanya

After enduring a long season of training, Team Asha was raring to go at this year’s Marine Corps Marathon. We were joined by runners from Asha - Silicon Valley, Asha - New York and Asha - Boston, all together Team Asha comprised of 68 runners, who all had a blast pounding out the 26.2 miles. The weather was perfect and Asha Volunteers were there cheering us on at various mile markers and providing support to finishers at the Asha tent. It was yet another successful year for us, as everyone who started made it through the finish line, with Ashley Griffith being the first runner through the finish tapes for a chip time of 3:07.

Once runners had finisher’s medals around their necks, amidst emotions and celebrations, it dawned on them the prominent parts played by Asha volunteers, MCP coaches and the training program in their success.

Leading by example- Asha DC’s marathon coordinator Hareesh Subramanya	Made it so far…Hareesh at mile 24!

As a first time marathon runner myself I can say that this endeavor would not have been possible without having a structured program and the expert advice at every step of the way. The coaches taught us nuances of training for a marathon and were very patient with our questions and concerns throughout the training program. On race day we had Asha runners run along with us at later stages of the course where every bit of encouragement helped propel us forward to the finish line. The biggest encouragement was provided by the thought that all the money the runners have raised will make a huge difference in providing basic education to needy children back in India.

Personally, I was fortunate enough to have been involved with the marathon program as both a coordinator and a runner. It was a pleasure working with my co-coordinators, Devesh Pokhariyal and Hemali Majithia in organizing this marathon and I cherish the moments we had managing the program and interacting with the runners throughout the year.This is the fifth consecutive year Asha DC has organized this marathon program and it plays a tremendous role in raising funds for the cause that we are all so passionate about. At this stage as runners we are all looking for a nice relaxed few months of rest before we start hitting the trails again for Team Asha 2008!

The Asha tent at MCM, volunteers provide some post race support.

Richmond Marathon (Runner's Perspective)
- Mona Sehgal

This year some of our runners Mona Sehgal, Manju Krishnan and Kirk Campbell also participated in the Richmond, VA Marathon held on Nov 10th. All three are seasoned and regular runners having run several marathons and half marathons before. Mona recounted her experience and motivations for running this one in her lovely ‘Thank You” note to friends and supporters. Some excerpts from her note...

On Saturday, November 10th, I ran the Richmond Marathon along with my husband, Kirk, and friend, Manju. We were all running as part of Team Asha and received support from our one-person crew: Madhav Acharya. Although each of us finished separately, we shared the pain and struggle that each marathoner has to undergo before stepping on the finish line. The cold and damp weather was somewhat abated by the scenic course and groups of locals cheering us on…. As I passed the autumn-hued trees with red and orange foliage, I was determined to run for everything that is beautiful and worth admiring in this world. I thought of the slum children at Asha Samajik Vidyalaya, whom I’ll be meeting in a week when I travel to India in mid-November.

Miles to go…	Mona is never too tired to smile for the camera

I thought of friends and family who have enriched my life and the thought of whom is enough to bring a smile to my face. I thought of my yoga practice and tried to imbibe the serenity and buoyancy a yogi feels even in physically challenging pose. As I ran double digit miles, I was mindful of drinking Powerade, water, and calorie-packed Cliff shots and shot-blocks. I did not want to feel expended when I hit the 20+ mileage. The last mile was beautifully choreographed by the race organizers – the runners turned the corner at Cary St & 1st St and counted 10 blocks downhill to the finish line on Cary & 10th St, my ears were taking in the cheering from the crowd, my feet were striking asphalted surface as I tried to maintain a wide stride on the downhill, I was passing the 9th St, just one block and I stepped on the red pads the beeped as they registered the pace chip secured to my shoelace-3:55:26. I felt content, grateful, and humbled.