First week with TnT - Why am I running?

Today I started training for my first Marathon, Seattle Rock 'n Roll Full Marathon. Yes, that is 26.2 miles. I still can't believe that when this is over, I would have run that much in one day, and in the process collected $4000 or more for finding the cure for blood cancer.

How does one get inspired to run a full marathon? For one, if you have many friends who have already crossed the finish line (some multiple times), it makes your job easier. They share their experience with you.

Secondly, I have been running pretty regularly with my running buddies, Shiva and Samir (who have run multiple marathons), on the weekends, but whenever it came to running a full marathon, I always said to myself, that is a huge comittment and I would do it some day when I get the inspiration. My friend Rohit helped me prepare for my first half marathon, but I knew that when I prepare for my first marathon, I would certainly prepare with a team working to raise awareness and money for some worthy cause. Team In Training is one such great team of volunteers who work to raise money to help find the cure and help others who are battling cancer. This cause connected with me personally as well when my Mother, after battling brain cancer for about 11 months, passed away in March 2005.

Third inspiration came from my friend Sai Gopalkrishnan. Just a few months ago he had a beautiful baby girl. He decided to run his first marathon with Team in Training this year and he has been training since January. So, when I was talking to him on the phone to wish him luck, it occured to me, why not run the same marathon with Sai. I would have a great friend to run with in Seattle and he will show me the path to be disciplined, as he always does.

And finally, my wife, Stuthi. We are expecting our first baby this August. I can never feel what Stuthi will be going through, but I thought, if I run a marathon, I would at least come closer to understanding her discomfort and she would feel much better knowing that I also have gone through at least some amount of hardship and have achieved something that I have never achieved in my life.

So here I am, preparing myself to be disciplined so I can train myself to run 26.2 miles and in the process raise funds for a worthy cause. This is for you Stuthi, my mom, and for thousands of people who fight their personal battles with cancer everyday.

Go Team!!