Beyond 13.1: My First Marathon, and Why I’m Running It for Asha

On November 22, I will run my first marathon. The Philadelphia Marathon. 26.2 miles.

And I’m not running it alone. Donate to Asha for Education.

Why I’m Running My First Marathon

I restarted running in 2017. The goal was simple. Stay fit. Later I set a bigger goal. Twenty-five half marathons in five years. That one was about consistency.

Through it all, I told myself the full marathon was for other people. Faster people. People with more time.
Somewhere around race twenty, that story stopped holding up. The half had become familiar. I knew where it would hurt. I knew how to pace it.

Familiar is comfortable. It is also a ceiling.

So I signed up for something that asks for more than any half ever did. That is part of the point.

The other part is my daughter.

She made me a deal. If I ever ran a full marathon, she would run a half.

That means everything to me. Game on, Deeda!~

Why I’m Running for Asha

A challenge this size deserves a cause that matters. For me, that cause is education.

Asha means hope. It is a nonprofit that works at the grassroots level across India. It brings education to children who lack support or resources. Educate a child today, and you shape the next generation. I can’t think of a better return.

I’m running for the Asha for Education NYC/NJ chapter. Every dollar goes to that work.

Here is what a small gift does. $30 covers a child’s full year of textbooks.

That is less than a decent dinner. For a child, it is a year of learning.

My First Marathon Goal: Finish Healthy

My race-day goal is simple. Finish healthy. No injuries.

Injuries have cost me runs before. I know how fast a good training block can unravel. Finishing strong matters more to me than finishing fast.

My off-course goal is to raise $1,000 for Asha. I would like to pass it.

Training for My First Marathon

What the Halves Taught Me, and What the Marathon Will Test

I wrote five lessons after my 25th half marathon. The marathon will test every one.

Motivation is unreliable. Discipline is not. Long runs take hours. Nobody watches them. No bib, no finish line. Discipline gets me out the door.

Consistency compounds. A marathon does not reward one heroic week. It rewards the ordinary ones. Run. Rest. Repeat.

You get real conditions, not ideal ones. Late November will do what it wants. I can’t control the weather or how my legs feel at mile 20. I can only prepare to adapt.

Progress is invisible until it isn’t. Some weeks show no change. Then a long run feels easier than it should. That is the accumulation at work.

There is no solo finish. The miles are solo. Most of my long runs happen alone, in the dark, with nobody watching. The support never is.

Kudos land on Strava before I finish cooling down. WhatsApp messages arrive from friends across the world. Someone I haven’t seen in years sends a thumbs-up at the right moment.

My wife, Rani, and my kids have given up early mornings and weekends since summer. That is support too, and it is the biggest part.

I run alone. I am never alone.

Now I’m asking you to join the effort, too.

More posts like this live in my Running section.

How You Can Help

Three simple ways.

Give. Any amount helps. Donate to my first marathon fundraiser.

Double it. Many employers match gifts to Asha for Education. Check with your HR team. A matched gift can double the impact.

Share it. Forward this post to one person who cares about education. That helps as much as a donation. You can also read more on my Asha page.

All gifts are 100% tax-deductible. Asha for Education is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Tax ID: 77-0459884.

First Marathon Fundraiser: Quick Answers

When is the race? November 22, at the Philadelphia Marathon.

Who am I raising money for? Asha for Education, NYC/NJ chapter. Asha brings education to children in India.

How much am I trying to raise? $1,000.

Are donations tax-deductible? Yes. Asha for Education is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Race Morning

On November 22, I will stand at the start line with thousands of others. Cold air. Early alarm. A short negotiation with myself. Then I’ll start. Twenty-five halves taught me one thing. You keep starting. Now I get to find out what happens after mile 13.

Thank you for running this one with me.

Onward.