YJ International Newsletter 2004 Vol 18 No 03

Author(s): Young Jains (UK)
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 21

LONDON MARATHON
LONDON MARATHON
LONDON MARATHON
P iyush very often says:
B ritish Indians' craze for running marathon truly R took hold this year with a huge increase in the
number of participants for this year's Flora London Marathon on April 18th. A sizeable group, many doing the marathon for the first time, was lead by Piyush Gudka, veteran of a major marathon on each continent in under 11 months and numerous London Marathons.
"A marathon is a race without race, colour,
religion, sex, prejudice, nationality, hate, where everyone starts as an equal, and everyone
finishes as a winner."
"I have been trying to encourage the ethnic minority to take up exercise, physical fitness, and running since I have been involved in it for 10 years now," says Piyush.
He continues: "This is the first year we have managed to enlist 17 participants, 13 of whom trained together every Sunday." They aged from 20 to 48 and were collecting money for their favourite charities - Shishukunj (Food 4 Children), SEWA International and Get Kids Going.
For more information on the runners, interviews, team activities and training contact Team Leader: Piyush Gudka Telephone No: 07958 553 101
E-Mail: pgudka@hotmail.com
jay Sanghvi a Medical student at Bristol University and Young Jains Students Coordinator for Bristol ran the Marathon this year.
An extract of his article form the Student section of the Young Jains Website (www.youngjains.org.uk) is below:
country with one at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and also one in Bristol in the hospital that I am currently working at. In fact the new Children's Hospital in Bristol is named after Paul O'Gorman the boy who inspired the formation of the charity.
It all STARTED last summer at Niagra falls, when a person I respect greatly taught me that the intensity and magnitude of my determination and strength of mind should match the thundering force of the water flowing over the falls if I was to reach the ocean of knowledge and happiness just as the water reaches the Atlantic
It is a credit to all those that generously sponsored and supported me that we raised an incredible £2000 for charity. It was also all those people that came and cheered me on that kept me going and made it such a memorable day.
There are certain things that through a lifetime you feel you should do once, just to experience it, and the marathon is one thing I can now tick off my list. But more than that it is an achievement that previously thought of myself incapable of achieving.
I realised that it was my weakness and willpower that was limiting my progress in life. I had run halfmarathons before, but among other things I had the idea of running the London Marathon to improve my fitness but also to strengthen my will power.
Once I got a place I decided to raise money for charity along the way. Having fundraised for CLIC (cancer and leukaemia in children) and run clinics to recruit people onto the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Registry, running for 'Children with Leukaemia' was a natural step and followed the theme. Inaugurated by Princess Diana, this very worthy charity provides treatment and welfare for children suffering with leukaemia and their families, as well as research into future treatments. The charity operates centres across the
I would now like to apply this to my life. Discover my purpose, set my goals, and have something to work
towards, a focus, something to measure myself up against. Just like the mile posts, we have milestone in achieving the ultimate aim. It is our perspective in life that determines our direction, but our strength of mind that keeps us going, keeps us walking the path. We all have that strength and we can all get there. Some slowly and some faster but we will all get there....
Nothing is impossible.... I'll see you at the FINISH line!
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