How long is a marathon?

A marathon is 26.2 miles, and a half-marathon is (yes, you guessed right!) 13.1 miles long.

Which marathon can I run?

We are targeting the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20, the Marine Corps Marathon on October 30, and the Grete's Great Gallop Half Marathon on October 2. Depending on your eligibility and/or convenience, you may choose the marathon to run in.

Why these marathons?

These marathons are beginner-friendly and fit well into the schedule of training in warm weather, while running the marathon itself in cooler weather. We also give a choice of a Full Marathon or a Half Marathon tailored to suit individual runner's requirements.

Do I need previous running experience?

You don't need to be an experienced runner to join the program. We have runners >with wide range of athletic abilities in our team, ranging from people who haven't run before, to experienced marathon runners. In fact over 80% of the runners in the program in previous years were new to running.

Is there a joining deadline?

Philadelphia Marathon/Marine Corps Marathon:

The program begins Saturday June 11th 2005 for these marathons. There will be an initial non-refundable registration fee of $100. You have until July 1 when we obtain your commitment to the program. You can train and run with the coach till then to figure out how the program suits you. There is no strict last date to join the program although we highly recommend that you join before July 1st.

Half Marathon:

The program begins Saturday June 11th 2005 for the Grete's Great Gallop Half- Marathon. There will be an initial non-refundable registration fee of $100. You have until August 1 when we obtain your commitment to the program. You can train and run with the coach till then to figure out how the program suits you. There is no strict last date to join the program although we highly recommend that you join before August 1st.

What can I expect from the prgoram?

We provide the training program where runners of all levels can train in long distance running under the supervision of an experienced coach. Our coach would give the guidance and organize the weekend group training runs in and around New Brunswick/Princeton, NJ. We will also help with the fundraising.

What is expected of me once I sign up?

You should follow the training schedule provided by the coach. You don't need to come to the group training sessions if you are an experienced runner, but we recommend that every runner attend these training sessions.

You will also have to raise the target amount by doing the fundraising. We will provide support, encouragement and tips for fundraising.

Where do the funds I raise go?

Your funds support AID and Asha projects in India.

Are there any overhead expenses for the marathon fundraising program?

The marathon is a fundraiser with some expenses, i.e. running coaches, race entry fees, and travel. Thus, part of the sponsorship will be used to cover these costs. We pledge to keep these costs as low as possible. Many of our runners even opt to incur some or all of these costs themselves in order to keep the fundraiser's costs down. The sponsorship amount, minus the associated costs, will directly benefit AID and Asha supported projects in India.