The city already boasts of the TCS10k, Bangalore Ultra and the unique Midnight Marathon which are already major landmark events and attract both local and international runners. Why a new running event then? “We wanted to do an event that is affordable, reaches out to the common man and puts the spirit back into running,” says Santhosh Padmanabhan, a running coach and founder of Runners High.
The event is also the first one to have a Kannada name, a hat tip from the runners to the city of its origin.
The event will have Thayi mane ota – 4k, Ananya Ota – 6k and Sneha Ota – 10k categories, all of them with a registration fee of Rs 250/-. The funds collected through registration will be donated to schools that Runners High as a community supports. The names of each category match the schools they will be supporting.
Santhosh says, these funds not only help raise funds for the children in need but also encourage the children to take up the sport as well. Running he says helps children gain fitness and gives them the opportunity to connect with people who are making the event possible. This is also a chance for the runners to meet the beneficiaries.
Ananya is a learning center that works with children who have dropped out of mainstream schooling (primarily due to learning disabilities or behavioral disabilities). It was started in March 1998 by a group of individuals concerned about the dearth of schools that provide relevant and meaningful education for the underprivileged children in and around Bangalore city. Most children who drop out of school, do so because the schools do not cater to their special needs.
Sneha Care Home is a residential facility for children who are HIV positive or afflicted with AIDS. Most of the children have either lost one or both parents to AIDS or have been abandoned by families.
Thayi Mane is a residential children’s home based on a family model. The home is for children who are orphaned or are victims of abuse. The organisation strives to meet the physical, psychological, educational, emotional and spiritual needs of the children. To read more about Runners High, click here.
He adds that today all the running events are highly commercialised, competitive and take away from what is the core value of running – cooperation and spirit of giving. Ananda Yana, he hopes, will bring running back to its basics.
Those interested in participating in the event can register at the website for the event. Online registrations are open till May 26th, 11pm.
The event will be entirely managed by volunteers and will include music performances by local bands.⊕