Amidst the bustle of hectic city life, it’s our health that often takes a back seat. Keeping the same in mind, Womanathon’ 16 is a marathon that aims to get you to pull your socks up and run— but the highlight of the marathon, though, is not just about promoting a fitter lifestyle amongst the womenfolk; but rather comes along with an underlying message – to get men to show support to women in their lives by sprinting on the tracks! The event will take place in three cities Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai on April 3.
“Undeniably, women play an integral part in our lives. They’re brilliant at multi-tasking, often prioritising other things over their own health. Yet, when was the last time we showed signs of appreciation to them? It’s our way of celebrating womanhood on a day other than Women’s Day. We wish to encourage men to run with and for their women,” states Vikash Singh, co-founder of Sportzify. The marathon will kickstart at 6 in the morning and entails three divisions— a 3K run for kids aged below 10 years and 5K and 10K runs for adults.
Adding to the fact that running is an activity that can be taken on by kids and adults of all age groups, Gaurav Sultania, one of the core members of the organising committee pipes, “The idea sprouted out of a need to egg people to take to some form of physical activity— especially with and for women. The country has so many women achievers and multi-taskers, but unfortunately, most of them tend to overlook their daily dose of fitness.”
On the other hand, participants are prepping for the event with a personally empowering motive. “My decision to run is something that’s got to do with my self-esteem. I’ve enrolled in this because I’d like to test my strength. I look at it as a part of a self-discovery that determines how much I can push myself,” says Priyanka Singh, a city-based management professional who works for an NGO.
Vouching by a similar ideology, Deepthi Sen, a 26-year-old creative professional, who’ll be taking part in the marathon with her husband, says, “I’m not a regular at marathons. However, we decided to participate in this one just for the sheer experience of it. I’m excited about the fun zumba event though.”
As a warm up of sorts before the run, Womanathon 2016 will feature a free zumba session. There will also be a workshop on self-defense. “The concept is not just a lop-sided focus on merely running a marathon, but rather an event that aims to get people to move towards a fitter lifestyle and engage in physical activities,” concludes Chetan Agarwal, one of the organisers.
