Asha Austin

“The greatest reward of an effort is not what you get from it, but what you become by it.”

We offer training programs for runners and walkers, designed with the goal of completing 10K, half marathon or full marathon!

Highlights of Team Asha Training:

• Training Program for walkers, casual joggers, and serious runners
• Multiple locations : The Rock at Town Lake, Murchison Middle School
• Meet Saturday mornings for the long run/walk
• 3 weekday training runs including track and hill workouts
• Experienced and dedicated coaches and mentors
• Weekly newsletter, seminars on important training/racing information, informal social breakfast and weekday runs with the group, group forum to stay connected, and other social events
• Technical training shirt (moisture wicking)

Start Date / Open Run & Walks 

Oct 15th, 2022  : Murchison Middle School

Cost:

• $50 : Half/Full Marathon
• FREE : Cap 10k

We run so they can read

Coordination Team

2022 Team : Subra Nathan, Mohit Sood, Prasenjit Biswas, Shruti Ramana

The Coordination team puts together the program each year for our runners. Though some of the crew members have defined responsibilities, the whole team comes together to make the program a success. The SOH crew is also supported by Asha coaches, mentors and volunteers without whom it would be impossible for us to organize the program. While it would be hard to list all those names here, we want to take this opportunity to thank them for their efforts and enthusiasm.

Coaches & Mentors

Team Asha Coaches have multiple years of endurance running experience and a long association with Team Asha as Coaches and past-Mentors. Most of our Coaches have run multiple marathons, while some have run Ultra marathons up to 100 miles as well. They play a key role in design our training program and tailor it for the runners when needed. Coach will lead all the training runs and workouts.

A mentor is a Team Asha alumni who has successfully trained and completed the Strides of Hope program and met or exceeded their fundraising goals. Mentors motivate and initiate newbies into the sport of running and the challenge of fundraising. From a training perspective, the mentor is a liaison between the coach and the runner. Mentors will help coaches identify the runners who need their immediate attention, while keeping track of each of their mentees’ training schedules and running paces. From a fundraising perspective, mentors will provide support and fundraising resources to their mentees. Hence the mentor acts as the first point of contact for the runner.

How many miles is a marathon and a half marathon? 

A marathon is 26.2 miles; a half marathon is 13.1 miles.

Is there a minimum fitness-level requirement?

There isn’t a minimum fitness level to join the training program. However, as with any exercise program, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before beginning physical training.

In order to complete a marathon or half marathon, it is recommended that you should be able to run 2 miles continuously at any speed or 30 minutes continuously. Team Asha’s program is designed to get all levels of runners and walker to cross the finish line. Your goal may be more vigorous depending on the type of distance/time you plan to run (such as an under-4-hour marathon). Or your goal may be less; note that it is not required that you RUN the entire distance–some people choose to walk parts of the race. You can and should discuss your individual fitness level and marathon goals directly with your coach. During past marathon programs (organized by various Asha chapters), people from all fitness levels completed their target races. The keys to your success will be discipline and commitment to the training program.

What is Asha?

Asha for Education is a non-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to bringing socio-economic change in India using primarily the medium of education. To read more about Asha’s charter and projects please visit Asha Austin’s website.

What is Strides of Hope?

Strides of Hope (SOH) is the half-marathon- and full-marathon-training program organized by the Austin chapter of Asha for Education and is one of its core fundraising avenues.
Through this program, we hope to encourage people who are brand new to the world of endurance running as well as those who are experienced runners to make a physical and fiscal commitment to help provide a better future for underprivileged children in India and contribute towards development work.

What does the Strides of Hope training program provide?

• A comprehensive marathon-training package (for full and half marathons) conducted by experienced coaches and supported by experienced mentors.
• Schedules for weekly training. This will be a well-paced training program consisting of hard-training days, easy-training days, rest days, suggestions for cross-training, and more.
• The opportunity to draw from the experience of coaches and past runners.
• The opportunity to network with past marathoners and fellow runners in the local community.
• The opportunity to discuss ideas with past participants and people who have raised funds.
• Clinics on running techniques, injury prevention and diagnosis, gear selection, etc.
• Nutrition clinics (how to train your body to burn energy over sustained periods of time).

I do not live in Austin. Can I still train remotely and still be part of Team Asha Austin?

Yes, you can train on your own and still fundraise for Team Asha Austin. Please get in touch with us and we will tell you more about how to do this.

I live in Round Rock/Cedar Park, do I have to go to Austin to run with the team for training?

Weekday runs & workouts are available in Round Rock, Cedar Park, South Austin & Downtown. Our weekend long run will be at one location, which will be announced weekly.

Will I still get access to all the benefits if I do not train with Team Asha’s partner?

The benefits are available to all Team Asha runners. However, if you live in Austin, we recommend that you train with us. If you are unable to do so, please contact one of the SOH coordinators to discuss this, and we will assist you in arriving at a solution that best fits your needs.

Will being part of Team Asha guarantee me a spot at my target race?

No. We recommend registering for the target race early to guarantee a place for yourself.

Will Asha cover my registration fee for the race that I decide to run (target race)?

No. Runners will have to cover registration fees on their own.

What kind of commitment is expected from the runners?

• Train for 14 weeks for Half-marathon OR 20 weeks for Full-marathon.
• 1 weekend long run/walk, 1 weekday workout, plus 2-3 easy short run/walks.
• Fundraise $650 (half-marathon) or $1300 (full-marathon) by your target race to support the cause of basic education of underprivileged children in India.

When does the program begin? Is there a last date to join?

The training program begins in Oct 15th, 2022.

When and where is the marathon I’ll be training for?

Team Asha-Austin mainly trains for half/full marathons in Austin. Session 1 target race is Decker half marathon. Session 2 target race is Austin full marathon or half marathon. However, it is entirely up to the individual runners to decide which races they are targeting–after consulting with their coaches. Each runner’s training schedule will vary accordingly to satisfy this goal.

I see several races on the Calendar. Do I have to run all of them?

No. All races except target race are optional. It is entirely up to the runner to decide which race(s) he/she wants to run other than the target race. It is highly recommended to do a couple of shorter races (i.e., those with distances less than what the runner is aiming for in the target race) in the run up to the main target races so that the runner gets a feel for what it’s like to run in a race atmosphere.

Can I choose a non-Austin marathon as my target race?

Yes. You will have to take care of your own airfare, accommodation and other race-related expenses, as these will not be covered by Asha.

I might be interested but I’m just not sure.

Feel free to contact any of the program coordinators to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

I’m in. Where do I go from here?

Register for the program. We will email you the commitment form and have you on your way to your training!