Go Samantha go!
By Neena Badhwar
Samatha Gash is an Aussie Marathon runner who has decided to run through India after the much hyped marathon run by Pat Farmer who completed his marathon on March 30, a 4,600Km run from India’s Kanyakumari to Kashmir.
Samantha will be running for 76-days starting on August 22nd this year roughly 4,000kms averaging at about 50km a day. She aims to collect funds for World Vision ”“ India which looks at raising awareness on health education, malnutrition, sanitation facilities and looking into whole variety of difficulty barriers to do with health and hygiene. They look after water, hygiene, eco development projects, community development and related issues.
What inspired Samantha, a lawyer turned marathon runner, to take up this ambitious marathon run through India, says she, “In 2011 I went to Leh in Ladakh and spent quite a bit of time there. I was really impressed with the beautiful landscape and the people when I thought why not see more of India.”
Samantha is starting her run in the west from the deserts to the mountain from Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer city and ending in the east in Meghalaya.
India, Sam Gash pre trip
She says she is quite simplistic in her approach as she is taking her 12-space campervan from Australia that she owns. “It’ll have its own driver, a security guard, a chef,” she says as she runs ahead with the campervan in toe.
“The idea is to do it in a simple way and spend as much time as I can with the people.”
Samantha will be visiting 18 development projects along the route and will be talking about her project as part of the Australia-India Youth dialogue.
How has she prepared for this run which is kind of a super test of one’s endurance, what went into planning, says Samantha, “I have done Simpson desert in 2012 and also Asian countries. I collaborate with people who work out the logistics. It is a challenge though and it’s not easy. One must have a strong motivation reminding oneself that we are very lucky and some of us have not chosen to be in poverty.”
“Moreover I love exploring countries, cultures, different people and I know in my heart that I am running for a reason.”
Samantha with Ladakhi people in India
What kind of preparatory routine Samantha follows, “I do altitude training, normal and mountain bike riding, yoga and a lot of visualisation. My training tends to be very holistic,” says Samantha.
And what about her diet during the run?
“I have a fridge, a freezer and a cook on board who will cook simple dishes for me. It is mainly a vegetarian Indian diet and I take supplements, vitamins and electrolytes and of course plenty of water. Whatever the body needs according to the day ahead.”
How did you decide to leave your successful corporate lawyer profession and take up this as a way of life?
Says Samantha, “I find more meaning in work that is not profit based. I wanted to bring about social change as a lawyer. But it would have been restricted to whoever comes to us a client but this way I am able to connect to wider audience and make a difference in the life of common people. It’s my way of making an impact on people. Not to prove myself as a better athlete but a very adaptable one.”
Samantha wants all the local Indian community to join in her effort and engage with her through her website where she will be posting live, unscripted version of her run every day. She hopes people will support her ambitious marathon and encourage her all the way through this project that she has undertaken.
Samantha’s website blog address is: www.runindia.org,au. Her FB page is: Run India 2016
Short URL: https://indiandownunder.com.au/?p=6695