The magic of belonging and believing

Ihave been actively involved with the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, following its phenomenal growth over the years and observing the influence and effect it has had on our city of Mumbai. Its magic galvanizes the entire city, the machinery that governs the city kicks into overdrive to showcase Mumbai's best face to the world. For that one day, Mumbai's streets are converted into one of the world's largest sporting stages, a unique platform shared with the other major metros around the world like New York, London, Berlin, Tokyo, to name a few.
    So what is this magic that transforms the city? What turns Mumbai from a city that's busy and frenetic, into one that breaks barriers amongst strangers and promotes health and fitness? What is this magic that makes people give of themselves for people they never meet and will never know… to give of themselves irrespective of social standing, background or age… to get together on one platform, in order to better the lives of those less privileged? Quite simply, it's the magic of belonging and believing.
    In the short span of five years, the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has made every Mumbaikar fiercely proud of the fact that such an incredible event belongs to their city. It has also helped them believe that by participating in the event they are not only making a huge positive change in their own lives but are helping bring about a change for the better in the lives of so many others by helping raise money for charity.
    Mumbai is witnessing a health and fitness revolution like never before with people, for whom exercise was an alien concept, now following a supervised training schedule to meet their goals on Race Day. Families, friends, social groups, offices, corporates, and what have you, are all coming together to run in the event and raise money for causes of their choice.
    It is relatively easier to dig into one's own pocket and donate some money for charity, but it requires much more commitment and drive to train hard and run for a cause, even while convincing friends and acquaintances to donate money for charity, a unique concept the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon espouses.
    The event has raised in excess of Rs 28 crore over five years and as the final preparations are on to host the sixth edition of the event in January 18, 2009, I am sure there are thousands of committed individuals who are striving hard to add another substantial chunk to that figure from this year.
    While registrations for the event closed some months ago, there is still scope for people to imbibe the magic of Race Day by coming out in huge numbers to cheer on the elite athletes from all over the world and India as well as the thousands of participants who are fighting personal battles by hoping to cross the finishing line of the events they choose.
    I will definitely be there on Race Day. How about you?