Adapted from Bharathi Ramajayam’s Asha-32 conference Team Asha presentation
Asha for Education’s (Asha) ‘Team Asha’ (TA) premier endurance training program celebrated 25 years in 2024. Learn more about the history of this program within our organization, hear from long-term coaches and volunteers in the program, and experience what makes the Team Asha program a draw for many participants, even after all of these years!
The Asha for Education “Team Asha” Running program was created and launched in 2000 by the Asha Silicon Valley (SV) chapter, with one coach and 22 athletes putting in a great deal of time and effort to train for a marathon run.
After 17 weeks of rigorous training, weekly long runs, speed training, diet tips and running gear education, the Asha runners successfully completed the Honolulu Marathon. Each participant had pledged to meet a fundraising target of $2,620 (or, $100 per mile run), and the team collectively raised $80,000 in that first year!
However, this was just the beginning. The momentum around Team Asha continued to build after that first year, with participants and volunteers all enthusiastic about what they had accomplished and what they could continue to bring to their communities in the form of fitness, fun and impact.
In 2001, the TA program targeted the Royal Victoria and Silicon Valley Marathons, and 20 runners raised over $100,000 that year. The year 2002 saw the numbers increase – with 52 runners (including 15 women), two coaches, and over $150,000 raised. In 2003, the success of the Team Asha Silicon Valley program inspired five other Asha chapters to start their own Team Asha programs. Collectively, across the Silicon Valley and other participating Asha chapters, Team Asha raised a whopping $250,000!
Since those early years, the program has brought on dozens of coaches to train thousands of participants to run half and full marathons, 5ks & 10ks. And, a majority of the program participants train to accomplish these feats for the very first time in their lives. Team Asha has also since expanded to incorporate a Biking program (beginning in 2010) – which has attracted 1000+ participants and raised $1MM+ in funds to date – a Climbing program (launched in 2012), and a Triathlon program (launched in 2014). What originated within a single Asha chapter has garnered energy and expanded to 19 different Asha chapters to date.
Please read our 2024 Asha for Education Annual Report Special Feature: Commemorating 25 Years of Team Asha to learn more about each of our Team Asha programs and the history of the overall program, and also to hear from some Team Asha coaches on why they got involved and what has Team Asha hold a special place in their hearts!