The 23rd March edition of http://m.timesofindia.com/city/mumbai city hints “TCS may be new sponsor of Mumbai Marathon”. Having personally organized few events at 50-1200 participant scale, there are two statements that made me look back into all my expenditures, fundraising efforts in new craze of running  – next glamour after golf.

  1. TCS’ parent Tata Sons may also be a part of the Mumbai Marathon whose annual sponsorship cost is INR 30 crores.
  2. The Mumbai Marathon’s prize money of $384,000 is one of the highest awards in marathon globally.

And it drew my attention towards my expenditure, during last one year (19th March 2016-17, my 38 to 39 age journey) in running and related events, which stands at:

  • Alone on Registration Fees: INR 14,522
  • Expenses incurred on travel/commute, logistics/lodging, food, etc. on paid events: INR 25,963
  • Expenses incurred, as an organizer or group admin, on events (with => 25 participants): INR 59,725

Note: I have provided break-up charts as well if you want to refer at the end of this article.

I do not travel much outside NCR for running. I only went to Mumbai for SCMM, so these 40,475 (14522+25963) are very average figures of an average runner J like me.

Now, I checked with few friends who smoke and drink (again not regular or chain smokers/drinkers) on their annual spend on these habits they consider as their passions 🙂 that is considered bad (for health) by our society.

  1. Smoking – An average of INR 2000 per month i.e. 24,000
  2. Drinking – An average of INR 3000 per month i.e. 36,000

At the same time, I received a letter from NGO (Name is kept confidential) which asks for exactly same amount equal to my registration fee expenditure of INR 14,400 for sponsoring an annual education of class 1-9 Standard student.

You must be wondering what I am up to? I (a teetotaler) am actually trying to defend few question and concerns from my wife:

“Why are you wasting so much money and time on these activities? What is the need? You already pay for society maintenance (Gym is free) and can run without spending as well. Yes, I can gift you a pair of shoes or basic runner’s TomTom watch on your every birthday and that should be enough.” You have already fundraised 2.5 lakhs for less privileged through your own pocket and runs of 15th Aug, 26th Jan, Run and Chai (Tea) for Cancer, Woman day and ADHM, apart from corporate fundraising of 10 lakhs through sports activities. So, can’t you give your extra time to me, and money to buy me a new pair of diamond earrings???”

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I do not have an exact answer yet, however it is all about mental health and peace, apart from becoming physical active when you live passions like these. And when you are more productive, you can generate or produce more output in whatever good you do. One also needs to understand the fact that a lot of economies (gadgets, shoes, sports gears, T-shirts, bicycles, bands and lot more) with increase in its scale of business is now building around fitness and running (generates employment and opportunities for many) that gives a boost to new businesses or enhances the value of existing ones. And if most of players sincerely contribute to the social cause and larger good as well, we are making the contribution pie bigger for our lesser privileged friends or for social sector.  Yes, sincerity by everyone and frugality is needed to balance things out so that we maintain a culture of dignity while giving and start treating our less privileged friends as primary beneficiary – They should be a part of the model right from the start (Snack boxes are left, oh let us give it to NGO kids ☹). The resources management, and avoid wastage are different concepts but not at the cost of hurting someone’s dignity or making someone feel they are secondary.

Let’s change the way we think about changing the world and live our passion with our SRQ – Social Responsibility Quotient, and we will see our other SRQ – Sports and Running Quotient smiling as well!!!

25-26Mar17_1

1291

Sumeet Aggarwal

Xpress Fitness and Running

Reference and Sources:

19th March 2016 – 19th March 2017 (38th to 39th Birthday) – Particpant Fee Chart
Event Name Distance Date Place (City) Regn Fee Travel (Including Bib collection, route reiki) Logistics (First-Aid Kit, Banners, Arrangements) Food and Entertainment (Including Pre event day) Total Cost
Lutyens Run HM 20-Mar-16 New Delhi 750 500 Nil 100 1350
Delhi Womanathon Run 10 Km 19-Jun-16 CWG, Delhi 750 250 Nil 100 1100
Pinkathon Trial Run 10 Km 10-Jul-16 India Gate, Delhi Free 300 Nil 500 800
100 Days completion Celebration Run 10 Km 7-Aug-16 India Gate, Delhi Free 300 Nil 500 800
Pinkathon (Support) Run 17 Km 8-Sep-16 JLNS, Delhi Free 400 Nil 500 900
T10 Corpo Jumble 3 Km 25-Sep-16 Gurugram 575 500 Nil 100 1200
Decathlon Monsoon Run HM 28-08-2016 Indirapuram 850 400 Nil 100 1350
Silver City Training Run 6 Km 30-Oct-16 Noida Free 100 Nil Nil 100
New Delhi Triathlon Champonship 1.5 Km swimming, 40 Km cycling, 10 km Run 13-11-2016 N. Delhi 3435 400 1000 500 4900
ADHM HM 20-11-2016 N. Delhi 1947 300 Nil 200 2200
Run for Enterpreneurship 3 Km 4/12/2016 IIT Delhi 100 Along with self supported Noida to Gurugram (54.5 Km Run) 600
Trailathon Training Run & Share and Care Finale 7th Day Run 26 Km 31-12-2016 Canal Road, Gurugram Free 500 Nil 200 700
Share & Care : Time to give away 10 Km 7/1/2016 Nehru Park, Delhi Free 300 Nil 200 500
Intelenet Trailathon Training Run 10, 20 KM 8/1/2017 Amity-Advent, Noida Free 100 Nil Nil 100
SCMM FM 15-01-2017 Mumbai 2061 7200 3000 4000 16000
NDM: 12 Hour Stadium team Run 6 member Team Run 22-01-2017 JLNS, Delhi Free 500 Nil 500 1000
Trailathon 28 Km 29-01-2017 Gurugram 1274 500 Nil 200 2100
Valentine Day Special Self-Supported Run 14 Km 14/02/2017 Noida Free Nil 1500 200 1700
Pardada Pardadi HM 10 Km Pacer 19-02-2017 Noida 375 300 Nil Nil 675
Devil Circuit 5 Km with 15 obstacles 19-03-2017 Noida 2405 100 Nil 200 2400
Total Expense       14522       40475
19th March 2016 – 19th March 2017 (38th to 39th Birthday) – Organizer (No Service Fee) Expenses Chart
Event Name Distance Date Place (City) Organizer Expenses
XWR – Healthy Run 5 KM 27-Mar-16 Genesis G., Noida 4000
XWR – Mamta Way Run “MWR” 5-10 Km 9-May-16 OBS, Noida 2200
XWR – Summer Kiddo Run 2016 (Public – 80) 2-3 Km 5-Jun-16 Gyanshree, Noida 3000
XWR Ayesha and Push कर Run 6-12 Km 12-Jun-16 Nehru Park, Delhi 1500
XWR – Jahanpanah City Forest Run 5-20 Km 24-Jul-16 Delhi 1000
XWR HID (Happy Independence Day) – Run 15 Km 15-Aug-16 Noida 2500
Interval Cardio Blaster Training 5 Km 21-08-2016 CWG, Delhi 1500
 Run and Drink Chai for a Cause 7 Km 22-08-2016 Noida 100
Green Greater Noida Run (Public – 600) 5, 10 Km 16-Oct-16 G. Noida 8250
XFR – ADHM Prep GNoida Hemisphere Run 15 Km 29-Oct-16 G. Noida 2900
XFR – ADHM Prep 100 Minute Tempo Twist Run 10-21 KM 11/6/2016 G. Noida 3150
XFR – Celebratory Holiday Fun with 60 min Run 10 Km 14-11-2016 G. Noida 3500
XFR – Surajpur Wetland Bird Sanctuary Family Walk/Run and Fun 5-10 Km 27-11-2016 G. Noida 2000
XFR – Sanjay Van Run 12 Km 18/12/2016 Sanjay Van, Delhi 2250
XFR – Christmas Eve Run 18 Km 24/12/2016 Noida, G. Noida 1800
XFR – Share and Care Running Week (5th Day) HM 29-12-2016 Jaypee, Noida 6500
XFR – Covestro Employee Training Run 10 Km 8/1/2017 G Noida 400
XFR – Happy Republic Day (HRD) Flag Run 15 Km 26-01-2017 Noida 1000
Piku Sports – Covestro NGM (Public – 1100) 5, 10, HM and FM 5/2/2017 Jaypee, Noida 3300
XFR – Sanki मिलते रहना हसते दौड़ते Run 10 Km 12/2/2017 Nehru Park, Delhi 3000
XFR – SuMo Anniversary Run (Guest) 5 Km 18/02/2017 Noida 500
XFR – Family Run with Bday Celebrations 5-10 Km 5/3/2017 India Gate, Delhi 4275
Cadence FEMMA (Women’s Day) Run 550 mtrs – 20 Km 3/7/2017 Cadence Campus NA
XFR – Let us run to fly and play Holi 5-10 Km 12/3/2017 OBS, Noida 500
XFR – Sweet 16 Run 16 Km 16/3/2017 Jaypee, Noida 600
Total Expense       59725