Spotlight: Aparna Ganesan On Walking the Jurassic Coast for a Cause
By Aparna Ganesan
Work, home, kids. Looping in and out. It had been six months since I had changed jobs and life had become a predictable yet demanding drumbeat. It felt like I was doing a lot and nothing at the same time. I knew I needed something to disrupt the monotony, something to anchor me.
It was pure coincidence when my neighbour, Jenny, casually mentioned her walk in the Brighton Ultra Challenge. She described it as the most meditative and fulfilling experience. I knew this was the pick-me-up I needed. We both decided to give it a go.
I had two months to train for a 60k ultra challenge along the Jurassic Coast. Any seasoned ultra runner would deem it laughably insufficient time to train, even for a brisk walk. Jenny and I started slow, gradually building momentum. We were clear that the whole point of it was to have fun, to enjoy the journey and not just the finish line.
When it came down to choosing a charity to fundraise for, I wanted to go with one that resonated with me. I was set on fundraising for children’s education in India. My time at Credit Suisse had introduced me to Pratham UK (our CFO at the time was a board member). Pratham’s mission hit close to home and I wanted to play a small part in a bigger cause.
I was all nerves on the day of the challenge, but by the 25k mark I had eased into a hypnotic pace. My stride was steady and the random company kept me going until 40k. Some were running to push themselves while others were running for causes close to them. The sight of a man walking with a bionic foot was a humbling reminder that my exhaustion and pain were entirely relative. For most of the time I was walking with a chatty group (they had named themselves “Are We There Yet?”, which had me in splits). One of them retold the story of a book called Endurance – a survival account of a 28-man crew stranded for two years in the Antarctic. It made me think: if they could survive that, then I should surely be able to walk. The thought gave me a second wind at 50k and I marched (and eventually crawled) on to the 60k line.
18 hours later, at the finish line
It was 2am and I was battered and tired, but content. Thanks to the incredible generosity of my colleagues and friends I managed to raise my target of £300.
It was a journey of endurance, yes, but more importantly, it was a journey to re-centre me at a time of chaos.
Whether it’s a passion or a personal challenge, there are countless ways to fundraise for a cause while doing what you enjoy. Click here to see the many ways you can get involved.