November 19, 2004

Evergreen resident finishes first-ever 26.2 mile marathon 

Benefits Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

By Bea Baechle
Editor

Evergreen resident Bindu Ramdas Thirumalai successfully completed her first full marathon, the Nike 26.2-mile marathon, on Oct. 24 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Bindu represented the Evergreen community as one of more than 9,000 participants—92 percent women—from all over the country who ran the race in San Francisco. Overall, the marathon raised a total of nearly $10 million to help accelerate cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Evergreen resident Bindu Ramdas Thirumalai successfully completed her first full marathon, the Nike 26.2-mile marathon, on Oct. 24.

Thirumalai’s journey began when the 33-year-old software developer came across an article in the Evergreen Times informing her of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training® program (www.teamintraining.org), which builds the endurance and strength of participants to run the half or full marathon in October.

Although she had exercised regularly, she never had run very much. “The most I’d run was one or two miles,” recalls Bindu. Yet when she attended the information meeting, she decided on the spot that she wanted to train to run the full marathon.

Bindu noted that a cousin who she was very close to had passed away from liver cancer, so she was motivated to do her part to help find cures for cancer. Her uncle provided another incentive. A kidney transplant extended his life by more than 25 years.

“Medicine had given so much to my family—I felt I had to give back,” says Bindu.
Spring training

Her training began at the end May. “When I started training I thought, ‘Oh my God, what am I doing. I must be nuts!’ I just got into it. There was so much inspiration from the survivors and all the people going through the treatments,” says Bindu. “The coaches and teammates had so much enthusiasm.”

Over the summer months, Bindu participated in training exercises on Tuesdays, “short runs” with the team on Thursdays and “long runs” on Saturday mornings at various scenic locations in the Bay Area.

The Saturday “long” runs began with a four-mile run which gradually grew in distance – six miles, eight … 12 … 16 … and two 20-mile runs leading up to the big event.  Despite a full work schedule, and her nocturnal 18-month-old child Viraaj, Bindu persisted with her training through summer and early fall.

She received immense support from her Team In Training® volunteers and participants, as well as a strong network of family and friends who donated more than $2,600 for the cause—and showed up in force on the day of her marathon run. A surprise visit from her brother Naresh Ramdas, who flew in from Philadelphia, was one of the highlights of the day.

Bindu began her race at 5:30 a.m. that morning, and finished the race in six hours and fifteen minutes. “It gave me an enormous sense of achievement crossing the finish line,” said Bindu.

“I thought it would be a one-time thing, but it’s infectious,” admits Bindu, who may try another sport, possibly cycling, if she gets an opportunity. “Physically, I feel great. I easily run three to four miles now, and I managed to lose a lot of weight. I feel very positive; I’m a more optimistic person.”

She credits her husband Kuldeep Thirumalai for taking a lot of time off to care for Viraaj. “I don’t think I could have done it without his support,” says Bindu.

“Her feat is a source of immense pride to her family, friends and community,” concludes Kuldeep.