why should you startup?

I received a link on reasons why you should start a company in one of the discussion forums. The excerpt that I liked the most from the article is here.

One of the audience members asked if the founders were able to work from 8-5 to Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn. He sort of sighed and had this to say:

“Before you get profitable and establish yourself, you’re basically walking dead and you have to realize it’s more of a marathon than a sprint.”

He then went on to say that you can expect to work over 70 hour work weeks to get the product out the door. If you’ve run any type of long distance race, then you’ll understand the importance of mental focus. For example, if you’re mentally ready to run five miles, and at the fifth mile you’re told to run five more, that’s much harder than mentally preparing for ten miles at the start. The only way to train for a marathon is by running, and the only way to train for a startup is by starting.

You can refer the complete article here.

Chennai runners are in full tilt !!

These days Chennai runners are in full tilt...!

I am seeing lot of activities...starting from website launch, branding, tagline finalization to featuring in HINDU.

Unfortunately I missed this Sunday run...(couldn't do much about it) and Yes...THE HINDU had the Chennai Runners covered in the page two of the Chennai edition. Here is link for online edition of the Hindu article...that has come out very nicely.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/11/stories/2007061103330200.htm


Congratulations and Thanks to all those who took the effort to get the article on Hindu.

I see lot of new runners joining the club after this article...and I believe close to 50 runners joined in last 4 weeks and close to 25 runners joined today alone.

We are looking forward to have much more people joining us...in the near future!

We are planning to have our own marathon in Chennai as a substitute for the Mysore half marathon that was cancelled couple of weeks back. This marathon is going to be from Tollgate to Mahabs on ECR for about 30 kms on July 15 2007.

We are expecting lot more turn out and to have lot more fun...!

Do join us at http://www.chennairunners.com for more fun and of course for more run!

Bangalore Midnight Marathon - 19th May

This is a first of its kind in the history of Marathon. I was very fortunate to be part of it. I participated in the half marathon...i.e running 21097.5 meters - to be very precise.



We were bunch of ardent runners from chennairunners club participated in this Marathon. All of them participated in the half Marathon.

It was altogether a new experience running in the midnight when the entire city was sleeping. Of course it was way way better than the practice runs that we had in Marina beach.

The run was extremely strenuous for me and I finished the run in 3 hours 15 minutes....! Not a best timing as compared to my previous half marathon in Mumbai (It was 2 hours 55 minutes)....May be because of lack of practice (well...lack of discipline as well)

My target of finishing HM is less than 2 hours.....and I am planning to break this in the forthcoming Bangalore Marathon in September.

All the runners from chennairunners group finished the Half marathon successfully. It was a great fun running in the midnight...and we enjoyed every bit of it.

Here is one of the snaps that we've taken before the run....!



Yes...definitely we created a history!!

Run for a Cause!!

I had NO time to put my pledging emailer in to my blog before the Marathon day.
=========================================================

I have just started volunteering for Dream a Dream, an organization established to create an empowered future for all of us. This is where I would want to spend a little time I may have.

I wholly expect this volunteering work would be an enthralling experience and a constant source of inspiration, where the children inspire the volunteers who inspire the children!

This January on the 21st, Sunday, I'm joining hands with other Dream a Dream volunteers for running half Marathon (21 kms) of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, for couple of reasons…

Firstly to raise money for the various programs at Dream a Dream, I've set myself a target of more than twenty thousand rupees (>$500).

Secondly, it makes me immensely proud to represent Dream a Dream in one of the biggest events in Asia!

Visit www.dreamadream.org to know more about Dream a Dream and the Mumbai Marathon.

I request YOU to help me achieve my target by monetarily pledging your support for my Dream Run. No amount is small or big enough, every rupee/dollar will count for me!! :-)

All donations will be used for the programs at Dream a Dream and you will be eligible for Tax exemptions on the donated amount.

Here are the options to pledge money for my Dream Run…

1. Online donations can be done through the Give India Website. US taxpayers can pledge online at: www.giveworld.org/pledge.htm. Indian donors can pledge online at: www.giveindia.org/give/pledge.jsp

2. You can make an online transfer to my account in ICICI Bank (005301023831, S GUNASEKARAN). Kindly send me an email once the transfer is done.

3. Give me a cheque in the name of "Give India", you can courier the cheque to the address below or call me at 098409 67389 and I'll come and collect the cheque if in Chennai or Bangalore or Mumbai.

Dream a Dream,
No. 73, 1st Floor, Lashker, Hosur Road,
Adugodi, Next to Suraksha Motors,Bangalore – 560 030

Looking forward to a positive response from you, please call me at 09840967389 or email me for any questions/suggestions!

Another way to help me out: Please forward this to your friends, groups, and family who might be interested in contributing….you never know who's waiting out there to help!

With lots of Dreams,
Guna Sekaran
gunasekaran.sj@gmail.com

Vision of Dream a Dream: Empowering children from vulnerable backgrounds by developing life skills and at the same time sensitizing the community through active volunteering leading to a non-discriminatory society where unique differences are appreciated

Why I run? And why should you?

Why should you? – Indeed, I should not ask this question. However, I will enlighten why you may regard this question.

Foremost point certainly is that you will have a mission toward your fitness regime. And here are some more points you should deem to.

1. When you train or run for marathon you don’t run for only yourself. There are ways to contribute to the society.
2. There is an indirect and immense benefit that you gain i.e Physical fitness.
3. If you set your mission as finishing marathon and when you accomplish this – You will have a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. I don’t have to explicate this one. (As I am yet to get there!!)

Recently, I have read one article on Marathon running – A hobby to global CEO’s. In this article the author emphasizes very much on running a company is identical to running Marathon.

In fact this is the article really blazed me up to take up this mission. My sincere thanks to Dr.KVSS Narayana Rao – Author of this article. Courtesy: Global CEO special issue, ICFAI university press.

He dictates that the business success can be learnt, honed and demonstrated by training for and running Marathons.

As opposed to the aforesaid points, when you go to gym, it seldom gives any kind of gratification to your life, but it possibly will give you physical fitness, only after paying your gym fees.

So, why do you wait…? Just Run! Run!! And run!!!

My first weblog!!

This is my first weblog to the world.

I have been thinking of blogging since years. At last, this has become possible today. The first question that comes to my mind is why I should blog. Well, Frankly to tell you, I don’t know, however still wanting to blog. I hope this would be my personal online diary and a resort to others to get to know more about me.

The blog name (Always Running!!) postulates really what I am focusing today. I am very fervent to running Marathon. This has become my ardor these days and my dream is to finish Marathon at least once in my lifetime.

I acquaint everything about myself in this blog and predominantly I would talk about…

1. Running and my life
2. Review about the books I read
3. My spare time activities…

Keep watching this space…and there will be a day I will write “Ohhhh…Finally I have finished Marathon”.

I look forward to keeping this blog always running!!