LSoM (Last Sunday Of The Month) 3/5/10 km Runs was the first initiative taken up by AFSF Foundation in 2016 to promote running as a fitness & family activity on every Last Sunday Of the Month ( LSoM ) in our very own City Satara. This initiative got hundreds of families into running and gaining confidence by starting with a 3k run and going for a longer distance by and by. The best part is kids enjoy this LSoM Runs with their parents & Our caring volunteers make sure of their safety in the best possible way. We have consistently been doing this wonderful LSoM runs with approx 400 runners every month since then, Our Volunteers do the route support & all participants get finishers badges & breakfast after the run. An excellent part is it’s absolutely free for all runner.

We are proud to announce that our young leaders Mr. Kalpesh Gujar & Mr. Pankaj Rathi have taken up the responsibility & will be heading this AFSF LSoM initiative from now on.

We Congratulate both of them & Wish them all the best for there success.

साताऱ्याचे नाव मॅरेथॉन सिटी असे प्रसिद्ध झाले आहेच त्याच बरोबर महाराष्ट्रा ची पहिली आणि भारतातील दुसरी अशी नाईट मॅरेथॉन घेण्याचा मान हि सातार्याने पटकावला आहे , दोन जुनं २०१८ रोजी साताऱ्यात महाराष्ट्रातील पहिली नाईट मॅरेथॉन पार पडली होती , दिल्ली , दार्जलिंग , बंगलोर , चेन्नई , हैद्राबाद , गोआ अश्या देशभरातून अनेक ठिकाण हुन लोकांनी ह्या साताऱ्याच्या नाईट मॅरेथॉन मध्ये सहभाग घेतला होता . ह्या नाईट मॅरेथॉन चे अजून एक वैशिष्ठ म्हणजे हि मॅरेथॉन देशातील पहिली कस्टमाइज्ड मॅरेथॉन ठरली आहे ज्यात रनर च्या प्रत्येक मेडल वर व टीशर्ट वर त्या त्या रनर चे नाव असते . ह्याच बरोबर हि दहा , एकवीस व बेचाळीस किलोमीटर ची साताऱ्यातील पहिली फुल मॅरेथॉन असल्याचाही मान ह्या मॅरेथॉन ने पटकावला आहे.

साताऱ्यात गेले तीन वर्ष सातत्त्यांनी स्पोर्ट्स आणि फिटनेस च्या क्षेत्रा मध्ये काम करत असणारी एएफएसएफ फौंडेशन हि संस्था लिव्ह फिअरलेस हे ब्रीद वाक्य घेऊन विशेषतः महिला आरोग्य व सुरक्षा च्या दिशेने एक वाटचाल म्हणून ह्या नाईट चॅलेंजर मॅरेथॉन चे साताऱ्यात आयोजन करते . ह्या संस्थे मार्फत गेले तीन वर्ष दर महिन्याच्या शेवटच्या रविवारी एक फ्री रन भारावली जाते ज्याला ते इलसोम म्हणजेच लास्ट संडे ऑफ मंथ असे म्हणतात . त्यांच्या ह्या कार्या ची नोंद घेऊन , HDFC सातारा , कूपर कंपनी , SSE इंडिया अश्या अनेक संथान कडून संस्थेच्या संस्थापिका सौ राजवी हलगेकर ह्यांचा सन्मान केला गेला आहे .

साताऱ्याचे नाव उंचावण्याच्या कार्यात हातभार लावणारी आणि पुन्हा एकदा मॅरेथॉन आणि रनिंग विश्वात साताऱ्याचे नाव राखणारी हि एएफएसएफ सातारा नाईट मॅरेथॉन पुन्हा ह्या वर्षी एक जून रोजी आयोजित केली गेली आहे , एक जानेवारी ला रेजिस्ट्रेशन ओपन होते आणि साधारण एकतीस जानेवारी ला रेजिस्ट्रेशन बंद होते . गेल्या वर्षी प्रमाणे ह्या वर्षी हि संपूर्ण भारतातून ह्या सातारा नाईट मॅरेथॉन ला उत्कृष्ट प्रतिसाद मिळालेला आहे . ह्याच बरोबर साताऱ्याचे अनेक धावपटू , महिला व जेष्ठ नागरिक हि ह्या मॅरेथॉन मध्ये धावण्यात उत्सुखं असून, एकूण ३००० लोक ह्या नाईट मॅरेथॉन मध्ये सहभागी होण्याची शक्यता दर्शवली जात आहे .

गेल्या वर्षी झालेल्या ह्या एएफएसएफ सातारा नाईट मॅरेथॉन चे ऑफिसिअल विडिओ लौंचिंग दिनांक १० जानेवारी रोजी हॉटेल ब्लॅक पर्ल , ग्रीनफिल्ड येथे साताऱ्याचे जिल्हा क्रीडा अधिकारी माननीय श्री युवराज नाईक , साताऱ्याचे पोलीस उपाधीक्षक माननीय श्री समीर शेख व साताऱ्याच्या नगराध्यक्ष माननीय सौ माधवी कदम ह्यांच्या हसते पार पडले , ह्या प्रसंगी एएफएसएफ समितीचे सदस्य मिलिंद हळबे , राजवी हलगेकर , कल्पेश गुजर , पंकज राठी , रेणू येळगावकर , स्वप्नील राऊत , श्वेता राजेमहाडिक , चेतन शिंदे , उमेश लोया , अमेय भागवत , कमलेश भट्टड , पूनम कडू व साताऱ्यातील इतर संस्थेचे अनेक मान्यवर उपस्थित होते .

A promotional run for AFSF Satara Night Marathon took place in Mumbai on 27th Jan morning from Fort which was flagged off by ATS DCP Mr.Dhjananjay Kulkarni, Mr.Ram Venkatraman one of the heads of Mumbai Road Runners group, Oscar Nominated Film actor Sandeep Kulkarni, AFSF Founders Members Rajvi Halgekar, Kalpesh Gujar, Milind Halbe, Swapnil Raut, Poonam Kadu & other invitees with more than 300 runners.

All For Sports & Fitness India Foundation (AFSF), an upcoming sports NGO from Maharashtra which has seen recognition & appreciation coming from across India for its initiatives & contribution in sports has announced its 2nd Edition of India’s second largest Night marathon & which also happens to be India’s First & only biggest customized Marathon. AFSF Star Of India Night Challenger Marathon 2019, which will be held in the historic city of Satara on 1st June 2019. Of which the Official announcement & Video Launch was done on 10th Jan by the hands of Satara Mayor, Mrs. Madhavi Kadam & DYSP Satara, Mr.Sameer Shaikh.

Although the concept of Night running or Night marathon is comparatively new to India, its history dates back from The Midnight Sun Run at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Patty Center, United States. With less time to exercise or run during the day, lacing up after dark is becoming increasingly popular among runners across the world.

Mrs. Rajvi Halgekar Founder director of AFSF India Foundation, who is a runner herself who has done several half marathons & has won 3 nationals in karate explained how research shows running at night can have even greater health & performance benefits than exercising during the day, out of which 3 major benefits are:

• It Can help you sleep better: a recent study from The University of South Carolina found 7 percent of people who exercise at a high intensity at night discovered their quality of sleep was equal to or better than when they exercised during the day. The hike in body temperature actually improves quality & ease of sleep.
• It can help the person run faster: Researchers at The University of Essex show that people who run or cycle at night are likely to go faster & work harder as the darkness makes it hard to gauge them speed according to the objects around them. They are also less distracted & more tuned with their body’s rhythm.
• It can help lose weight: Running at night can help people adopt healthier habits by keeping away from mindless eating at night.

With the slogan“Live Fearless: In sync with the government initiatives of women safety & empowerment, we are glad that we have safe streets even for women to run at night, we see great numbers in women participation of this night marathon and this year the numbers are increasing for sure, this 10/21/42 km timed event will constantly encourage individuals to tap their full potential & carry the vision of live fearless forward”said ATS DCP Mr.Dhananjay Kulkarni who has been the Ambassador & in association with AFSF for last two years.

One of the AFSF Director Mr.Milind Halbe who ran his first full marathon at the age of 60 explained how the entire city of Satara awakes and comes to celebrate this night marathon on the streets of Satara to cheer every participant till the end. The Satara administration & Police department supports the marathon in every possible way to make sure all safety precautions are taken.

“ We saw a phenomenal success in the first edition of the AFSF Star Of India Night Challenger marathon, and are sure to host more than 3000 runners this year as well, people come together in large numbers for this one of the prestigious Night Marathon which also happens to be one of the only biggest customized Marathons of India.” Said Mr.Ganesh Ekbote, One of the associate sponsors of event & the Director of Ekbote Funtinures one of the leading Solid wood manufacturing companies in India .

The Registrations for this Privilege Marathon will be on till mid-February. Given the euphoric rise in the running community in the country, this Privilege Night Marathon is surely going to see a huge number of runners participating from across the country.

Live Fearless, Run at the AFSF Satara Night Marathon . Night running is catching on. #AFSFNightMarathon

Dear Runners,

We are so very thankful and happy for the tremendous faith and response that you have shown in the AFSF team when it comes to AFSF Star of India Night Challenger Marathon , we had closed the registrations on 31st Jan midnight , and since that moment, we have received hundreds of individual and group request in our emails and personal inbox, WhatsApp, messenger, FB post comments for requesting the registrations.

We never expected this great response and love from all the running community across India. We at AFSF have thus decided to increase the privilege registration by 1000 more and have opened up the below registration link for few days to accommodate the runners who want to participate and have been requesting for the registrations. We are sure many runners who have been requesting are going to be very happy with this announcement & these privilege registrations will get filled up soon.

A Big Thank You once again to the entire Indian Running Community for showing this love and faith in us and for loving this one of its kind AFSF Night Marathon so much. Looking forward to hosting you all in the best possible way, feeling a big responsibility on the shoulders of a team already. Thank you once again, and see you all at this biggest customized Marathon of India On 1st June.

The 2nd edition of AFSF Star Of India Night Challenger Marathon 2019, India’s second largest Night marathon & India’s First & only biggest customized Marathon will be held in the historic city of Satara on 1st June, a promotional run for which took place in Pune today on 10th Feb morning at Pune University which was flagged off by Dr.Rajesh Mehta, Director Appu Ghar Nigdi, & Director at Mega Energy Solutions – Pioneers in LED Light manufacturing in India, he is also an Ex Motocross Rider, Ex Car and motorcycle rally participant, and Mr.Ganesh Ekbote, Director at Ekbote Furniture one of the leading solid wood furniture manufacturers in India who has been associated with AFSF social cause since last two years, in the presence of Pune Running Community members , Mr.Avinash Deshmukh, Mr.Prasad Patil, Our Pune brand Ambassadors Mr.Pravin Zele welknown as run machine of pune and Mrs.Kalyani Tokekar a well known runner in pune running circuit with about 200 runners from pune who participated in this promo run, along with AFSF Founder Members Rajvi Halgekar, Kalpesh Gujar, Milind Halbe, Swapnil Raut, Poonam Kadu, Shrutika Gujar & other invitees.

With the slogan Live Fearless: in sync with women safety & empowerment, we are glad that we see great numbers in women participation of this night marathon and this year the numbers are increasing for sure, this 10/21/42 km timed event will constantly encourage individuals to tap their full potential & carry the vision of live fearless forward. “The entire city of Satara awakes and comes to celebrate this night marathon on the streets of Satara,” said a runner who ran this night marathon last year.

“This year we are introducing a Junior then Dhamal Run of 3 km, Participants of which will also get free Appu Ghar passes just to encourage the younger generation to come into fitness at an early stage. We want kids to participate in this 3 km run with either their parents or grandparents and enjoy to the fullest at this Night Marathon.” Said Mr.Rajesh Mehta

“ We saw phenomenal success in the first edition of the AFSF Star Of India Night Challenger marathon, and are sure to host more than 3000 runners this year as well”Said Mr.Ganesh Ekbote.

We along with lot of other Pune runners are surely looking forward to participating in this one of its kind Night Marathon, expressed Mr.Avinash Deshmukh & Mr.Prasad Patil who has been associated to lot of corporate training.

“The Registrations for this Privilege Marathon will be ending by February end. We invite all the running community of Pune, Mumbai, Satara and across India to not miss on an opportunity to earn this superb medal with their name on it and experience this fantastic event at least once.” expressed the Brand Ambassadors of event Mrs.Kalyani Tokekar & Mr.Praveen Zele, who is also a well-known running coach.

Live Fearless! Run at the AFSF Satara Night Marathon . Night running is catching on. #AFSFNightMarathon