A well-known ultramarathoner from North Delta is getting set to raise money for children in Turkey and Syria by competing in his most challenging run yet.
Kaushal “Coach KP” Parikh will once again be lacing up his running shoes for a good cause, this time for Save the Children Foundation’s emergency fund. For the first time, however, he will be running for 24 hours straight when he competes in Survivorfest, taking place at Strathcona Athletic Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. — a suburb of Edmonton — June 10-11.
“I thought it was the perfect thing to balance my two goals of fitness and supporting children, even without knowing how difficult it is to run during 24 hours,” Parikh told the Reporter.
Running for 24 hours may be uncharted territory for Parikh, but the journey leading up to it is nothing new. He has always had the “natural instinct” of wanting to become better and faster, allowing him to naturally progress through distances and events. Now, ultramarathons have become his way of life.
Perhaps Parikh’s biggest concern leading up to race is his ability to stay awake.
“It’s a completely different ballgame, different science,” he said. “I’ve never trained during nights and I go to sleep around 10 p.m., so I have to get out of my comfort zone.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parikh raised funds for relief in India by competing virtually in the annual Comrades Marathon held in South Africa.
“Children could not afford anything,” he said. “They were in orphanages not having a life, so it was a small initiative to do something for the children, and it’s a similar initiative [now] about Turkey and Syria.”
READ MORE: North Delta ultramarathoner raises over $2,800 for COVID relief in India
The funds raised by Parikh during this weekend’s run will help Save the Children provide life-saving shelter, food, water, medical care, warm clothing and heaters to children affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria earlier this year, as well as support the foundation’s other initiatives benefiting children around the world.
Donations to Parikh’s fundraiser can be made at savethechildren.akaraisin.com/ui/teamsave/p/00607ddb5a6746569f9a6b8e1977b1e9.
Parikh’s active lifestyle stems from his childhood in India. Running, however, was never a part of the equation.
“My lifestyle has always been pretty outdoorsy, and I have been spending a lot of time outdoors since growing up,” Parikh said. “I was into heavy weights and the gym, but I never really liked running. I could not run 50 metres to save my life.”
That all changed in 2012 when Parikh was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis.
“I couldn’t even lift a finger or my arms,” he said. “I had immense pain in my spine, and was immobilized for some time.”
After half a year of rehab and non-surgical intervention, Parikh was advised to stay away from weightlifting and contact sports. He started walking, but quickly realized it was not enough to fill the void.
“I didn’t really find walking to be activity-based. I asked my doc if I could at least start running, and he said I could give it a shot and if it doesn’t cause any problems then for sure.”
Needless to say, there were no problems.
Parikh has participated in countless events and marathons since then, both in India and Canada, starting with what he called a “staple” of the Mumbai Marathon: the 7K Dream Run.
“That was the start of my running journey and life,” he said. “Since then, I have found my space, found something I can’t live without, and have realized that things happen for a reason.”
Parikh is also an avid coach and mentor, holding multiple coaching jobs and certificates involving running and fitness, and uses that experience when it comes to volunteering and fundraising.
“The core of it is working with people and seeing some sort of development, and contributing to the overall well-being of humankind,” he said. “My full-time job is being with humans.”
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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