By Madhuri Dey
Oct. 18 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The annual Nike marathon will take place on this Sunday at San Francisco. It will start at 7a.m. in the morning sharp. The race is organized by Nike every year, in an attempt to raise funds for the treatment of those with leukemia.

This year, the race will symbolically start at San Francisco’s Union Square where is situated the huge bronze statue of the goddess of victory, Nike. The rest of the course is punctuated with aid stations where they provide refreshments and water. There is also the obligatory coat check area where the participants have to get their clothes checked and deposit them until the race is over. The more philanthropically inclined can also donate those to the destitute and needy.

The idea of the race that clicks so much with the women of the country is the freedom it provides from the daily household chores. It is one day of being completely free, leaving behind the family and pressures of a job. The Nike team does not emphasize on winning, it rather stresses on the running, with the motto, “I run because I can.”

The sixth annual Nike Womens’ Marathon this year will start at the Union Square at San Francisco. The participants will then run their way through such prominent landmarks as Coit Tower, San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and many others.

The marathon promises to be an exciting and rewarding experience for all the participants. Besides promoting a noble cause, it also helps boost the economy of the city as many small companies sponsor the race.