Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Philip Crowson Vasant Gant will participate in the AT&T marathon Feb. 16 in Austin, a 26 mile course that runs across Austin. Gant says he is running it because he loves the challenge and is doing it for a cause. [Click to enlarge]

Vasant Garg, a first-year medical school student, doesn't consider himself an exceptionally committed runner. In fact he has never run more than six miles in a single jog.

However, this Saturday he has a cause and is committed to going the extra mile for something he believes in. Maybe it should be said he will be going the extra 20 miles as he prepares for the first marathon of his life.

Garg will participate in the AT&T marathon Feb. 16 in Austin, a 26 mile course that runs across Austin. Garg says he is running it because he loves the challenge, and wants to do it for a cause.

"It seemed untackelable, but I wanted to do it," Garg said. "The organization [I am running for] is 'Camp for All.' They are a local charity that provides an opportunity for kids with physical disabilities to go camping. It gives them all the opportunities that a quote unquote "normal kid" would enjoy. In high school I volunteered for a local charity and got involved in helping disabled kids not look down on themselves."

After two years of helping the disabled children, an unfortunate tragedy struck during Garg's senior year of high school. He was involved in a four-car accident that cost him his arm and left him in a coma for two weeks. Despite his loss, Garg continued to work with the disabled.

"[The children] helped me realize how capable I could be without an arm. It's motivating and I wanted to pass it on," he said.

It is because of these experiences that Garg has raised over $600 dollars and is steadily approaching his goal of $1,000.

Garg won't be running the marathon alone. He will be joined by six of his friends, all fellow A&M graduate students. Roy Lehman, Jesse Cover, Michael Hagen, Kunal Thakhar, Crystal Hlaing, and Julian Varghese. Of the group, only Cover and Hagen have run a marathon before.

"Word got around and we talked about the run," Garg said. "I wanted to make all of the pain in my body worthwhile."

Garg said he hopes to go into pediatrics, radiology or surgery after getting his masters. He said that he loves helping children, but appreciates the difficulty of a medical degree, viewing it as a challenging puzzle.

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