SACO — On Oct. 11, Sandeep “Sunny” Patil will be among the estimated 20,000 runners taking part in the Boston Marathon.
He will be fulfilling a dream, both to take part in an event that began back in 1897 with 18 runners, and to help raise funds to help Dana Farber Cancer Institute continue to provide treatment for cancer.
He has a reason to help fight cancer; the disease claimed his father at the young age of 37, when Patil was only 9 years old.
Patil and his four siblings made a pact.
“We decided not to touch tobacco in our life,” he said.
He and his siblings helped his mother run the family auto repair business in India — she had been a stay-at-home parent. At the time, there were few women running those sorts of businesses. “We all helped her, we were very focused,” he said.
He came to the United States in 2001, first working as a software programmer in New York before moving to Saco in 2006. Married, he and his wife Seema Shinde have two children.
“I heard a lot of good things about Maine,” he said. “Less crime, and the people are nice.”
Patil, 48, began running about a decade ago, he said, because he got involved in taekwondo.
“My daughter inspired me,” said Patil. Young Sarah Patil began taking taekwondo lessons at age 6 and has gone on to win an array of medals from a number of contests, including a national competition. Patil joined his daughter in the sport, and has achieved several black belts.
“When I started taekwondo, my coach told me to go and run, five miles, 10 miles,” he said, to build up his stamina.
Sandeep “Sunny” Patil of Saco plans to run the Boston Marathon on Oct. 11 and is raising funds to support the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in memory of his father, who died at 37 when Patil was 9 years old. Tammy Wells Photo
When the pandemic changed the world in 2020, Patil and his daughter no longer made their regular drive to Rhode Island for taekwondo lessons – but he continued to run, heading down to Camp Ellis and back, a 10-mile run, or continuing the run up to Black Point in Scarborough, a total of 17 or 18 miles. He rides his bicycle as well, from the Eastern Trail up to Cape Elizabeth and back, for the cardiovascular benefits.
He heard about the Boston Marathon, qualified, and decided he would raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in memory of his father. He has developed a social media page for information and donations: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1167009663810326/?fundraiser_source=external_url
Recently, Patil has been experiencing what he described as “runners’ knee,” and is undergoing physical therapy. A recent 10-mile run resulted in pain, so now he is running in a swimming pool, as part of his therapy. He said it won’t keep him from the marathon.
“I’ll try my best, see how far I can go,” he said of the Boston Marathon.
The Oct. 11 event is the first running of the 26.2-mile course since 2019. The Boston Athletic Association canceled the 2020 marathon due to the coronavirus pandemic, and moved it from Patriots Day in April to October this year. While the marathon saw 30,000 entrants in 2018 and 2019, the limit was set at 20,000 this year because of pandemic concerns. Runners must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test prior to the run.
Patil will be wearing bib number 16295.
“I’m here to enjoy it,” he said. “I want to enjoy the moment.”
And he pointed out, running with 20,000 people is different than solitary runs to Camp Ellis.
“When people cheer, the cheering gives you more energy,” he said.
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