Some fight for the rights of women or children and some strive hard to get justice to animals, but there are some who are exploring terrains and mapping unknown routes for the sake of creating awareness about fitness and health among people in general. With its aim to re-establish the importance of adventure and well-being, the NGO National Education Foundation (NEF) is much popular among the Pune youth and the sports lovers. Enduro3 is the flagship race of the organisation that is looked forward to by one and all.

"The race is not about the adrenaline rush or stupendous stamina, it is a brain game as well, where one needs to focus, plan and work with the team. It tests leadership and also checks how efficiently one follows orders and cooperates with the team," says Prasad Purandhare, director, NEF.

The race is a multi disciplinary one that starts at Pune and progresses into the scenic backwaters of Panshet, the Sahyadri Mountains of the western ghats and Pune Konkan Region. It includes350 sq kms of mountain terrain, 150 kms of trekking, 200 kms of mountain biking, 10kms of paddling, 100 meters of rappelling, 100 meters of river crossing and 0.22 air rifle shooting. The estimated time taken is four days and three nights and the total prize money is worth Rs 7,00,000. The participation is further divided in following categories: open, amateur, corporate, collegians, IT Challenge, juniors, family and 40+.

"Around 200 teams from all over the country participate in the event and this time we are expecting more. Female participation is mandatory in the race and we make sure that they are given fair opportunity. While focus is on the open category, the IT and the collegian categories help us create more awareness among the youth," says Purandhare, adding, "The best part of the event is that after participating in the race, winning becomes subsidiary as fun and euphoria takes over."

Endorsing the above statement, 54-year-old Dr Jayant Joshi, who participated in Enduro3 last year, says, "I was declared the second runner-up last year, but what I was happy about was that I completed the race. This is amazing as it not only keeps you fit but also proves to be a break from routine events. I enjoyed every bit of it and I am sad about the fact that this year I will not be able to participate because of my personal engagements."