Kaustubh Khade- On a kayak powered by dreams

'It's hard to tell the difference between sea and sky, between voyager and sea. Between reality and the workings of the heart'

- Haruki Murakami

The journeys of professional athletes can get solitary. Even when they are surrounded by crews, coaches and loved ones, when it comes down to the long, hard distance between the start and the finish, they are on their own. While it is easy to admire what an athlete's mind and body goes through, not many can really understand the sacrifice and single minded dedication it takes to excel at a sport. Perhaps, nothing personifies this solitude better than the life of a professional kayaker out on the sea.

One athlete has chosen to undertake a beautiful but arduous journey across Maharashtra's coastline to bring a difference to the lives of underprivileged children. Kasutubh Khade, one of India's best professional kayakers, is on a quest to kayak 500 kms from Mumbai to Goa to raise funds for Magic Bus (www.magicbus.org). Magic Bus is an NGO that helps children escape the cycle of poverty through sports and outdoor activities. With a sports based curriculum, Magic Bus enhances employability skills and opens doors for children in the areas of health, gender equity, and education. With this 20 day kayaking expedition fuelled by a great cause, Kaustubh also hopes to create a new Limca Record.

In the past, Kaustubh has represented India in two Asian Sea Kayaking Championships. Having trained under 12 time world champion, Oscar Chalupsky, Kaustubh and his team went on to land podium finishes at the International Asian Dragon Boat Championship in Thailand in 2012. Kaustubh has also represented India at the Asian Sea Kayaking championship, where he set a new personal record by finishing in the top 5 among17 participants.

Kaustubh's unrelenting training schedule for this Mumbai-Goa expedition involved speed and endurance training in the water for 5 days a week and weight training in the gym for the remaining 2 days. Kaustubh also incorporated altitude training into his schedule to build stamina.

Through Kaustubh's expedition, Unived Sports now has the privilege of becoming associated with this fantastic cause. We are proud to be providing the hydration support for this endeavor, with RRUNN fuelling Kaustubh through every wave, creek and eddie that he will encounter over these 20 days. Athletes like Kaustubh remind us every day that with RRUNN, we are not just trying to make scientific sports nutrition available to athletes in India, but also empowering incredible personal journeys of excellence. Kaustubh, it is our honor to support athletes to you.

Read more about Kaustubh's cause and support him here - http://www.ketto.org/kayak4acause. Kaustubh is also eloquently documenting his expedition here - www.paddlehard.in.