Dear Mr. Potter and the rest of the Harriers,

The following is a description of the upcoming, Toyota Kathmandu Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10 k and 5 k races. Please consider participating with your club. If you are interested in being involved in any capacity please contact me, there are volunteer positions, publicity opportunities and plenty of slots for runners!

Please be advised that the Toyota Kathmandu Marathon, an international marathon and larger in scope and attention then any sporting event previously held in Nepal, is scheduled to launch its inaugural run on February 18, 2005, Democracy Day.

You are invited to become a participating charity to give you publicity benefits on our international advertising and website, and local banners advertising such as banners at the start and finish line, information in the memento results book and inclusion in written and broadcast media coverage. For your part you must raise 500 dollars toward the marathon's operating budget.

The Toyota Kathmandu Marathon Website, http://www.KathmanduMarathon.org, was operational May 1, 2004. Designed and hosted by a Kathmandu web professional who will be updating it constantly as events unfold. The site will provide on-line event registration, course description, photo gallery of Nepal, tourism information, event goals and aims, marathon racing and sponsor links, links to Kathmandu's best hotels and finest restaurants, etc.

This event is indeed a unique marathon for the Kingdom of Nepal. The Toyota Kathmandu Marathon is an international marathon charted and sanctioned by an international sporting organization - the Association of International Marathon Runners and Road Races AIMS. The Toyota Kathmandu Marathon is now listed in their Race Directory at http://www.aims-association.org/Calendar.htm. It is accredited for a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10K run and a 5K run. It will be officially opened by the a member of the royal family. The event will be covered by national and international news media, and is advertised the world over in running magazines.

The purpose of this event is to create, after meeting legitimate and necessary operating and overhead expenses, a source of net revenue that will be used to fund charity medical care to the residents throughout Nepal. This event is organized such that it will become an annual one, attracting marathon participants from around the world. The marathon will benefit Nepal's business sectors in transportation, souvenirs, etc. It will have a positive impact on Nepal in just it's very first year of operation. Anticipated revenue sources include individual entrant fees, national and international marathon sponsors, television rights, etc. It will bring immense publicity and attention to all sponsors associated with the event, and increasingly so for those sponsors in the upper tier.

The Kathmandu Marathon is also officially recognized by the Nepal Olympic Committee, the Nepal Amateur Athletic Association, the National Sports Council and the International Association of Athletics Federation. Additionally, the Nepal Tourism Board is a collaborating event partner.

We have many international runners registered for this event, and will soon open registration for National runners. In addition this is the 100th year of Rotary International. Nepal Rotary has accepted the Marathon as its Centennial Project, and Rotary International has also accepted the Kathmandu Marathon as one of its International Centennial Rotary Projects - primarily because of the fact that 100% of event net revenue will be going to charity medical care in the Valley. This worldwide Rotary promotion ensures that there will be hundreds of Rotarians participating in the Marathon, and that virtually every one of the 56 Rotary Clubs in Nepal will be actively involved in helping with the event. Additionally, Nepal Jaycees will be helping as will many volunteer organizations, schools and communities in Nepal.

The Kathmandu Marathon will become an annual event - a mushrooming sports happening in terms of number of participants, media visibility and worldwide attention. This is the time to get in on the ground floor as a Charter Sponsor.

Event Officers include:

Executive Director - Mr. Roy Kline, CEO Scheer Memorial Hospital

International Technical Director - Mr. Hugh Jones, Secretary, Association of International Marathon Runners and Road Races; Racing Director of the Mumbai Marathon and London Marathon

International Event Director - Mr. Al Boka, Treasurer, Association of International Marathon Runners and Road Races; Racing Director of the Las Vegas Marathon, Nevada, U.S.

Racing Director - Mr. Rabi Rajkarnikar, Secretary General Nepal Amateur Athletic Association, Member, IAAF Cross Country and Road Running Committee

Medical Director - Dr. Saroj Krishna Shrestha B.Sc., MD, MS Ortho (Germany)

Public Relations Officer - Fylvia Kline

Please let me know if any additional information is required.

Sincerely,

Yvonne Gray, Event Coordinator, Phone 9851034634, email: ygray@kathmandumarathon.org