Satnam Parhar, 72, of Cedarhurst, running his 14th New York City Marathon to highlight his Sikh faith

Every week throughout the year, rain or shine, 72-year-old Satnam Parhar and his friends gather in Alley Pond Park in Queens to train for the annual TCS New York City Marathon.

And on Friday before sunset, Parhar, of Cedarhurst, rallied the group for one last practice run before they would head to the starting line at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island on Sunday.

For Parhar, the marathon is the best day of the year. In the 14 years he’s participated, Parhar estimates he has high-fived the hands of thousands of spectators  along the five-borough route.

But at the core of the endeavor is representing his faith.

"I want people to know we exist," he said. This year, a group of 10 will be running in bright orange turbans and matching T-shirts that say "Sikhs in America."

From his tenure as president of the India Association of Long Island to a 2015 run for the New York City Council's District 23 seat in northeastern Queens, Parhar has made it his mission to engage with the community so people could become more familiar with Sikhs and their values.

He says running the marathon has increased awareness of his community.

"When I first came to Massapequa with the turban ... people didn’t know who Sikhs were," said Parhar, describing times he’s been misidentified and called names. "Now, times have changed, but some people still don’t know who we are. ... That’s the main reason we try to run with the turbans."

Avtar Singh Tinna, 76, of Queens, shared similar sentiments. Over time, he said, spectators have begun to recognize him and other runners in the group on marathon day.

Parhar credits Tinna as the reason he began running. When Parhar’s son and Tinna’s daughter married, the new in-laws went for a celebratory run instead of a drink.

"The funny part was, he said: ‘I will agree to the wedding if you start running.’ So I had no choice," Parhar joked.

The pair said running has become a key aspect of the way they practice their Sikh faith, which revolves around three pillars: naam japna, or meditation; kirat karni, or honest work; and vand chhako, or sharing with others.

While some in the group view running as a meditative activity, Parhar added that they've also spread the importance of maintaining good physical health, while also informing others about the values that guide them.

Tinna believes running has kept him healthy over the years and wanted to instill that value in his loved ones. Over time, training for the marathon has become a bonding experience for the group.

"The whole year we practice, we run, we sweat. But during the marathon, we don’t look at the watch. We communicate with each other. It’s fun," said Tinna.

For those who may not be ready for a 26-mile run, Parhar and Tinna organized the Vaisakhi 5K run. That event has taken place annually in April since 2013 in honor of Fauja Singh, who was a British Indian man many say was the oldest marathon runner in the world. 

The pair said running has become a key aspect of the way they practice their Sikh faith.

"There’s a whole meditative spiritual aspect to running, and I think that’s one thing Sikh runners resonate with," said Harjinder Singh, 37, of Bellerose.

From first-time marathon runners to veterans, Parhar hopes his peers keep health and togetherness top of mind. It’s not about winning, he said, adding that he typically finishes within 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Parhar, scheduled for the 10:55 a.m. time slot Sunday and wearing number 47556, looks forward to chatting with familiar faces in the crowd and showing new ones who they are.

"We’re so proud to do this," he said.