Sonal Ambwani, shown with her son, Aariv Das, is running the Boston Marathon to support the Hopkinton Education Foundation.

Hopkinton resident Sonal Ambwani said running in the Boston Marathon is “the fulfillment of a long-awaited” dream.

Growing up in a small town in India, Ambwani first heard about the event from her high school track coach, who had his own aspirations to participate.

But Ambwani’s running days started earlier, at age 10, when her first race experience went very well. “From there,” she noted, “my passion for running built.”

In 2004, she moved to the United States and, while attending Boston University, the subject of the Boston Marathon was raised once again.

Ambwani and her friends would watch and cheer on the runners at St. Mary’s Street and Beacon Street. “And every year I would say, ‘I will do that one day,’ ” she recalled.

She decided to participate on behalf of the Hopkinton Education Foundation. As a member of that nonprofit’s board, Ambwani has had an inside view of its work.

“I love the foundation’s mission,” said Ambwani, a resident of Hopkinton for the past decade.“They work hard to procure funding that allows educators to think outside of the box.”

Past funding to enhance innovation in the classroom included mindfulness programs, virtual reality travel and 1:1 technology like Chromebooks. Grants from the foundation pay for hands-on experiences that the school budget often cannot cover.

“It is so fulfilling and heart warming to see things that were funded happening in person,” she noted.

The Boston Marathon will be Ambwani’s first, although she has run half-marathons and long distances before.

So, what differentiates this marathon from others?

Ambwani believes it is the “atmosphere of sportsmanship” across the course that she has witnessed over the years.

“From what I’ve seen, the energy and the smiles on the faces of the runners makes the Boston Marathon so special,” she said. “The challenge of the hills at mile 20 … crossing so much of Massachusetts, turning the corner on Boylston Street.”

For Ambwani, the journey from Hopkinton to Bolyston Street will be the equivalent of running from home to work.

A Ph.D. recipient, Ambwani is employed by Elucid, managing teams for AI and computer programs in the medical imaging realm.

To prepare for the race, Ambwani is following a strength and conditioning plan created for her by a coach at the Westborough gym Prototype.

She also has been gradually increasing the distances of her runs and enjoys training around Hopkinton, navigating the town’s hills and seeing other people out there on a similar path.

As the marathon date approaches, Ambwani said she feels a lot of excitement and few nerves.

“The Boston Marathon takes the top spot,” she noted. “I’m looking forward to hearing the cheering.”

Ambwani will be encouraged at the race by her husband and son, friends and work colleagues, the latter of whom will be at the finish line near her workplace.