One morning in 2003, Roshni Rai woke up, went outside and started running. She was trying to piece her life back together after a break-up. Running helped her cope. And Rai hasn’t stopped running since.
She is preparing for the Comrades marathon in South Africa. It’s a lung-busting super run — 90km. “It was set up by a South African man after he came back from World War I for his fallen comrades. I want to dedicate my run to the fallen Gorkha soldiers in India.”
Rai is Gorkha and proud of it. She participated in the last Mumbai marathon for the cause of the Gorkha identity. “People don’t understand that we’re proud to be Indians. They think we migrated from Nepal; they call us Nepali or Chinese. Our lands were incorporated in the Indian borders when the lines were drawn. We’ve always been here,” she says.
“Running keeps me focussed on a tangible goal for a long period of time. It gives me a sense of achievement every time I better my timing, or even when I finish a race. It helps boost my confidence.”
And she’s trying to spread the joy of running to as many as she can. She has set up an all-girls running group, which does short runs all over the city.
“We all motivate each other to run. We have working women, mothers with young children; often due to family and work pressure they don’t find the time to run. It helps if you run in a group that motivates you to make that little bit of time in your day,” she says.
Fifteen from her group have already signed up for the DNA women’s half marathon. And Rai too supports the marathon and its causes. “I think all the causes are worth running for to create awareness, especially women’s safety.”
For first-timers running in the women's half marathon, Rai says, "Start with short distances, don't increase your distances in a hurry. Increase your stamina by doing other cross exercises. Don't worry about the time, focus on covering the distance."
Does she find any challenges in being a woman runner in India?
"Not really, except for the fact that men can just throw on a good pair of shoes and run, but women need a good sports bra. And you don't find them in India. Even good long-distance running shoes for women are difficult to find. The correct equipment is very important for long-distance running."
She is preparing for the Comrades marathon in South Africa. It’s a lung-busting super run — 90km. “It was set up by a South African man after he came back from World War I for his fallen comrades. I want to dedicate my run to the fallen Gorkha soldiers in India.”
Rai is Gorkha and proud of it. She participated in the last Mumbai marathon for the cause of the Gorkha identity. “People don’t understand that we’re proud to be Indians. They think we migrated from Nepal; they call us Nepali or Chinese. Our lands were incorporated in the Indian borders when the lines were drawn. We’ve always been here,” she says.
“Running keeps me focussed on a tangible goal for a long period of time. It gives me a sense of achievement every time I better my timing, or even when I finish a race. It helps boost my confidence.”
And she’s trying to spread the joy of running to as many as she can. She has set up an all-girls running group, which does short runs all over the city.
“We all motivate each other to run. We have working women, mothers with young children; often due to family and work pressure they don’t find the time to run. It helps if you run in a group that motivates you to make that little bit of time in your day,” she says.
Fifteen from her group have already signed up for the DNA women’s half marathon. And Rai too supports the marathon and its causes. “I think all the causes are worth running for to create awareness, especially women’s safety.”
For first-timers running in the women's half marathon, Rai says, "Start with short distances, don't increase your distances in a hurry. Increase your stamina by doing other cross exercises. Don't worry about the time, focus on covering the distance."
Does she find any challenges in being a woman runner in India?
"Not really, except for the fact that men can just throw on a good pair of shoes and run, but women need a good sports bra. And you don't find them in India. Even good long-distance running shoes for women are difficult to find. The correct equipment is very important for long-distance running."
DNA
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