Women Runners Share Their Fitness Stories

What’s stopping you? What’s your excuse? Why haven’t you started running yet when you have been thinking about it for months now? We bring to you inspiring stories of women who chose running every time along with many other things to lead a healthier life.

Roshni Guhathakurta

From being obese and overweight at 88 kgs three years back, having a sedentary lifestyle with impulsive eating habits and a 9-6 desk job with no physical activities all day, to becoming a fit mom of a five-year-old, a half-marathon runner, and yoga and Zumba enthusiast at 65 kgs, Roshni’s transformation journey has been one of self-introspection and self-love.

Fitness is not only about ‘weight loss’; it means a change in outlook, lifestyle, priorities and objectives. It means choosing to 'live' healthy over 'existing' casually. It means choosing discipline overindulgence. And this journey definitely brings a transformation of the mind too! Surround yourself with such positive-minded people, who love leading a fit life too!  Start late but never look back. Live each day without regrets.

Shivangi Sarda

Shivangi has always been into sports since her early childhood days. After school and college, she used to run for general fitness and health with her strength training. She registered for a 5K fun event with friends in 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After that, she got motivated to see if she could do better in this sport.

That's when her running journey started from 10K, 13.5K to HM. She also participated in her first Half Ironman in 2019. She completed her first full marathon in 2020 and then did her first ultra-distance, 50 kms in hell race, in 2021 and secured the third position in the women’s 50K category.

She encourages everyone to start their journey (no matter pace/ distance); it's going to help one to become stronger both physically and mentally. 

Apoorva Chaudhary

Long-distance running started out for Apoorva Chaudhary back in school. But somewhere along the way, education and a corporate career took over as a priority. Then, out of the blue, her world turned upside down when she was diagnosed with asthma.

While working in Bengaluru, a friend requested her to play the body double of another runner for a documentary. Apoorva was pleasantly surprised to realise that she had little trouble negotiating the slopes of Nandi Hills during the shoot. Soon, she was volunteering at ultra-marathon events across the country. The runners she saw there was enough motivation for her to don shoes, but at the back of her mind, there was always this health concern to consider.

One fine day in 2016, she decided to drop all medicines, packing just an inhaler as a backup. She signed up for a 10K run and the disappointment of not finishing on the podium drove her on to get better. The distances increased thereon, alongside her aspirations. At the first 24-hour run, she broke the national record by logging 176.8 km and was soon living her dream of donning the India jersey after making it to the national team.

• Current national record holder after logging 202.212km at the IAU 24-hour World Championships in France
• First Indian woman to smash the 200 km barrier in 24 hours.
• First position at 24-hour Stadium Run in Bengaluru in 2018.

Dina

Dina has been running for nine years. In this time period, she finished 40 half marathons, 5 ultra runs, with 3 podiums. Running gives her a sense of connection to everyone around her. Running is her passion. Dina is a certified marathon and fitness coach and conducts various outdoor workout sessions and boot camps.  

Swara 

“Yes, I am here. Still running. Not breaking records, but still running.”

The past two months have seen Swara running slower and consistently longer than she has ever run before. Speedwork has been short and minimal and she even had moments of doubt wondering if she has any more speed left in her. 

With the responsibility of looking after two daughters, the runs have been a challenging game. There have been times that kept her wondering if all this pay off? Is it all worth it?

Then she reminds herself that she has got big goals this year; goals that excite and outright scare her. So it’s just about chipping away at it, one step in front of another. 

36 years old, mother to two daughters, content writer, Swara has been running for several years. Her personal best for 21K - 1:39 / 10K in 46 minutes in 2021, both of which were achieved post the delivery of her second daughter.

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.” — Oprah Winfrey

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