Mira Rai is a name often associated with high altitude running in national and international sky races. Within a short span of time—barely a year and a half—she’s won over half a dozen races and is recognised as a record breaker and a highly energetic runner. In an interview with the Post’s Gaurav Pote, she talks about her life before becoming a world-class runner, her training and her plans for the future. Excerpts:

What keeps you busy these days?

I’m currently on a break from races and trainings. I’ve been continuously participating in running competitions in and outside Nepal for over a year now. So, I’ve decided to take some rest for two months now. Sky racing is a tough sport; it takes a toll on you, both physically and mentally.

Tell us a little about yourself growing up...

I was born in Eastern Nepal, in a small, remote village called Sanodumma. I grew up doing chores in a typical village household. With my parents and four siblings, there are seven members in my family. I have had to share family responsibilities and help out with various tasks as a kid. I vividly remember hiking for hours to gather cattle fodder and firewood, collecting drinking water, and walking four-five hours just to get to the school-every day. I had to sell rice and chillies to buy pencils and copies. Not that I detested my childhood, but I sure wanted to find a way out of its hardship once I grew up.

How did you get into sky racing?

In 2008, I practiced Karate. During training, my martial arts coach Dhurba Bikram Malla spotted my ability to run long distances. I had then been planning to fly to Malaysia for work. I even had my paperwork ready but my coach convinced me to postpone my flight and participate in my first sky race. I had to stay in Kathmandu, away from home, for three long months without much cash to spare. My coach helped me out with all my expenses and accommodation while I trained for a month before running 50 km in the Himalayan Outdoor Fest, which I won. That was how I started.

Why did you choose to take up this kind of running?

I guess my background shaped me, in a way, to be more apt for running rough trails rather than plain ones. As a kid, I had to regularly travel bare foot, often on an empty stomach, for prolonged durations over hills and through jungles. Those rough times toughened me enough for sky racing. What was circumstantial and an obligation has now turned into a passion and a forte.

Sky racing is special to me for several reasons. Other than being successful at it, running trails takes me back to my childhood. Running also helps boost my confidence. Whenever I run, I am in my own world where very few distractions and anguishes exist. I feel complete and purposeful as a runner.

Do you have any interesting memories from your running experiences?

This incident happened on my trip to Norway. While running, I came across a frozen ground on my very first climb uphill. I slipped and received some injuries below my knees. I remember one of the runners helped me stand up. I obviously continued the race and eventually finished second. I later realised that my legs were terribly swollen.

What is your training regimen like?

My training involves five or six hours of running trails. There are lots of trails through the hills surrounding Kathmandu where I spend most of my time running and tracking my performance. It’s a daily routine, which is backed with healthy and energetic food like grams, lentils, lots of rice, vegetable and meat.

From a rebel militant to a world famous trail runner—how do you take you transformation as?

There were difficult times. I was frustrated with the struggles of life and in order to assist my parents financially, I decided to join the rebel forces. Like I said, I always wanted to get out of the life I had, even as a child. During my time there, I got to acquaint myself with more hardship and struggles. But I also learnt how to keep pushing myself towards a single objective without getting side-tracked, and most importantly how to maintain my discipline.

What’s next for Mira Rai?

More hard work and training. I have learnt the value of extra effort and how far it takes people. I’m also eager to win more races in the future.

I would also want to explore more areas of sky racing and keep developing my stamina and performance. It feels good to be able to represent Nepal and Nepalis internationally. Winning is an addiction for me, more of a salvation.

Could you share some valuable life lessons from your experiences?

I don’t have much to share when it comes to life lessons. However, I would like to advice everyone to keep doing what they’re passionate about in their lives. Put more effort into it because hard work never seems to be enough. Each success brings more challenges and opportunities to explore and that is how people learn and grow. Learning and growing is a continuous process, just keep going.