Running the world

Breaking the mold

Long-distance trail running, once considered a male-dominated field, is now increasingly popular with women.

Sonia Ahuja, an Indian-American, also participated in this year's 168km trail run at Mt Gaoligong.

Her philosophy is that, if you fully immerse yourself in the moment and enjoy the journey, victory will come naturally. As such, the 50-year-old focuses on savoring the experience, taking in the scenery and delving into local culture.

"I want to compete and excel in the race, as I have high expectations for myself. Yet, I also believe that, ultimately, it's the experience and the journey that truly make it special," she said.

In 2023, Ahuja became the first woman of Indian origin to achieve a podium finish in the United States' Badwater Ultramarathon, a grueling 135-mile (217km) race often regarded as the world's toughest foot race. The course stretches from Death Valley to Mt Whitney in California, where temperatures can soar up to 54 C. She achieved this remarkable feat in just nine years, despite having had no prior marathon experience before 2014.

Ahuja grew up in Gurugram, a city near New Delhi, India. Throughout her childhood and school years, she never joined any track and field teams, or participated in competitive sports.

In the 1990s, she relocated to the US and eventually made her way into the highly competitive financial industry, where she achieved an executive position.

She took up running in 2014, at the age of 38, initially as a way to relieve stress. Later that year, she completed her first marathon — the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon — with a sub-four-hour finish.

After running several marathons, Ahuja realized she was different from some of the other runners — crossing the finish line didn't leave her exhausted; instead, she felt an urge to keep going.

This realization led her to ultramarathons, which are technically any race longer than 26.2 miles (42.2km), but typically range between 80km and 241km.

Four years after finishing her first marathon, in 2018,Ahuja ran her first 80km ultramarathon, followed by a 161km race in 2020.

Upon discovering that no Indian woman had ever completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, she set a new goal for herself and achieved it in July 2023.

For her, the accomplishment was far more than just winning a trophy. In traditional Indian culture, women are generally expected to shoulder family responsibilities, achieve academic success and keep a low profile in their professional lives. Extreme sports, particularly ultramarathons filled with mud, sweat and intense pain, is a world largely untouched by Indian women.

"I want to send a message to these women: if I can do it, so can you. In ultramarathons, men and women start together and cross the same finish line, embodying true equality and breaking down gender barriers. These races offer lessons for real life: with determination, you can do anything. Ultimately, whatever men can do, women can too," Ahuja said.