Mira Rai has become a synonym for dream, courage and determination. The 24 year old is ruling the international trail running scene. It was definitely not a piece of cake for Mira to reach where she is now. From a small village of Bhojpur to becoming the queen of trails, this is the incredible story of Mira Rai.

Mira was born to a poor family in a remote village in the Eastern hills of Nepal, along with four siblings. Life was a struggle for survival for her family, and when Maoists came to her village to offer her a chance to fight for a better life, she agreed to join them. The conflict had just ended, but the Maoists were still recruiting child soldiers to pad up their numbers in the UN-supervised camps. “I believed I was going to be fighting for a better future.” Rai recalls.

But after she got the weapons training, Mira was disqualified by the UN for being a minor when recruited. She was so dejected that the party had abandoned her that she decided to head to Kathmandu, instead of returning to her village.

It was her friend – Anupama Magar, a national level Karate champion, who invited her and assisted her to come and start a new life in Kathmandu. She started doing what she loved the most – running. It was in March 2014, when she first competed in a marathon held in Kathmandu and was able to beat all the male athletes to grab the gold medal at 50 KM Himalayan Outdoor Festival.

Life took a different turn when she won Mustang Trail in April 2014; where she met Tite Togni, her mentor. She came in contact with Trail Running Nepal who assist aspiring athletes in taking part in international competitions. With their help, she later took part in the competitions held in Italy and Hong Kong; and was able to win big there. She has so far taken part in around two dozens of events in Nepal, Italy, Hong Kong, Australia and France; and has made Nepal proud wherever she has been.

Below are the records of her achievements so far in trail running events:

“I grew up in a remote village and walking on trails, collecting fodder for animals, or wood, or to walk to friends’ houses and school was normal. To collect water was 30 mins straight downhill and more coming back up.” She said in an interview with British magazine Trail Running Magazine, “When I was younger, there were no shops. My mother had to walk for two days to get salt and other basic things. She needed someone to go with her, so I went with her. I recently found there was a sport like this, running on trails like I did at home – wow! So trail running is like home for me, it’s natural.”

Rai who lives in a rented apartment in Balaju in the capital, supports her parents in Bhojpur and the education of her siblings. Inspired to break down gender inequality in Nepal, she has been training and competing hard, and is pushing to be at the top in the sport enjoying explosive international growth. It is a way to change her own life, and the lives of women in Nepal. “Women in Nepal are told from a young age their role is domestic, that the big things are for men. Changing mentality is difficult,” said Rai in an interview.

From the Nepalese hills where she used to carry heavy loads of rice to support her family, unaware that people actually run on the mountains for sport, to ruling not only Nepalese but the hills around the world; Mira’s story is nothing but amazingly inspirational, which needs to be told to the people. And for the very reason, a documentary film titled ‘Mira Rai’ is being made. The screening of the 20 minute long film shot in Kathmandu, Bhojpur and Hong Kong will be held at various places later this year and the proceeds will be used to help other aspiring Nepalese runners in fulfilling their dreams.

“A chance is like a leaf on a river, you have to grab it quick, or it’s gone forever.” – Mira Rai

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