Meet Dr. Sunita Godara, The Marathon Queen Of India

Dr. Sunita Godara is not an unknown name in the discipline of running. An Arjuna Award winner, the former international marathoner had won the Asian Marathon Championship back in 1992 and went on to win the National Marathon Champion for the first time, by winning the Delhi Marathon. Having won medals in the Penang and Kedah marathons, this marathon legend holds the record for the most number of marathons run by an Indian.

Based out of Delhi, she now runs her own NGO - Health Fitness Trust & Health Fitness Society, and is committed to making sports corruption-free in India. When in Punjab, you might spot her on Mud Road, which happens to be her favourite running route!

In an exclusive interview with Her Zindagi, Dr. Sunita spoke all about her journey, challenges faced by women marathoners, tips on keeping fit, and much more!

Having been a pioneer in this field, how has your journey been?

Running has been my passion throughout my life. I have always loved to be physically active right from my childhood. I was a star athlete in my school and I had a fantastic stamina. I was blessed enough to learn various activities like horse riding, dance, parachute jumping, etc. and in 1980, I realised my passion towards running. Subsequently, I participated in the Rath marathon which was my first in 1984. Since then there is no looking back. When I was offered to be associated with Born2Run marathon, I was delighted to take it up with all my heart because running is that close to my heart.

What do have to say about new age women runners and the challenges they face?

It's important that women understand their worth and work towards improving their own skill sets, be it in any aspect of life. I strongly believe that women need to redirect their thinking and create the right thought process to bring about a positive change in the ecosystem. Women need to play an active role in thinking empowerment in order to manifest it. The key is to break through the old paradigms of gender norms which can subconsciously shape thinking, build confidence and result in consistent success.

Be open to things and accept change in life. Consider yourself a free bird ready to explore any challenges put forth and you will definitely come out successful. Running surely builds up a positive attitude and creates an inspiration within. I would urge women to come and join the Born2Run marathon and continue to inspire other women.

According to you, what sort of steps can be taken to increase the participation of women in marathons?

Unfortunately, marathon has never been taken as a priority by the government and federation and there has not been any sponsorship program. We lack sporting culture, scientific guidance and grass-root level training and nurturing. However, in the recent past, marathon running has been one of the most preferred activities by people, especially women. This can be augmented if there is encouragement to the runners to enhance their performance. For this, both recognition and sponsorship are needed and media can play a great role in this.

What are the some of the common marathon injuries?

Muscle sprain and spasms are the common injuries encountered in marathons. This can be easily avoided if you follow the instructions I gave above. The most important thing to remember is that one needs to train the body effectively to make it ready for long runs. Consistent exercise or any physical activity helps in this.

What are some of the precautions that should be taken by marathoners to avoid injuries?

A very important thing to keep in mind is that running makes you lose energy and body mass very easily and hence a balanced diet with a proper body weight training or cross-fit training is extremely crucial to keep your muscles strong. Whether you are training for marathons or not, it’s essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle with balanced diet and some amount of physical activity. I keep having lots of vegetables, fruits, fluids, milk and nuts. It’s important to also monitor your calorie intake, opt for good carbs, eat right amount of protein, stay hydrated and get ample rest. Stretching is another key thing to do. Red blood cells also tend to go down when you are undergoing rigorous exercise routine, so keep your diet a mix of all essential nutrients like iron, Vitamin D, calcium and Vitamin E.

Can you give us a few details about the marathon that is to take place on the 27th of January?

Born2Run Half Marathon looks at promoting a healthy, fit and a balanced life among people owing to the cluttered, busy schedules and a sedentary lifestyle they lead. While there are several ways to achieve this, running is the most energetic way similar to dancing or aerobics.

Born2Run Half Marathon also is associated with NGOs that cater to causes like welfare of villagers especially farmers, youth and women; promoting health and fitness; and inspiring and educating people to keep our communities clean and beautiful.

I would want to urge everyone to at least give it a start and I am sure you would want to continue it. This is solely the message I want to drive through Born2Run.

So are you gearing up for a run, already? We sure are!

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