“Pedong Express” Roshni Rai has been chosen as one of the ambassadors of the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon – an annual event organised by the Nepal-based Himalaya Expeditions – on the foothills of Mount Everest.
Roshni Rai, 35, who hails from Pedong, is presently based in Bombay and is a corporate lawyer by profession.
Roshni wrote a mail to The Telegraph saying she felt honoured and excited and is looking forward to be a part of the event.
“Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon is probably the most adventurous run in the world. A briefing session on marathon and trekking will be held in Kathmandu on May 17. More than 130 international runners have registered for the marathon” said Roshni.
Roshni will leave for Kathmandu on May 15.
“I first ran a half-marathon at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in 2007. I was badly injured in the knee because of lack of proper training. The following year, I started marathon training under the guidance of my coach Daniel Vaz. Since then I have run for more than 40 races,” said Roshni.
“The marathons include 10km races, half-marathons, marathons and ultra marathons (ranging from 50km to 100km). I have also run in four international races-two in the UK, one in Czech Republic and one in South Africa,” Roshni added.
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| Roshni Rai to Ignite Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon |
Roshni runs an NGO “Run with Roshni Foundation” in Mumbai that promotes athletes from the Darjeeling hills.
“My foundation supports underprivileged Gorkha runners from the Darjeeling hills to run marathons. We have been doing this since 2012,” she said.
On May Day this year, Roshni’s foundation had organised the Kalimpong half-marathon.
On the Everest Marathon, Roshni said: “It is an annual marathon organised to pay tribute to Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary who were the first to reach the top of the world’s highest mountain Mount Everest on May 29, 1953”.
“The Himalayan marathon is organised every year on May 29 from the everest base camp to Namche Bazar. Before the marathon, the runners undertake a 10-day trek from Lukla to the base camp, which are 62km apart, to get themselves acclimatised to the high altitude,” she said.
Via: Telegraph
