Watch Adventurer of the Year nominee Mira Rai (@mira.rai) run on some of the world's most challenging trails. Each year we comb the globe to find individuals with extraordinary achievements in exploration, adventure sports, conservation, or humanitarianism. These nominees have pushed the limits of human achievement, explored the world’s hardest-to-reach places, and worked to protect the planet for future generations. Get to know the Adventurers of the Year by clicking on the link in our bio. #AdvofYear

A video posted by National Geographic Adventure (@natgeoadventure) on Nov 21, 2016 at 9:59am PST

KATHMANDU: Nepal's trail runner Mira Rai won the 2017 Adventurer of the Year award from the National Geographic channel.

The global media house announced the award on Thursday, introducing her as, "Mira Rai once hauled rice sacks through the Himalaya. Now she wins international trail races and inspires young Nepali women."

The 29-year-old former Maoist soldier had garnered the highest votes among the 10 nominees.

"As a girl, I would constantly be told to know my place, suppress my voice, and act in a certain manner,” Rai said in an interview with the National Geographic, “For me, breaking free from these traditions itself was a big dream.”

Rai had begun her sports career just two years ago, when she won the Kathmandu West Valley Rim 50K.

"Today the running world recognises her as a high-elevation trail racing phenom. And she is on a mission to help both women and men of Nepal through sports," the report announcing the award read, "As part of that mission, while recovering from knee surgery last October, she organised a race in her home village."

READ ALSO:

• Nepal’s Mira Rai finishes second in 110-km Ultra Pirineu race in Spain
• Mira Rai in race for Adventurers of the Year award