Kanchi Maya Koju set a new record in creemore vertical challenge 25k trail and this nepali athlete feels happy at having done her country proud

Kathmandu

On the dirt country roads and trails over long uphills and steep downhills in Creemore, Ontario (120 km north of Toronto, Canada), 34-year-old Nepali athlete Kanchhi Maya Koju set a new course record time of 2 hours-52 seconds on August 8. Barely stopping at the aid stations and running at an amazing pace, Koju beat the previous record of 2.09.36 by eight minutes to win the Creemore Vertical Challenge 25K Trail Race in the women’s category. With this record of hers, she also came fourth in the overall rankings (both men and women combined) in 25K Trail.

The Creemore Vertical Challenge is part of the Outrace (Ontario Ultra and Trail Race Series) series with a Bronze Label certification that also offers other 50k and 75k races. In an email interview with The Himalayan Times, the runner, who is still in Canada, takes us through a runner’s world.

On her recording breaking win, she writes, “I was very happy that I did well and that I was able to do my country proud. I consider myself very lucky and fortunate to have been able to come to Canada and participate in the various races here.”

Koju arrived in Canada in May for a sports programme. As she had some time in hand, she decided to participate in some races for “experience and learn more about this sport”.

She did so with the North Face Endurance Challenge in Ontario and she completed the 10-km race in 1:08:46 finishing third on July 19.

It was “my very first trail race”. “It was a wonderful feeling to win a podium spot on my very first trail race, that too in a foreign country. That filled me with a lot of confidence and self-satisfaction. I felt that I could do even better in these trail races with more intensive training and determination,” she expresses.

It was indeed a good start for her.

There are not many trail races in Nepal and it has not been officially recognised by the government. But she says it is slowly changing with this sport gaining popularity. But she has represented the country in many road races. Now, she wants to “do the country proud by doing well in these trail and ultra races”.

With some titles already in hand in Canada, she will be participating in more races before returning to Nepal. It includes a 50K trail run followed by a full road marathon. These races, the conditions and competition, she believes, will develop her as an athlete.

“My plan is to gradually increase my race distances, improve my endurance, speed and technique so that I’ll be ready to tackle the bigger ultra races which can be over 100 km. Now my goal is to set national records in the full marathon and other longer trail and ultra races,” she says of her future goals.

Koju has participated in many races since she started participating the sport from school in 1997. From participating in a school competition and to district games, and under her coach Mohan P Karmachari who “helped and trained me to be what I am today”, she went on to participate in many competitions in middle distance races representing Nepal. The Olympics in Athens (2004), 10th SAF Games (2006) and Malaysian Open Athletics Championship (2014) are some of the races that Koju participated in.

Of this journey, she says, “I have been in this sport for 19 years and all my success is due to the hard work, love for the sport and support and guidance from everyone.”

And Koju feels “very proud” to represent Nepal in other parts of the world, do well and achieve success. For her, doing well in a race is “an indication of a sports person’s hard work, determination, mental strength and the desire to succeed. Of course, participation and fair play are the most important aspects of any sport, but winning adds that extra dimension which gives you immense satisfaction in your efforts and the pride of achieving something for your country as well as for yourself”.