Ultra-runner Sufiya aims to ace across the world run by 2024

India's ace long distance ultra-runner Sufiya made history when she became the first woman to cover the Golden Quadilateral - a highway network connecting New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai - in record time.

The ultra-runner covered a distance of 6,002 km in 110 days, 23 hours and 24 minutes, thus earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

This is not the first time Sufiya has entered the Guinness Book of World Records. She made a record of her own when she ran from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 87 days, 2 hours and 17 minutes and also conquered the Manali-Leh highway, touted to be one of the most difficult highways to conquer, in 16 days.

The early success had a lot of effect on Sufiya, who took up running to escape the rigors of a job in the aviation industry. In an exclusive conversation with Sportskeeda, Sufiya threw light on how she took up running and her future plans.

"I was frustrated because of my night shifts at the airport and various other health concerns. I wanted to come out of my daily routine and do something for my health. I took up running in 2017 and the purpose was to be fit," Suifya said.

Sufiya said there was a lot of learning from running that she realized was instrumental in making her a better athlete and a person.

"I took up ultra-marathon as I wanted to experiment. As I started running, I realized that there is no limit for our human body. The limits are always mental in nature and not physical. By pushing our body, we can achieve greater things. I also realized that running is a way to push our limits and get positive vibes across," she explained.

Sufiya plans to go big on the international stage

Sufiya's first big expedition was in 2019 when she wanted to run from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari, covering the entire country.

Overcoming teething issues, the Rajasthan-based runner successfully completed the run and strode into the world record books. The learnings were immense and the ultra-runner was motivated to achieve greater laurels.

"I overcame teething issues and I learned life-time lessons. They are helpful for me to tackle upcoming projects. I used to push myself, I got renewed confidence to take on new challenges. I completed the Manali-Leh route, aced the Golden Quadilateral and these runs gave me enough confidence to believe that I can challenge my body more and push my limits," she said.

Sufiya is supported by Under Armour, a sportswear giant, and the ace athlete credits the Under Armour team, her family for her success.

"I get a lot of support from Under Armour. They have provided me with my running gear and have helped me in every phase of my career. My family and training partner have also been extremely supportive of my endevaours. A team is always behind an athlete's success and I am proud to have this team behind me," she said.

The athlete plans to go global with her quest to achieve more glory.

"My burning desire is to represent India at the international level and I am planning for a run around the world. I have done my homework and I would be hoping to run in 2024," she added.

Sufiya said there is no age limit to start running and said the future of ultra-running is looking great in the country.

"The future is great for running. I get a lot of boost from the ultra-running community. Many have taken up running, especially after the start of the pandemic, in an effort to stay fit. A lot of participation is seen from various quarters and there is no age to commence something as lovely as this. I started post 30 years of age and I still have a long way to go," the ultra-runner concluded.