An eye injury that she suffered in her childhood may have left her completely blind in one eye, but it could do little to weaken her determination. Kavya N., who always loved playing outdoors with her friends, is all set for an ultramarathon from Mysuru to Bengaluru, covering a distance of 150kms. The three-day event will begin on Wednesday.
Her parents were worried when they realised that the injury left her blind in one eye, but the 19-year-old has risen above all odds.
It has been a dream run for Kavya, who moved to Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, an NGO
based in HSR Layout in Bengaluru, after finishing class X. She now works as a cashier at Intel and supports her family financially. ''I plan to pursue my higher studies,'' says Kavya, with a glint in her kohl rimmed eyes.
Kavya trains hard for the ultramarathon. ''I work out in the morning and evening. Three days of running and two days of strength training have improved my stamina. I do a lot of body weight exercises too, '' says Kavya. The workouts have been designed based on her physical profile. ''They work on specific parts of the body. Runners don't need to bulk up...You may be lean, but (you) have to be strong,'' says Bhumika Patel, Kavya's coach who has been a pillar of strength for the girl. '' A few things were missing in her diet. We are trying to balance it out now by increasing her intake of protein, fruits and vegetables. We have also added more of yogurts, juices and milk to her diet,'' says Patel, a marathoner who works with IBM.
Besides Kavya, five other visually challenge athletes and their guide runners will take part in the ultra running. ''Initially, they would just run fast as they were not familiar with long distance running. Long distance running is about being able to maintain the speed and cover the distance. I am quite happy with their performance now,'' says Patel. The team recently set a record by becoming India's first visually impaired athletes team to complete the Bengaluru Marathon.
The ultramarathon, which celebrates the spirit of health and well-being, will be flagged off by Rajmata Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the honorable queen of Mysuru. It will end on January 25, 2019 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.