Self-doubts gone,veteran participant toasts half-marathon that set her on road to new life

“It changed my life,” said the manager with UTI Mutual Fund. She went on to become a champion athlete among veterans and won four gold medals at the Masters National athletics meet held in Thane last May. She was scheduled to represent India at the Asian Masters in Bangkok last month,but for the stress fractures she developed on her shin and foot. “I couldn’t train for at least three months,” she said.

It also means she will have to cheer from the sidelines during the Mumbai marathon this Sunday. “It’s indeed a setback. It had been just rest these days.” Khurshid has now started light training for this year’s Masters Nationals.

She won the gold in 100 m,200 m,400 m and 400×4 relay at Masters National last year. “All thanks to my trainers,Praful Uchil and Deepak Londhe. They coached me well for the sprint events.”

The shift from long distance running to sprint events happened soon after the marathon last year when her trainers found that she had the strides of a sprinter. “During our marathon preparation,we also did the 100 metres dash. I realised that she has the style of a sprinter,” said Uchil.

“Then we asked her to prepare for the city’s Corporate Olympics,” said Uchil,whose colleague Londhe designed a special training programme for her. Khurshid won the gold in 100 m,400 m and 1,500 m in that event,which prompted her to attend the selection trials for the state team. “There too I did well and made the grade to represent the state at the Thane meet,” recalls Khurshid.

Khurshid has gained more from the marathon besides becoming an athlete. “I was a normal office-goer,getting up at 7.30 am and then following a monotonous routine. But the marathon,and later the athletics training,changed my life. Now my day starts at 4.30 am,when I go for training at the Mahalaxmi Race Course. The morning workouts make me feel better.”