Meet the mom who has conquered some of India’s toughest mountain trails

Who said 30 is too late to pursue your calling?

Located over 15,000 feet above sea level, Komic in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh is one of the highest motorable villages in the world. This high-altitude destination—where one feels closer to the clouds than to the ground—is the birthplace of Indian ultramarathon runner Tenzin Dolma. She knows her way around the region’s tough terrain, where she not only grew up, but also found her life’s purpose.

The 38-year-old athlete is one of India’s most illustrious mountain trail runners, embodying the endurance and determination it takes to complete, and win, challenging ultra marathons (while a marathon follows a fixed 42.2km distance, an ultramarathon is any race longer than that. It typically starts from 50km and can go up to 100km and sometimes beyond). Most recently, in November 2025, she represented India and won a silver medal in the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) 100km Asia and Oceania Championships, held in Bangkok.

Dolma’s athletic journey started around nine years ago, taking shape after marriage and motherhood, when she was 30. Since then, she’s been dedicatedly working to rewrite her destiny (this 70-year-old athlete is also defying age norms).

The starting line

“I’m a daughter of the Himalayas,” Dolma says proudly, when we meet her at the Journeying Across the Himalayas festival by Royal Enfield Social Mission. She is there to participate in a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities of developing sports at the grassroots in India. “I have been climbing mountains since I was a kid. So, in a sense, I started running and traversing these terrains early in my childhood,” she says. But it would be years before her competitive sporting journey began.

Born into a poor household, Dolma was married off at the young age of 15 and gave birth to a daughter when she was just 19. For 10 years, her life revolved around balancing household chores, raising her daughter, and running a roadside dhaba in Kothi village, located in the foothills of Rohtang Pass in Manali.

Once her daughter was a bit more independent, and she had more free time, she began to yearn for something for herself. Having realised through the years that running in the mountains was not just a part of her day-to-day life but also something she loved and excelled at, she decided to turn her attention to it in earnest. Fortunately, her family were supportive and she started pursuing her interest in fitness sports, and practising running and yoga.

Then in 2017, a friend suggested that she register for a half marathon in Manali. Unfamiliar with the competitive running world, Dolma entered the race on a whim. Navigating her beloved mountains in a competitive environment was challenging, but she ended up winning the race—despite having no formal training. That victory gave her a glimpse of the possibilities ahead and fuelled a fire in her to reach for every opportunity.

In 2022, she became the first female finisher in the 100km Solang SkyUltra Marathon. In 2024, at the 122km Silk Route Ultra marathon in Ladakh, she won the gold medal in the women’s category, finishing 2 hours 23 minutes before the target of 18 hours.

“When I started participating and competing in ultra runs and trail runs—and winning medals—my life changed,” she says. “I have represented Himachal as well as India in national and international runs, and it has brought me recognition that I didn’t ever anticipate.”

Leaping over the hurdles

As much as Dolma’s life has changed, some things have remained the same. To this day, the athlete does not follow a conventional training schedule, largely because she still cannot afford the best running gear or gym equipment.

“When I started running, I didn’t even have proper shoes. Sometimes, I would just practise wearing slippers,” she recounts. “Even now, I can’t always afford to go to the gym since it is expensive. The running gear, coaching—it all costs a lot. At times, I request the local gym owners in my area to let me work out for free. They sometimes agree, because of the laurels I have brought to the region.”

Her weightlifting training occurs either at home or out in nature. “There are heavy rocks by the rivers in the mountains. I can easily pick those up, and that also forms a part of my fitness training,” Dolma reveals.

The hurdles don’t end there. Dolma is also subjected to judgement from those around her. “I come from a very remote place where people don’t understand anything about women pursuing their dreams. They expect married women to only handle their homes. I have also been judged for wearing shorts while running,” she says.

But she has learnt to ignore the noise and keep her focus on her goals. “People who spread negativity motivate me to work harder and run faster. My family supports me, and I don’t really care about anyone else.”

Between waking up early in the morning to set up the dhaba, going for practice, serving customers with her family, looking after her daughter’s education and frequently travelling to participate in long-distance runs, Dolma has found a balance that keeps her heart happy.

A long race

Far from the spotlight of stadiums, Dolma has found her strength and built her legacy on the snowy paths and rocky terrain of the mountains she calls home. And while she quietly and steadily pours into her passion, she nurses a fiery ambition—eyeing harder trails and longer races.

Next, she hopes to represent India in the IAU 24 Hour Asia and Oceania Championships in Japan in May 2026, followed by the Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships in China in November 2026.

Despite the physical, financial and social constraints she continues to face, Dolma perseveres. As she puts it, “Jab junoon sawaar ho jaata hai, toh insaan kaise bhi kar leta hai” (when passion takes over, you find a way to make it happen).

*This interview has been translated from Hindi to English.