The three women follow strict routines to maintain their physiques and strengthen their minds. Three days a week, Reeni trains for powerlifting at a gym. She says, “On the other days, except one, which need not necessarily be a Sunday, I train myself at home.”
Rachel gets up at 5.30am every day and walks at least four kilometres, except on Sundays. “After I return home, I do all the floor exercises. I also go to a gym. Yes, I have cycled and run marathons, but I love to walk”.
Phiona alternates between cycling and running.
“If I run one day, the next day I cycle, because I need to do cross-training. Since I get easily distracted at home, I go for muscle training at a gym in the evenings. I am very careful with my diet, except for ice creams,” she says.
Rachel opines that women have more opportunities in sports today than they had years ago. “Today parents have started to recognise that girls can build a career in sports. There are also career options in sports medicine and sports media, which many young women aim for now.”
Reeni Tharakan says, “I had a conservative upbringing, else I am sure that I would have been in sports and games at a younger age. Our country is more open to women in sports today. However, our nation has a long way to go compared to other countries in athletics, sports and games.”
Phiona says, “Sports is predominantly a male-dominated world even today. Often women are labelled as fragile or weak. When you step beyond the boundaries, people raise their eyebrows. I am happy that I have friends and fellow cyclists who always encourage me. Stepping outside your comfort zone is the first step to finding joy.”
Rachel Thomas whose autobiography Limitless hit the stands last year says that the only mission in her life now is to motivate more girls and women into achieving their dreams.
“They might be going through a tough time, but I want to encourage them to become stronger and be fighters. A woman’s strength is within herself. The day she makes up her mind that she can, then nothing is impossible!” says Rachel.
Reeni shares the same opinion when she says that what matters is the trust a woman has in herself, and then doing what she has set her mind to, no matter what society says. Phiona, the youngest among the three sportswomen, says,
“When women ask me if they should run a marathon, I reply yes. Women have an innate capacity to overcome problems. We are resilient. We need to get to the finishing line, and then start planning for the next marathon.”
Dear reader, these women prove that even the sky is never the limit. Why wait? Reach beyond. Start today.
(The author is a poet and an assistant professor of English)