Housewife, mother, Ultra Marathoner: Meet Deepa Katrodia

Deepa Katrodia is the winner of Bangalore Ultra Marathon.

Last year in November, she completed the 75 km run in 11 hours and 15 minutes and won.

For a housewife and a mother of a special child, this is no mean task.

On January 19, Deepa Katrodia will run the Mumbai Marathon.

This is her fascinating story:

They say marriage changes a girl's life. For good or for bad; that's for destiny to unravel. But change it does.

29-year-old Deepa Katrodia would not have imagined that she could run 75 km, let alone finishing that distance as a winner!

But on November 9, 2013, Deepa who wouldn't walk more than a kilometre, ran for 11 hours and 15 minutes to cover that distance.

The Bangalore Ultra Marathon is the oldest and prestigious marathon in India

So what made her run the Ultra Marathon?

"I knew it would be tough on the body, but I really wanted to experience what it feels like to run the distance."

Her joy knew no bounds when her husband and six year old daughter, who is a special child, were at the finishing line to hug her.

It was her daughter's tight hug at the finish line that made the race special.

It was for the first time in her three years of running that she had the opportunity to celebrate.

Deepa says that her daughter cannot understand what her mother had achieved but she is in no mood to complain and is happy because her daughter's display of affection was what she could all ask for!

It was in May 2013 when this homemaker from Borivali, a western suburb of Mumbai, decided to run the ultimate 75 km race.

From that day every weekend consisted of a gruelling long 30-40 km-long runs.

Deepa was raised in Indore that was also her home till she was married to Pradeep in 2005. She was 23 when she moved to Mumbai and took like fish to water.

Pradeep is an avid trekker and Deepa initially began trekking only to be able to spend time with him. Before long, she was hooked.

All of it took a backseat briefly when she delivered a baby girl, Mishri but soon Deepa was outdoors again to shed her pregnancy weight.

She was inspired by people running in the park.

"I started running initially only to lose weight. But then somewhere along the way it became my passion.”

The couple's Mumbai marathon journey started in 2012 when Pradeep brought home the registration forms.

He recommended Deepa to run the Dream Run while he ran the Half Marathon.

But Deepa was adamant. She insisted on running the same distance as her husband and the couple covered 21 km in 2 hours and 7 minutes.

In 2013 her husband wanted to run the full marathon and yet again Deepa followed suit.

The task looked daunting at first but then she says while whisking a masala chai in her kitchen as effortlessly as she runs.

"In 2012 we were amateurs but after running with the group at Borivali National Park, we realised that it wasn't entirely impossible. We finished the last Mumbai full marathon in 4 hours and 49 minutes."

Deepa and her husband soon became the talk of the conservative Gujarati circle. They raised eyebrows when at 3am during Navratri, the garba revellers would be returning home from an eventful evening while Deepa and husband would be heading out for their long runs.

Though she still enjoys plays dandiya, Deepa says she finds running more convenient.

She says, "Running fits into my schedule. By the time I am done with running around 10 am, my daughter is up and then I can focus on her."

When she decided to run the Bangalore Ultra Marathon, both her mother and mother-in-law were concerned. They wanted her to rest.

But by then, Deepa had long since been bitten by the running bug. "I am addicted to running now,” she says, "I am looking for something more challenging all the time."

After basking in the laurels of the Bangalore Ultra Marathon, Deepa is all set for the homecoming race.

Her aim for Mumbai marathon is to complete the 26 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes.

"I don't enjoy the lifestyle of a regular housewife. My weekends are more gruelling because I all the long runs happen then. After waking up at 3am and running 30-40 km, I return to manage the household chores,” she says.

"But I must thank my husband for always supporting me. I just have to ask whatever I want and he readily helps me."

The wife, mother and daughter-in-law take over from runner Deepa as she has to create another stir in the kitchen.

She gives a nonchalant shrug: "I am a mother of a special child; I am a homemaker AND a runner. I enjoy all my roles and play them with equal dedication."