Major Shashi Mehta to represent India in IAU 24-Hour World Championship in Albi, France
Major Shashi Mehta to represent India in IAU 24-Hour World Championship in Albi, France
Dehradun, Sept 16
Major Shashi Mehta, a marathon runner posted with the 11 UK Battalion NCC in Dehradun, is set to represent India at the IAU 24-Hour World Championship in Albi, France, to be held on October 18–19, 2025.
Unlike most elite athletes, Major Mehta wasn’t a sportsperson in her childhood. She took up running at 38 for fitness — and over the past seven years, she has completed multiple marathons and ultramarathons, representing India internationally four times. The upcoming championship will be her fifth international appearance.
Her preparation has been intense. On September 14, she completed a 96 km training run in Dehradun, describing it as a “trailer for the main performance.”
With no proper running track in the city, she trains mostly on Rajpur Road, while night runs of 8–10 hours are done on the safer stretches of Garhi Cantt.
A mother of two, she trains daily for 1.5 hours, combining running sessions in the morning and evening with strength training. On managing family, career, and elite-level training, she says: “I try to fit in my activities wherever I have spare time. Every waking moment of my life is to prepare myself for this championship.”
“Running is not just about endurance. For me, it is about discipline, consistency, and mental strength. I may have started late, but every step I take is towards making India proud on the world stage,” says the 45-year-old athlete.
Major Shashi also expressed her heartfelt thanks to Enerjiva, the company sponsoring her participation in the World Championship. The company produces sports nutrition products, which Major Shashi uses during her several-hour-long training runs. She said, “If more people and companies supported ultra runners, India could shine in international competitions. We have a lot of talent, but need more support.”
