Yasmin Imthias is an entrepreneur and COO of a reputed Information services firm in Coonoor, The Nilgiris.
Yasmin says,
“I’m a free spirit with a taste for adventure. Between raising a pre-teen brat and a preschool charmer, running a business, initiating a local running club, to being on the grind for 17 hours on a typical weekday day and under the sun.”
She is indeed one busy woman who continuously inspires many others to take up an active lifestyle and founded The Nomadic Nilgirians Running Club in Coonoor.
How Did You Get Into Running?
An anti-sports bookworm back in school, I bought into the idea of running most recently when motherhood had challenged quite a bit of my body and mind.
I ran my life’s first longest run, a 10K in the 2016 Coimbatore Night Marathon, to test my body and gifted myself the Finisher Medal on my birthday. It took 1:35 hours of a battle between my body and mind and brought out the runner in me, and I came out stronger than ever before!
How Did You Progress From There?
That feeling of having accomplished something that was not just an athletic achievement left me craving for more! I dived straight in for a bigger and better challenge with a 21K at the Vodafone Coimbatore Marathon a year after.
I started running regularly in the mesmerizing yet challenging hills of Nilgiris. Whenever I ran, it gave me a taste of the magic in the misery, and here I am, committed to running for a lifetime!
It has been a little more than a year since then, and I can’t believe I’ve already completed a dozen half marathons, one full marathon, one ultramarathon, and many recreational runs through the Nomadic Nilgiris Runners club.
An amateur in the running community, still unaware of the sport’s nuances, I lace up at least four days a week to merely experience the pure joy of running with nature!
What Are Your Other Interests?
I love to trek, paraglide and travel on the weekends.
How Are You Managing All Your Responsibilities And Interests?
My commitment to stick to my training plans most of the time has allowed me to organize the rest of my chores relatively efficiently.
Running has taught me how to push my limits in a “disciplined fashion continually,” and managing a healthy lifestyle has been challenging but not impossible!
And Your Races For 2019?
This October, I will be running in Chicago to raise funds for the Asha Foundation, which supports education for underprivileged children. I’ll also be running the OOTYULTRA 60K for the first time.
My actual test with destiny will be at the Comrades in 2020, inspired by Coach Kay and his OOTYULTRA mission.
Tell Us More About Your Running Club?
PR aside, the best part of my running endeavor is the formation of the Nomadic Nilgirians Running Club, which serves as a local platform to attract and encourage the runners, cyclists, trekkers, and other fitness enthusiasts from the Nilgiris to train together and share the best practices with a free membership.
Just about a year old, the club has grown to accommodate 25 active runners (most of them to be spotted at the Ooty Ultra 2.0 edition 😉 who participate in at least three city marathons in a year. We cross-train twice a week and run long (scenic) distances on weekends.
The club also contributes to community causes with an emphasis on environmental enrichment.
Our ultimate goal is to reach out to the numerous regular walkers, cyclists, and enthusiasts, including the student community in the town, to join us and make their fitness regime more meaningful and also join our mission to give back to the community in small ways that can make a big difference!
The #NomadicNilgirians plan to host several sports events this year to celebrate the club’s anniversary and contribute to 151 glorious years since the formation of the Nilgiris as a separate district.
Join us in wishing Yasmin a great run at the OOTYULTRA and all her fitness and community goals that she has embarked on.
NOTE: Yasmin had contributed immensely to the formation of the OOTYULTRA in 2018 and her passion for running and supporting an ultramarathon event like this in OOTY had laid a very strong foundation for the event. She also had brought a team of staff/volunteers from Information Evolution, the company that she leads, who had provided stellar support in managing the aid-stations during the event.
OOTYULTRA appreciates her spirit and we are extremely thankful for being a pillar of support.
Coach Kay
