Tata Mumbai Marathon Winner Nirmaben Thakor Chasing Prize Money Road Races to Repay Loans | MyKhel Exclusive

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Gujarat's 27 years old unemployed distance runner, Nirmaben Thakor, overcame financial constraints to successfully win back-to-back Tata Mumbai Marathon last weekend on the streets of India's financial hub in Maharashtra.

Eldest of the four siblings of a small-time farmer from village Hajipur in district Patan won first prize of Rs 5 lakh in the Indian elite women category on January 19 in Mumbai.

The money earned will enable the post graduate student to repay her loan she took to prepare for the 2025 edition of the World Athletics Gold Label marathon event in Mumbai.

"I don't have a job. My parents don't have enough money to support me," Nirmaben explained. "The only way is to run prize money road races and move on."

Based out of Nasik in Maharashtra, Nirmaben says she roughly spends Rs 20,000 on her training, including diet and accommodation. "Marathon training is not only challenging but expensive too," she added.

Nirmaben was a default distance runner, her journey so far depicts. None of her family members were in sports. She was attracted to a lucrative distance running circuit in India to earn some money. These days she is the leading Indian female marathon runner.

In 2018 some of the girls from her village competed in the prize money half marathon in Ahmedabad. Nirmaben also decided to test her endurance. In her second attempt at the 21km event in Ahmedabad won second place and prize purse around Rs 50,000, she said. "That is how I started running long distance races," she tells Mykhel the reason for running distance races.

Eight summers back experts for Gujarat spotted Nirmaben for state middle and long distance project in Nadiad. It was ironic, she was told to quit the project as she couldn't excel beyond district level.
She wasn't disheartened. Back home she was attracted to the prize money road running circuit in her region and practiced on her own.

Hungry to achieve more, the young village girl moved to Nasik in 2021 to train under the able guidance of athletics coach Vijendra Singh.

Armed with self-belief and a conducive distance running environment in Nasik, gave Nirmaben the opportunity to explore more about marathon running. But it wasn't all that easy! Staying far away from home she had to cook meals after practice sessions. She had no financial resources to fuel her passion over a long period.

But she elegantly overcame all the challenges to make good progress in distance running, which speaks volume of her determination to excel. She learned how to cook. She borrowed money to support herself in Nasik. "Marathon training is very expensive," she explained.

In her international debut at the 2021 World University Games, she wasn't successful. "I ran 21km but it was just participation," she said.

In 2023 she borrowed Rs 5 lakh to prepare for 2024 Mumbai marathon. She was successful in winning first prize and repaid her loan. Nirmaben got injured during a freak road accident in her village and it took time to get back to normal practice. "I was on the injured list in the second half of 2023. Couldn't run races to earn money. Therefore, I had to borrow money to stay in Nasik," she said.

Last Sunday her winning time of 2:50:06 was slower than her personal best of 2:47:00. "Mumbai's humid weather during this time of the year robbed me of a good time," she added.

Her personal best for 21km is 1:17:13 clocked last year in Delhi. The prize money won last weekend will enable her to prepare for the next race, she said.

On an average she runs 15km daily. Sometimes the distance is more on weekends, she added.
Nirmaben said marathon runners get stepmother treatment in India. "Track and field athletes get government jobs but there is no vacancy for marathon runners," she said.

Off the field issues don't weigh on her mind. She has chalked out her future goals and wants to compete in races that count. "My next goal is to compete at the continental level," she added. "I'm happy to sign a three month contract with a leading sports good company. At least I don't have to worry now to buy shoes and a sports kit."