Dr. Achingliu Kamei: First Naga Woman to have participated in Half Marathon, St Albans, UK

*

Dr. Achingliu Kamei: First Naga Woman to have participated in Half Marathon, St Albans, UK on 11th June, 2017

Dr. Achingliu Kamei participated in the St Albans Half Marathon on 11th June 2017 near London in the United Kingdom. The St Albans Half Marathon was founded in 1982 by local businessman, Phil Gibson, who wanted to raise money for a hospital scanner following the death of his mother from breast cancer. The St. Albans half Marathon was awarded one of the best half marathons in England. This is their 36th event.

She chose to run this particular half marathon (21 km) because it touched her, as her mother too battled cancer and passed away only at the age of 56 in the year 2004.

Achingliu Kamei has been running in official-timed runs for over six years. She has been participating in half marathons in cities like Delhi, Ladakh, Goa and many other places. She is a Naga from Manipur, with two daughters. She discovered her love of running late in life.

Dr. Achingliu Kamei holds a PhD from Jawarharlal University, New Delhi. Presently she teaches in Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, D.U. She also takes keen interest in helping out the students from the North-East in her college and organises "Rainbow Fest," an annual cultural festival of the college to bring together the diverse student communities in the college. She also is a published writer. Her first book "Dawn," the first book in a series of Naga Tales was recently published.

Dr. Achingliu Kamei: First Naga Woman to have participated in Half Marathon, St Albans, UK on 11th June, 2017

She took up running when she was invited to run for a charity by a friend in the year 2012. She found her love for running. She completed her first Half Marathon in the year 2014, aged 47 together with her husband, at a run organised by Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, New Delhi. Since then she, alongwith her husband, has participated in numerous runs organised by different running groups and had participated in 12 official chipped timed running events across the country.

She has a passion for encouraging others to lead an active life. She also leads a running group in the city. She has encouraged her friends Ms Dharkat Rungshung and Dr. Solomi Vio to take up running. They too have participated for the first time in the St. Albans 5 km run chipped timed run for the first time.

She says, "Running has made me respect my body and its changing needs as I grow older. Slow or fast doesn't matter. All I know is how important it is to cross the finishing line strong". She looks forward to running her first full marathon soon in the near future