New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- Five years ago, Bir Bahadur Rai set off on a run, his first since school. As a single parent, he simply wanted to inspire his son, Prabin, to compete well.

It brought back memories of house competitions and winning races for Rai. Prabin was quick to find his feet and did well at the district and state level. But after he failed to return with a medal from the Nationals in 2025, Prabin, now 16, decided to pursue studies. His father never stopped running.

It led Rai, 39, to the Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB last month. The first time he travelled outside the country, the first time he donned trail running shoes. But once he started, he ran the race of his life-the first Indian to win a UTMB race, finishing the MY25 (2...