North Face Adventure Team sign first full-time woman in years, who escaped arranged marriage by dedicating herself to ultra running

Sunmaya Budha, a Nepalese runner who avoided an arranged marriage to forge a running career, has earned a place in Asia’s North Face Adventure Team
Her courage and determination inspires Ryan Blair to bring her on board as the first full-time women on their team

Extreme fitness

Mark Agnew

Published: 8:30am, 1 Jul 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

The incredible journey of Sunmaya Budha has taken another step – she has landed a full-time sponsorship with Asia’s famous The North Face Adventure Team.

Born into a poor region of subsistence farmers in Nepal and destined for and arranged marriage, Budha deceived her parents and attended a running academy. Her obvious talent has propelled her through the ranks to finally landing a full-time sponsor.

Budha has made a name for herself, winning the likes of the 130km multi-day Manaslu Trail Race (her first international race) and the 50km race at Oman by UTMB.

The team’s manager, Ryan Blair, has a knack of finding diamonds in the rough around Asia and helping to change their lives with sponsorship.

“Faced with really difficult circumstances, in such a tough environment, faced with being a subsistence farmer and an arranged marriage, she had the courage to stand up for herself,” Blair said. “She has that grit and determination.”

Sunmaya Budha training near Karnali Sports Club in Jumla, where she relocated to focus on running. Photo: The North Face Adventure Team

Budha lied to her parents about attending school and instead went to the Karnali Sports Club. She could not even afford shoes, had no income but was fuelled by a determination to forge a career as a professional runner. Her success has won over her family.

“This is what is most important to me, helping athletes succeed not just in running but in life,” Blair said. “You’re one injury away from it being all over. So, while you have it, you use it to develop skills and open doors.”

Running from arranged marriage to the trails and ‘something greater’

Blair points to other similar stories within his team, like John “Stingray” Onifa. The Filipino was living in a poor fishing village, and as part of Blair’s team has acquired outdoor certificates, learned English and managed to send money home to improve his family’s life.

Budha, who is the team’s first full-time woman signed by The North Face Adventure Team in years, said: “I feel so happy and excited to join the team and have support from The North Face and other sponsors. I hope to continue with my dreams in trail running and make my family proud.”

As The North Face Adventure Team began to focus more specifically on trail running they have been searching for a woman who is the right fit – someone who “has world-class potential in trail running, and can change their life with sponsorship”, said Blair.

Sunmaya Budha on her way to winning the 50km division at Oman by UTMB. Photo: Oman Sail/Oman by UTMB

Blair has never met Budha and he said he did not want to sign someone who was a stranger to him. He has been talking to her for well over a year, but delaying signing until either she can get to Hong Kong, or he can visit Nepal, both of which were impossible during Covid-19.

Then, among other things, an article in the SCMP about how many obstacles Budha has overcome reminded Blair of the urgency to help.

“Things are getting so bad in India and Nepal, I just wanted to support her,” said Blair. “I had to get on Zoom calls with a translator. It’s the worst time in a decade to look for sponsorship, but I said I don’t care, we’ll make this happen even if it has to come out of my own pocket.”

Blair is keen to credit the many people who have already helped Budha on her journey: Hari Rokaya at the Karnali Sports Club; Nepal-based race organiser Richard Bull; Keilem Ng and Mira Rai who run the Exchange and Empower programme in Nepal to help women find careers through running; Pavel Toropov for drawing attention to her strife in SCMP; and Preeti Khattri, who helped Blair and Budha communicate.

“Running has already changed her life so much, but this sponsorship is the next step to take it to the next level,” Blair said. “You might not realise how much time and commitment ultra running takes, and the support they need to make a proper go of it.”

There have been logistical challenges. Budha’s region is so remote, Blair has had to send kit and shoes by plane, then for someone to load onto a bus to reach her home.

“Some deeper questions and insights, I’m looking forward to finding out when I meet her,” Blair added. “But the bottom line is, I asked her what she really wanted. It is clear, this is what she’s passionate about, and what she wants to do with her life.”