'I'm running a marathon in a 5m long saree - I'm sick of women thinking they can't do it'

A mum-of-two is determined to break a Guinness World Record this weekend, in a bid to encourage women from all cultural backgrounds to run in whatever they feel most comfortable in. Madhusmita Jena, known to pals as Madu, will be attempting to break the record for completing the Manchester Marathon in a saree in under three hours and 50 minutes, which would make her five minutes faster than the current record holder. For Madu, who is based in the Greater Manchester town of Stockport, running is about far more than just a fun way to exercise. Born in England, Madu grew up in Saudi Arabia and moved between various countries in the Middle East and Africa. By the time she started running in October 2008, she was living in Dubai, and a new mum to her firstborn son, then just four months old. Although she loved motherhood, she found that "being at home all day became quite depressing", and says there just weren't any local groups for mums, as you might find in the UK. Madu, now 46, told the Mirror : "I had this urge to just get out of the house, so I told my husband I was joining a running group and we would probably run 5 km, at least that's what I thought!" On that first day, the group ran 16km, as they were in training for the Dubai marathon. When they asked Madu to join them, she initially didn't take the idea seriously. Madu recalled: "I laughed and told them that they were crazy, that I'm a new mother, just trying to get a bit of 'me' time. Somehow that day, I completed the 16km and absolutely loved the feeling, although I was sore for days." The following weekend, Madu returned, expressing milk and passing it to her husband before joining the group. Each week, she increased her distance and soon made impressive strides. Just two months later, Madu ran her very first half-marathon, clocking up an impressive time of one hour 46 minutes. Then one month later, in January 2009, Madu ran her first marathon, in three hours and 49 minutes. Her feat was made all the more extraordinary when you consider that at that time she was still nursing her then seven-month-old son. Madu said: "At the time, I had absolutely no idea if it was a good time or not. I just felt very accomplished to finish a full marathon. I didn't have energy gels as they were not readily available at the time in Dubai. I didn't have a Garmin watch. I just ran, completely enjoying the feeling." A full 17 years on, and Madu, whose best marathon time currently sits at three hours and 27 minutes, is a highly accomplished runner, now facing marathon number 42. She's previously even run several gruelling ultramarathons, including 100 km in Egypt and 210 km across Rajasthan's Thar desert. Life has changed enormously for the mum since that first marathon in Dubai. Having moved back to the UK in 2017, she's now mum to two teenage sons, and has switched up her previous career in banking to pursue teaching. But she's never lost that determined spirit which first spurred her on all those years ago. Expressing exactly what this record attempt means to her, Madu told us, "I think it's an important platform for women of diverse ethnic backgrounds. I still hear from a lot of people who say that I'm lucky I can wear shorts or running tights, and they are not allowed to. I also hear people constantly tell me that they do not have time to run or exercise. I want to showcase to them that what you wear is your choice. "Prioritise time for yourself. For your physical and mental health. I am a busy mother, and I work out at 4 am every day to train for the marathon. Over the years, I have seen more women from ethnically diverse backgrounds run marathons, but it would be great to see even more." A long-time champion of women runners, Madu has previously run three full and two half marathons while wearing a saree, a traditional draped garment worn by women across South Asia, which dates back to the days of ancient India. She recorded her fastest time to date during the 2024 Berlin Marathon, finishing in four hours and 18 minutes. As she looks ahead to the coming weekend, the special educational needs (SEND) teacher will need to trim off an additional half hour to become the new record holder, meaning the pressure is well and truly on. With this in mind, she's taken steps to give herself the best possible headstart, making sure to adapt the way she drapes the six-yard garment so that it doesn't catch on her shoes, while opting for a more comfortable, lightweight material. Clothing aside, Madu will also have to navigate challenges faced by many women in their 40s, with the onset of peri-menopause proving to be an additional hurdle. Adjusting her training regime to suit hormonal changes and shifts in energy, Madu now opts for interval training over tempo runs, and remains intent on showing up and doing her absolute best in this next stage in her running journey. Not just for herself, but for the other women cheering on from the sidelines, who may not think running is for them. Madu reflected: "I rarely see people of my skin colour running in my early years of running. But there is a perceptible change over the years. Even in India, marathons were not a big thing 17 years ago. But it has gone through a sea change.. and there's a full marathon in practically every big city. Even in the UK, I see more people who look like me running. But there is still a large community of people who don't run because they feel they have to be dressed in a certain way. It is still very rare to run in a saree, but it has picked up more in cities in India." For Madu, running is a meditative as well as a physical practice and one that she believes helps her be a better mum day-to-day. She explained: "It's so important to make time for yourself. It is so important you continued to chase your goals. Many people from South Asian backgrounds seem to assume that it makes you a bad mother or a bad wife to go out and make time for yourself." Madhu has chosen to raise funds for Heaton School, Stockport's Secondary Special School for pupils with severe learning difficulties, where she also teaches. The caring teacher will be raising funds for an eye-gaze device to help children with additional needs control a computer screen with their eye movements, which she says would "be life-changing for pupils with Cerebral Palsy". Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com