# Mira Rai

_Nepalese trail runner and sky runner_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/mira-rai
Last updated: 2026-10-07

> Mira Rai is a Nepalese trail runner and sky runner. She has participated in many international competitions and has won numerous awards. Though she has never won the title of a World Champion, much of her fame came as a result of winning the 2017 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year title.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 31 December 1988 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Bhojpur District ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224#P19))
- **Citizenship:** Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224#P27))
- **Occupation:** ultramarathon runner ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224#P106))
- **Facebook:** mirarainepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224#P2013))

## Early life and education

- After returning home, she dreamed of doing something more with her life to support her family and travelled to Kathmandu to pursue karate and running. ([BBC News](https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34704385))

## Career

- She also participated in some of the world’s most challenging trail races. ([Miraraifilm.com](http://www.miraraifilm.com/), [Trail Running Nepal](http://trailrunningnepal.org/nepali-runners/mira-anurag-rai/), [My Republica](http://www.myrepublica.com/feature-article/item/23584-mira-rai-clinches-int-l-ultra-marathon-in-france.html), [Nepali Times](http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/mira-rai-trail-running-nepa,2014), [Sisugirls.org](http://www.sisugirls.org/serioussisu/2014/11/4/serious-sisu-mira-rai), [Ekantipur.com](http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/12/07/sports/rai-wins-title-in-hong-kong/398669.html), [Outside Online](http://www.outsideonline.com/1994336/meet-nepals-breakout-trail-running-phenom), [Nepali Times](http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/mira-rai-trail-running,1776), [bbc.com](https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34704385), [TheGuardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/05/mira-rai-former-child-soldier-athlete-women-nepal), [Trail Running Nepal](https://trailrunningnepal.org/girls-running-fund/))
- After more intensive training for trail running, with her mentor Richard Bull of Trail Running Nepal, she began to travel overseas to participate in international ultra-trail running competitions, where she quickly became a well-known name, winning one race after another and breaking several records. ([Nepali Times](http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/mira-rai-trail-running-nepa,2014))
- In a patriarchal society, she has become an inspiration to many girls across the country. ([Trial Nepal](http://trailrunningnepal.org/mira-rais-2016-season/))
- In 2017, Mira re-joined the competitive ultra-trail running world, with her first competition in September 2017 at the 120 km Ben Nevis Ultra Trail Race in Scotland, UK, where she won the race and set a new course record in a time of 14 hours and 24 minutes. ([irunfar.com](http://www.irunfar.com/2017/09/this-week-in-running-september-18-2017.html))

## Key decisions and achievements

- These are her main results. ([Trail Running Nepal](http://trailrunningnepal.org/nepali-runners/mira-anurag-rai/))

_Cited sentences quoted from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mira_Rai&oldid=1364229779), CC BY-SA 4.0._

## Questions

**When was Mira Rai born?**  
Mira Rai was born on 31 December 1988 in Bhojpur District.

## Related

- [Bhojpur District, Nepal](https://diginpl.com/places/bhojpur-district-nepal)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Mira Rai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mira_Rai) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): मीरा राई](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%88) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q20685224](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20685224) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Mira Rai 02.JPG by Prabina Karki (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mira_Rai_02.JPG)
- [Wikipedia (English), revision used for cited facts: Mira Rai](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mira_Rai&oldid=1364229779) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [BBC News: From teenage guerrilla to top athlete (6 November 2015)](https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34704385)
- [Miraraifilm.com: Mira Rai | Mira Rai, a short story about a talented runner from Nepal](http://www.miraraifilm.com/)
- [Trail Running Nepal: Mira Rai](http://trailrunningnepal.org/nepali-runners/mira-anurag-rai/)
- [My Republica: Mira Rai clinches int'l ultra-marathon in France (2015-06-27)](http://www.myrepublica.com/feature-article/item/23584-mira-rai-clinches-int-l-ultra-marathon-in-france.html)
- [Nepali Times: Running all her life | Nepali Times Buzz](http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/mira-rai-trail-running-nepa,2014)
- [Sisugirls.org: Serious Sisu: Mira Rai — SisuGirls (2014-11-04)](http://www.sisugirls.org/serioussisu/2014/11/4/serious-sisu-mira-rai)
- [Ekantipur.com: Rai wins title in Hong Kong | Sports (2014-12-07)](http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/12/07/sports/rai-wins-title-in-hong-kong/398669.html)
- [Outside Online: Meet Nepal's Breakout Trail Running Phenom (25 June 2015)](http://www.outsideonline.com/1994336/meet-nepals-breakout-trail-running-phenom)
- [Nepali Times: The inspiration of a long-distance runner | Nepali Times Buzz](http://nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/mira-rai-trail-running,1776)
- [TheGuardian.com: The former child soldier turned star athlete blazing a trail for women in Nepal (5 October 2015)](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/05/mira-rai-former-child-soldier-athlete-women-nepal)
- [Trail Running Nepal: Mira & the girls running fund (2014-03-31)](https://trailrunningnepal.org/girls-running-fund/)
- [Trial Nepal: MIRA RAI'S 2016 SEASON](http://trailrunningnepal.org/mira-rais-2016-season/)
- [irunfar.com: iRunFar: This Week in Running: September 18, 2017.](http://www.irunfar.com/2017/09/this-week-in-running-september-18-2017.html)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Mira Rai, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Mira Rai 02.JPG — Prabina Karki, CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Mira Rai". DigiNepal. Last updated 7 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/mira-rai. Retrieved 21 October 2026.