A childhood spent playing cricket with the boys in the village hiding from the family and making a futile attempt in tennis, she finally settled with marathon with her first outing in Cox’s Bazar in 2009.
Sifat Fahmida Eti shared her story after becoming the first Bangladeshi female runner to complete the 200K ultra held at the same district.
There was not enough preparation or practice, as told by the ace runner, but it was mental strength that took her past the finishing line.
“I didn’t even practice 50K but I was determined to do it,” said Sifat, explaining why as well.
She had been looking after her ill mother.
She was the only female participant in the 200K ultra category at the Coastal Ultra 2025 held in the scenic Marine Drive of Cox's Bazar.
It was Bangladesh's longest ultra-marathon event that took place from February 20 to 22.
Sifat took around 42 hours to complete the race.
She was also the lone female runner in her category of 100km run during the country’s first-ever 100 miles (161km) marathon titled Marine Drive Ultra 2020, also held in Cox’s Bazar.
A total of 96 runners took part in various categories - 50km, 100km, and 100 miles.
Ten runners including a single woman enrolled for the 100km category, among them seven joined the race and only four managed to finish, and Sifat was one of them.
She finished second in 16 hours and 44 minutes.
The first long-distance running competition Sifat participated in was a full marathon and it was an experience which ended in severe pain.
“I had to be taken to the room in arms after the run,” said Sifat.
The runners usually tried mini and half marathon before going for the full marathon but there were not enough opportunities back then.
Sifat was among the organizers of the first women’s marathon. Since then for several years, the running events were very few.
A fifth-place at the 2017 Dhaka Women’s Marathon inspired her. In the next two years, she took part in some marathon events in India.
The first run took place near Kolkata, followed by Uttar Pradesh, and Sifat described the marathon experience in the latter as the best.
Ultra running events in Bangladesh have been a recent inclusion.
When a renowned adventure community, Travelers of Bangladesh, organized the first 100-mile marathon, Sifat remarkably left her mark.
She showed courage once again to enroll for the 100K show as the only female runner out of 10, and proved her value by clinching second spot.
Last Sunday, it was no surprise as her name appeared on top again, despite lack of preparation.
The organizers called her “a legend”.
Recently, she has been spending much of her time in Thakurgaon to support her mother who has been facing old-age complicacies.
Sifat, now 46, concluded by saying her goal is to keep running.