There’s slight nip in the air as we walk into a park at Sainikpuri. “I have never been here,” exclaims Jacqueline Babitha Xavier smiling at the salwar-clad women walking at a confident pace. Babitha removes her jacket, takes position and as the photographer gives a go; she soars with the wind behind her back and surges ahead to the front. At 44, Babitha is the marathon woman from Hyderabad, who fought depression the marathon way! The fitness instructor is also unique as she never practices running but participates in half-marathons and wins medals.
“I am a pucca Hyderabadi,” smiles Babitha as she sits cross-legged on the stairs. With a convent school background, she shifts into Hindi, English and Telugu. “I was never an academic person but would prepare at the last-minute and get merit,” she recalls. With a desire to be ‘Number 1’, she began her career in the finance industry. “Being a number churner and rubbing shoulders with all the men, my senior bosses would tell employees, ‘If this woman can do it, why can’t you guys? ,’ This was a push for me and whichever field I chose, I was number 1,” she says with pride. However, Babitha was consumed with a feeling of emptiness and decided to take a break from her corporate job. “I wanted to be at a position where when I look back, I should feel satisfied at being able to do something to have transformed somebody’s life,” she states.
After a stint as an aerobics and zumba instructor, she began her gym ‘Sweat and Burn’ in 2014. That was also the year which filled her with depression. “In my depressed state, I would water my Bonsai plants, care for them but end up killing them. Nothing would hold my interest and I felt like a zombie,” she says.
She registered for a run just for the sake of participating and there, quite unexpectedly, she found her calling. “I didn’t know anything about the run and went wearing full pants. I thought I would do a 5km run and then eat a heavy breakfast. I started running and saw a woman from the Hyderabad Adventure Club. I followed her and thought wherever she stops, I will also stop. I lost track and reached the destination,” she recalls with a laugh. Even though it was Babitha’s first run, it was a podium finish and her life took a 360 degree turn. “People raved about my first run and tagged photos on Facebook. For a depressed person, it was too much to handle. Someone had said to me, ‘You are good for nothing and you are a black cat’ and here I was the centre of focus and the whole world is appreciating. It was this euphoric feeling which took me towards running and I knew this is my calling and I have to run no matter what,” points out Babitha.
To date, she has taken part in six half-marathons and sustained an injury in one. “I have got podium finish and for me, every time I run I am like ‘whoever told me that I am a zero, whoever told I am stigma, I am stopping that’. I kill that thought. I am not that. It is you who are a loser; your losing nature is what rubbed on to me and gave me that kind of feeling. I am not a loser. That has no role in my life anymore,” she affirms.
Babitha exhorts women to discover running. “I was 43 when I started to run. It is all in one’s mind. Your body is nothing but a vessel for you to take it forward. Your mind controls the whole body. When you tell yourself, ‘What the hell, I can run now.’ Your body will respond accordingly,” she says.
Babitha gives motivational lectures at schools and colleges of St. Martin’s. “I really wish God gives an extra hour every day so that there is some time to practice,” she says. Managing her gym and her two teenaged daughters, Babitha hardly finds any time to run and all her races are direct runs without any practice. Finally, Babitha affirms, “I am not a quitter and my Lord is there,” as her mantra in life.
I am a sportswoman
Babitha is a nominee for Women’s Achievers Hyderabad 2015 in sports category.
‘I live my passion while juggling kitchen blues, running errands for my teenage girls, family commitments, and social obligations. I am no superwoman. I’m a sportswoman!’ she says in her post.
Miles and more |
She finished the Alankrita breakfast run in 2hr 38min |
Stood second at the Hyderabad Club run and finished 21 km in 2hr,14mins |
Third place in Chennai Trail Run – 21 km |
Was first runner up in Spice Coast Marathon, Kochi despite an injury and ligament tear in ankle - 21 km |
Secured three gold medals when she ran in the same condition at the State meet of Masters Athletic Meet at Karimnagar. |
National Masters Athletic meet at Dharamshala and secured 2 gold medals in 5K and 1500mts and a Silver in 10 km. |
Represented India at the Singapore Masters Athletic Meet and secured Silver in 10 km, and Gold in 800mts and 1500mts and Silver in 4/100 mts relay. |
First place in Pune Veteran Run |
First place in Puma Urba Stampade and got selected for the National Meet in 2016. |
Took part in Kochi Marathon and secured third place. |
Three gold medals at the Telangana State Masters Athletic Meet at Managudu, Khammam in November 2015. |
Was a Pacer at the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon. |
