{"id":632391,"date":"2026-09-22T11:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T11:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632391\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T11:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T11:38:09","slug":"57-year-old-kranti-salvi-with-3-guinness-records-24-marathons-hyrox-win-proves-that-fitness-has-no-expiration-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/632391\/","title":{"rendered":"57-year-old Kranti Salvi with 3 Guinness records, 24 marathons, Hyrox win proves that fitness has no expiration date"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fitness is increasingly becoming a reality rather than an aspiration for many young Indians. However, people in our parents’ or grandparents’ generation still feel that exploring fitness <\/a>activities at the gym or something as rigorous as running is only for the younger generation. <\/p>\n

Also Read | This 69-year-old marathon runner started running at 60 and now has 45 podium finishes: \u2018Fitness is a way of life for me\u2019 <\/a><\/p>\n

But that is far from the truth; fitness has no age, and Mumbai-based 57-year-old Kranti Salvi, a Walkabout athlete (a community-driven platform for adults aged 55+), is proving the same every day with a new record under her belt.<\/p>\n

57-year-old Kranti Salvi: a global marathon trailblazer<\/p>\n

A seasoned endurance athlete and fitness advocate, 57-year-old Kranti began her running journey in her forties and has never looked back. She has conquered 24 marathons <\/a>globally. She has also completed the gruelling 90 km Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 2019, cementing her place as a true global trailblazer. She also holds three Guinness World Records. In 2025, she added another milestone by winning the Hyrox Mumbai Championship in the Solo Women category, showcasing her versatility across endurance running and functional fitness.<\/p>\n

In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, Kranti Salvi gave an insight into her life as a senior endurance athlete<\/a>, what motivated her to kickstart her fitness journey, if she faces gender-based discrimination, and more.<\/p>\n

Excerpts from the interview:What motivated you to kickstart your fitness journey?<\/p>\n

My fitness journey didn\u2019t start with a big plan or a dramatic moment. It started very simply: in 2012, I accompanied my son to the athletic tracks for his training sessions. One day, I realised that I should try running instead of walking around the park. And something clicked: why not join the athletes on the tracks themselves?<\/p>\n

Parents weren\u2019t allowed on the tracks during those days, so I asked the coach if I could join in the training as an athlete. I was a track and field athlete during my school years.<\/p>\n

Around the same time, I heard about the first Mumbai Marathon registrations on the notice board of our apartment lobby. I thought, \u201cWhy not sign up and train for a marathon?\u201d<\/p>\n

For years, like many Indian women, I had put everyone else first: family, home, responsibilities. Running gave me something that was just for me. That \u2018me time\u2019 slowly turned into more runs, regular training sessions, more races, and eventually marathons. What began as a small step to accompany my son became a transformation in how I saw myself, not just as a mother or a wife, but as an athlete with goals, strength, and purpose. <\/p>\n

2. Do you still get comments about your age or face discrimination because of your gender?<\/p>\n

Yes, absolutely, I get both kinds of comments! And I think that\u2019s still very real for many women in sport. Even now, at 58, I get remarks like, \u2018Aren\u2019t you too old for this?\u2019 or \u2018You don\u2019t look your age.\u2019 Some say, \u2018Shouldn\u2019t you be resting and chilling instead of running marathons?\u2019 Sometimes it\u2019s said with concern, sometimes with disbelief, and occasionally with judgment.<\/p>\n

As a woman, especially in India, there\u2019s also an unspoken expectation that certain spaces\u2014tracks, gyms, and race starts\u2014are \u2018not for us\u2019 once we cross a certain age. But every time I line up at a marathon start, every time I finish a race, I see those comments for what they are: it\u2019s just what they think, and their opinions aren\u2019t going to change my approach towards running.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also received positive responses at the gym, where the trainers believe in my ability to push and motivate me to go further.<\/p>\n

However, for those who doubt me, my response has always been to let my actions speak. Over the years, I\u2019ve completed 24 full marathons (with a personal best of 3:47), earned my Six Star Finisher medal by running all seven World Marathon Majors, and even set three Guinness World Records. I\u2019m a Tata Mumbai Marathon Legend for finishing 12 editions, will be running my 13th in 2027, and I\u2019ve run 100+ half-marathons and ultra-events.<\/p>\n

But beyond medals and records, what drives me is the impact I can have, especially as a Pinkathon Ambassador and Mentor, and as the founder of Endurance Revolution, a women\u2019s running group I started in 2018 at Girgaon Chowpatty to create a safe, supportive space for women and mothers in my neighbourhood to run together. Every time someone tells me \u2018I\u2019m too old\u2019 or \u2018too much\u2019, I think of the women in my group who are watching and I keep showing up, no matter what.<\/p>\n

3. Indian women often put their own health and fitness on the back burner once they have kids or get married. What\u2019s your message to them?<\/p>\n

My message is simple: taking care of yourself is not selfish, it\u2019s essential. For years, I didn\u2019t think of taking time for myself, putting everybody before myself. I felt I was neglecting my duties. But what I realised is that when I invest in my own health, I become a better mother, a better wife, a better version of myself. <\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need hours at the gym or a perfect plan. Start small: a 20-minute walk, a few stretches, a short run while your child plays nearby. Build a routine that fits your life, not someone else\u2019s. And remember, when you prioritise your well-being, you\u2019re also teaching your children, especially your daughters, that their health and happiness matter. You are not \u2018just\u2019 a mother or a wife. You are a person with a body that deserves care, strength, and joy.<\/p>\n

There shouldn\u2019t be any excuses for not spending time on yourself. You can do any activity that you enjoy. It need not be only running. It could be dancing, Zumba, aerobics, swimming, cycling, or just walking. Do what you enjoy most. And be consistent. The rewards of consistency will come in.<\/p>\n

4. What does fitness look like now?<\/p>\n

These days, fitness for me is about balance and consistency. I\u2019m no longer chasing only marathon times or PBs (Personal Best). I\u2019m building a body that stays strong, mobile, and resilient. A typical week looks like:<\/p>\n

Running: 4 to 5 days a week, mixing easy runs, tempo work, and long runs.Strength training: 2 to 3 sessions focusing on legs, core, and upper body.Mobility and recovery: Daily stretching, yoga, and foam rolling to keep my joints happy.Rest: At least one full rest day, because recovery is where the training effect happens.<\/p>\n

I also listen to my body more now. Some days I push harder; some days I scale back. Fitness isn\u2019t about perfection; it\u2019s about showing up for yourself, day after day. It is the ability to do whatever you want to.<\/p>\n

To be able to push the body to lift and carry, throw, pull, push and move the load, jump and move with speed whenever it\u2019s demanded. I take a sustainable approach towards achieving all of these.<\/p>\n

5. A message for those who believe that workout or strength training is not meant for women?<\/p>\n

I hear this often: \u2018Lifting weights will make you bulky,\u2019 or \u2018Strength training is for men.\u2019 My answer is always the same: try it and see. Strength training has been one of the most empowering things I\u2019ve done. It\u2019s not about looking a certain way; it\u2019s about feeling capable, confident, and strong.<\/p>\n

For women and girls, strength training is a necessity and gives one freedom, in the sense that it teaches you that your body can do more than you imagined, carry you through a marathon, lift heavy bags, climb stairs without breathlessness, and stand tall with confidence. It\u2019s not about becoming \u2018masculine\u2019; it\u2019s about becoming unbreakable. So my message is: don\u2019t be afraid of the weights. Start light, learn the basics, and watch how your body and mind transform.<\/p>\n

Women begin to lose bone density in their early 30s, and strength training has been scientifically shown to improve bone density and help prevent osteoporosis. The benefits of lifting or strength training will not make you bulky, but they will certainly make you stronger and give you a more toned appearance. For runners, it helps prevent injuries and improve running performance.<\/p>\n

An endless list of achievements<\/p>\n

But Kranti’s achievements extend beyond running or marathons. She holds three Guinness World Records for the fastest marathon run in traditional attire:<\/p>\n

She wore a sari at the Berlin Marathon (2018)A traditional Welsh dress at the London Marathon (2022)A Japanese kimono at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon (2024)<\/p>\n

A Tata Mumbai Marathon Legend Club member and recipient of the Mumbai Road Runners Best Runner Award (from 2015 to 2023), she has consistently delivered podium finishes across India and qualified for the World Marathon Majors through her race timings.<\/p>\n

Since 2018, she has served as a Pinkathon Ambassador, inspiring more women to embrace fitness and active living. She has also been training women in her neighbourhood, many of whom have transformed their lives through running.<\/p>\n

Her impact goes far beyond personal achievements. As a LiveToPlay ambassador, Fitistan Ek Fit Bharat captain, and WC40 Women for Climate Change member, she has actively led beach cleanups, tree conservation drives, and women\u2019s wellness initiatives.<\/p>\n

What began as a personal pursuit for a better tomorrow for Kranti has now grown into a powerful movement encouraging women over 50 to lead active, confident, and healthier lives.<\/p>\n

Deval Delivala, the Founder and CEO of Walkabout, told HT Lifestyle that athletes like Kranti show what active ageing could look like. The community supports senior athletes, and the idea to kickstart the initiative stemmed from a desire to sponsor people in their sixties and seventies who were training and competing at the state or national level but lacked support.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot because they weren’t good enough, but because nobody who markets a sporting brand pictures a 65-year-old when they imagine an athlete,\u201d she added, highlighting that the Walkabout Athlete Program selects a few members from the community, tells their stories, and uses that visibility to help raise money for them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fitness is increasingly becoming a reality rather than an aspiration for many young Indians. However, people in our…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632392,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[268521,499,7577,103,61,60,268523,268522,2854,59268],"class_list":["post-632391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-endurance-athlete","tag-fitness","tag-fitness-journey","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-kranti-salvi","tag-running-marathons","tag-strength-training","tag-women-in-sport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632391\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}