Peterborough nurse who went from refugee to ultramarathon runner

Ms Painda juggles nearly 13-hour shifts working in the hospital with her running, as well as offering personal fitness training.

She was featured in the November issue of Women’s Running for being a role model for women around the globe.

Over the years, she has been an ambassador for Free to Run, external, a charity set up to empower women through sport in Afghanistan and Iraq.

She said her love and passion for running and nursing kept her going.

Ms Painda hopes to be “a voice for change” and an inspiration for other women, especially from the Muslim community.

She has also paid tribute to her family and called them her “backbone”.

“Life for women in Afghanistan is extremely challenging. It’s heartbreaking to see them being deprived of fundamental rights,” she said.

“When I crossed that finish line in Chamonix, I felt that literally all the Afghan women were with me. I felt so strong and so great. It was a beautiful experience.”

She added: “There is so much going around in the world – in Afghanistan, to Hazara people, in Palestine, in Lebanon. So if we can spread kindness at any opportunity, we must take it.

“I am not going to stop running or raising awareness about the issues. If I can change one life, either through running or through nursing and kindness, I will keep going.”