Anum Uzair Galiyat Mountain Trail Ultra Marathon history was made this month when the Lahore-based mountaineer became the first-ever women’s champion of Pakistan’s inaugural 100-kilometre trail race.
The victory came at the fifth edition of the Galiyat Mountain Trail Race, staged across two gruelling days in Nathia Gali. More than 400 runners from Pakistan and abroad took part, with elite athletes, recreational runners, diplomats, women and children competing across four categories: 100km, 60km, 40km and 20km.
Who Is Anum Uzair?
Long before this ultra marathon, Anum Uzair had already built a name in Pakistan’s endurance-sports circle. She is a Pakistani endurance athlete, forensic scientist, mountaineer and mother of two, known for national records including a 34-minute wall sit and gold medals in trail running.
She trains and competes alongside her husband, Ahmed Uzair, a barrister by profession, and together the Lahore-based couple became the first Pakistani husband-wife duo to summit Nepal’s 8,163-metre Mount Manaslu in 2023. Their partnership has since become central to Pakistan’s growing high-altitude sports story.
Inside the Galiyat Mountain Trail Ultra Marathon 2025
The Galiyat Mountain Trail is organised by Margalla Trail Runners and is an interconnected network of scenic trails in Abbottabad district, stretching from Thandiyani to Khaira Gali through the foothills of the Himalayas, with Miranjani Peak as its highest point at 2,955 metres. This year marked the first time the event was officially recognised by the International Trail Running Association and contributed to the UTMB Index.
Key course facts runners had to contend with:
- Distance: 100km, run across two days
- Terrain: dense forests, rocky ridgelines and steep mountain ascents
- Elevation: over 3,000 metres of cumulative gain on the longer categories
- Landmarks: Miranjani and Mushkpuri Tops, the Pipe Trail, and the historic Khaira Gali tunnel
- Safety: medical support, hydration stations and trained volunteers stationed along the route
Runners battled rugged mountains, dense forests and the presence of wildlife throughout the course, yet Anum completed it with what organisers and observers described as remarkable determination.
Race Results: How the Historic 100KM Category Unfolded
The inaugural 100km category produced a landmark result for Pakistani trail running. Athar Akhtar and Muzammal Shahzad shared first place in the men’s race after crossing the finish line together, while Anum Uzair became the first women’s champion in the country’s first 100km trail race.
| Category | Winner(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 100km (Men) | Athar Akhtar & Muzammal Shahzad | Joint first place |
| 100km (Women) | Anum Uzair | First women’s champion |
| 60km (Men) | Wiqar Ahmed | 6:39:58 (course record) |
| 40km | Atta Samad & Shazia Jamal | Men’s & women’s winners |
Wiqar Ahmed also claimed the men’s 60km title, while Atta Samad and Shazia Jamal won the men’s and women’s 40km races respectively. Anum’s own 60km run last year, completed in 12 hours, 57 minutes and 30 seconds, had already signalled her endurance credentials ahead of this year’s bigger challenge.
From Manaslu to Broad Peak: Anum Uzair’s Endurance Legacy
This ultra marathon win adds to a résumé built over nearly a decade. Anum became only the second Pakistani woman to summit Broad Peak, the world’s twelfth-highest mountain, after Naila Kiani, having earlier reached the summit of Manaslu in Nepal.
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Her mountaineering journey didn’t begin in Gilgit-Baltistan, unlike most Pakistani climbers. Anum, who holds an MPhil in Forensic Science, developed her passion for the sport after a 2015 visit to Nanga Parbat base camp, later training at Shimshal under veteran climber Samina Baig.
The couple’s combined climbing résumé also includes Broad Peak, Minglik Sar and the demanding Hispar Pass traverse.
Why This Win Matters for Women in Pakistani Sport
Speaking after her Galiyat finish, Anum dedicated her achievement to the women of Pakistan, particularly female runners, and pledged to represent the country on the global stage by taking on more difficult challenges ahead. She was candid about the scale of the task:
“I knew this wouldn’t be an easy challenge,” she told News, acknowledging the physical danger involved in the race.
Her outlook echoes comments she has made before about being a mother in a high-risk sport. She has said she wants to be a “role model” for female mountaineers, pushing back against critics who questioned her choices as a mother of two sons.
That message resonates strongly at a time when Pakistani women are increasingly visible in mountaineering and endurance sport, alongside names like Naila Kiani and Samina Baig.
What’s Next for Pakistan’s Trail-Running Scene
Now in its fifth year, the Galiyat Mountain Trail Race has established itself as Pakistan’s flagship trail-running event, aiming to promote endurance sports, mountain tourism and outdoor recreation while attracting growing international participation.
The addition of a 100km category and ITRA/UTMB certification signals ambitions to place Pakistan firmly on the global ultra-running map.
For Anum Uzair, the Galiyat win is unlikely to be a finishing line. Between mountaineering expeditions and ultra-distance races, she continues to expand what’s considered possible for Pakistani athletes — particularly women navigating a sport still dominated by men.
As Pakistan’s trail-running calendar grows and more international runners take notice, one question remains for readers: could this be the beginning of a new golden era for endurance sport in the country?
