Rahema Mamodo is a mum of three, a passionate runner, and a trailblazer for women in sport. Growing up in Portugal and now based in Birmingham, Rahema discovered running later in life, starting with a simple couch-to-5k program. What began as a personal challenge has blossomed into a mission to inspire women—especially those who look like her—to break barriers, embrace fitness, and find joy in movement.

Since her first hesitant steps on a treadmill, Rahema has run over 180 Park Runs in more than 50 locations, completed marathons, and even tackled ultramarathons like Race to the Stones. Along the way, she’s used her platform to share her journey, celebrate diversity in sport, and encourage others to believe in themselves.

In this episode, Rahema shares how running transformed her life, the lessons she’s learned from pushing her limits, and her passion for inspiring her daughters and other women to chase their goals. From practical tips for getting started to her unforgettable experiences at marathons and ultras, Rahema’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and self-belief.

Correction:

In our recent podcast episode featuring Rahema Mamodo, we incorrectly stated that SheUltra was founded by Sophie Power. We’d like to clarify that SheUltra was actually founded by Huw Williams, a local man from North Wales who is currently living with terminal cancer. Huw has poured his heart and soul into creating and running this incredible event. Sophie Power is the founder of SheRACES, a separate initiative.

To learn more about Huw and support SheUltra, please visit She Ultra's website or donate here.

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Show notes

Who is Rahema
Growing up in Portugal and now living in Birmingham
Speaking 3 languages (Portuguese, English and Gujarati)
What her early years were like
Not being into sports or any physical activities
Being a teenage girl
Being inspired to do a couch to 5k
Using a treadmill at home and not wanting to run outdoors at first
The benefits of joining a running group
Her first Park Run and why she loves it
Wearing a hijab
How her running journey progressed
10k to Half Marathon
Being supported by her family
Wanting to inspire her girls to be active
Increasing her distance every week
Using online programs and doing her best to get beyond the 5k distance
Being a Park Run Tourist
180+ park runs in over 50 different locations
Doing the A to Z of Park Runs
Finding a Z Park Run
Highlights from running and running on sand
Practical tips to encourage women to get involved in Park Run
The benefits of finding like minded people to run
Tracking her running with Garmin
Deciding to run Manchester Marathon as her first marathon
Hating the experience
Getting the chance to run the London Marathon
Learning a lot from the marathon experiences
Running for other people
Muslim Runners
Running 3/4 times a week
5 weeks to prepare for the marathon
Race strategy and goals
Visiting the London Marathon EXPO
Connecting with people from social media
Deciding to run an ultra - Race to the Stones - 50k
She Ultra
Sophie Power on the Tough Girl Podcast
Training for an ultra
No pressure, no cut off times and just smiles!
Racing with her daughter in 2025
How to connect with Rahema online
Being a cover girl! On the cover of Women’s Running
Wanting to inspire other women to go out and run
The power of believing in yourself

Social Media

Website www.rahema.co.uk/blog

Instagram @Rahema_m

Facebook @rahemasw

Rahema Mamodo: Mum of 3, Finding Running...