Habiba: Training in Rome for the 2025 BMW Berlin Marathon

This is the story of Habiba, who first joined Free to Run in 2018 in Afghanistan. Habiba was forced to leave her home when the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and is now based in Rome where she’s training to join Team Free to Run at the 2025 BMW Berlin Marathon. 

Habiba was born in a remote area of Afghanistan into a Hazara family - an ethnic minority group with a history of persecution in the country. When she was eight, her family moved to Kabul so her older sister could attend university as they did not want her sister to live in Kabul alone. The move also gave Habiba access to primary education that would have been much harder to reach at home.

Throughout high school, Habiba wanted to do sports, but there were no accessible opportunities due to cultural and financial barriers.  Her family supported her interest in both sports and education, but they could not afford to pay for her to join the limited options that did exist. When her sister joined Free to Run (a free program), Habiba was eager to follow. She entered the program at age 17, taking her sister’s place.

She did not tell many neighbors or relatives about her participation, but people noticed her leaving and returning from runs. Neighbors sometimes made negative comments, but not openly. They knew she had her family’s support. Wearing running clothes made her stand out, as there were few other girls doing sports. She was not afraid to join. Her only early concern was not having her own phone, which meant she sometimes missed training messages.

Habiba had no experience with what to wear for running but quickly figured out what was comfortable. Her family continued to support her, though they were concerned about her safety. The risk of bombings was constant, and Hazara people were often specifically targeted. Free to Run reduced those risks by changing running locations frequently. 

After joining Free to Run, she became part of the Rahila Foundation, which supported a community library in Kabul. When the pandemic hit and the library closed, many in the community began gathering for safe outdoor activities, including cycling. Habiba joined a girls’ cycling group that gained attention in local media. With that visibility came offers of support, including helmet donations. Habiba often had to share a bike with her brother and sometimes rode a child’s bike if he took the larger one.

As the security situation worsened, the Taliban gained ground and violence increased. With the help of international advocates, Habiba and five other girls left Afghanistan. They traveled to the Pakistan border, passing many checkpoints where Taliban forces could have stopped them. Though others were arrested, Habiba’s group made it through. After eight difficult months, they were granted refuge in Italy. She waited to start learning Italian until she was sure the application had been accepted.

Life in Pakistan was difficult. Although she was relieved to be out of Afghanistan, communication with her family was limited. Her mother and younger sister could no longer access many basic rights. Though she felt safe in comparison, the uncertainty was emotionally hard.

Once in Italy, the language barrier became her first major challenge. Although she spoke English well, few Italians did, and she often had to use a translator to speak with doctors or psychologists. She found the cultural differences more difficult to adjust to than she expected. At first, she did not like the food, including pizza, though she enjoys it now. Living in shared refugee accommodation has also been stressful, particularly while coping with her own trauma and that of others around her.

Running remained part of her life throughout. In Pakistan, she went for walks and occasional runs despite the extreme heat. When she arrived in Italy, she continued walking to get to know her new city and eventually began running almost every day. Through running, she met Flavio, a Free to Run Ambassador who had previously run the Bamyan Marathon.

Habiba believes that running continues to support her mental health. When things are hard for her family back in Afghanistan, she finds that running helps her cope.

“Running makes you feel a bit of pain, but it is a good pain. You can turn the sad pain into running pain by putting your shoes on and getting out there.”

Training for the marathon also helps her sleep better, and she enjoys running with friends from work and school.

Habiba now lives in Rome, where she studies engineering. She plans to focus on computer science and hopes to complete a master’s degree. She is training for the Berlin Marathon and has completed 85 percent of her training plan with support from her coach, Becca. Her target time is four hours and ten minutes. She often talks about the race with her classmates and is excited to run.

“Thanks to Free to Run, I know myself better. I never thought I would want to run a marathon, but now I do. I want other girls to have the same opportunity I had.”

““Thanks to Free to Run, I know myself better. I never thought I would want to run a marathon, but now I do. I want other girls to have the same opportunity I had.””

Habiba says she credits Free to Run with helping her see her own potential. It gave her opportunities she had never imagined and helped shape the life she has today. She wants other girls around the world to have the same chance.

If you’d like to support Habiba and leave a message as she takes on her next big challenge in Berlin, you can do so via her fundraising page below.