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Welcome to The Regenerators.

Three years ago, Midlands-based sisters Husnaa and Tayyibah Mota, aged 20 and 26, decided to share their outdoor adventures with the world.

They’re known on Instagram as the Junglee Joggers, which translates as ‘fun and crazy’ joggers in Gujarati - the official language spoken in Gujarat, India. They’ve been using their platform to inspire others to be just as daring and free in nature.

Since embodying that Junglee nature, they’ve completed the Three Peaks Challenge (a quest to climb the three highest mountains in the UK); cycled across Spain; hiked and jogged their way across Britain, all in the spirit of having fun and drawing closer to nature.

But this wasn’t always second nature to them. Husnaa and Tayyibah told The Regenerators what it was like to go from hiking rookies to experts; what attracts them to the great outdoors; and how, as Muslim hikers, being in nature strengthens their faith.

How it all started

When they were younger, the two sisters spent a lot of their time outdoors - either visiting their local farm, the park or going on bike rides. But high-intensity long-distance exercise, such as hiking was pretty much a new scape for them.

“I think in 2015, my brother was doing a half-marathon, and he asked why don't you join a challenge?” recalls Tayyibah who, at that point, had never run before.

Taking on this new feat wasn’t an easy task for the sisters, but they accomplished it and it’s given them the motivation to do so much more.

“Just saying yes to every opportunity that comes to you, you don't know where it will take you,” is a mantra that Husnaa says has made them the people they are today.

Overcoming obstacles

Tayyibah recalls trying to marry the practicalities of exercising outside with her faith. “I can remember really overthinking when I used to go jogging. What am I going to wear? Even whilst you're covering your hair, you're thinking about other parts of your body that you want to cover… It’s a big thing, wearing modest clothing and feeling comfortable.”

Sharing the sentiment, Husnaa voiced that she also had concerns for her safety while going on runs: “Sometimes, [I] feel a bit of vulnerable because I'm wearing a hijab,” says Husnaa, referring to reports in the news of Muslim women being the target of harassment for wearing a hijab.

Tayyibah adds when there aren't many, or any, people of colour or Muslim people around, "you do feel a bit more insecure, [but] you have to be strong in yourself and not feel like that's a reason to not do what you enjoy.”

Taking the first leap in trying something new can be very tricky. The Junglee sisters say that despite the difficulties they face, they’ve found happiness in just being themselves.

Tayyibah says: “Whenever I'm outdoors, no matter what I'm doing, whatever kind of activity it is, being around nature makes you appreciate life. When you're out on a mountain or in the woods, it's just silence, and you can feel the Sun on your skin, it's so healing.

“The reason it brings us so much peace is because we're reminded of God. We feel connected to him in that way. We always pray outside.

"When it's time to pray we'll take out our portable prayer mat, and we'll pray. And it's so calming and peaceful, and that's another kind of connection.”

How to draw closer to nature

Drawing closer to nature can start at home. Tayyibah explains that when she was growing they only had a small garden, “but my dad would plant anything and everything that he could. At one point, we had grapes, a plum tree, an apple tree, raspberries. He'd grow onions, potatoes, chives and literally anything he could plant like mint. That was his way of connecting to what he left in India.”

Alternatively, she suggests finding a local park: “Even in the cities there are so many public footpaths.

“It's not hard to enjoy nature; [it’s] everywhere. All you need to do is look up and appreciate that.”

Tayyibah says that connecting to nature helped them get out of their comfort zone and have fun. She said people shouldn’t be afraid to try something new.

“It's important for young people to feel that especially nowadays, there's so much responsibility for young people. They're always thinking about what they need to do next. Sometimes we just need to take that time for ourselves to just be young.”

This article was published in April 2022