Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THREE inspirational runners are putting their best foot forward to encourage women across Bahrain to take up sport for fun, fitness or healthy competition.
They have beaten back prejudice and broken traditional taboos by putting on their trainers and setting off around the kingdom’s villages.
Their determination has led to them completing their first full 42.195-kilometre marathon in Dubai after months of training on their own and assisted by members of the Bahrain Road Runners, a group of running enthusiasts.
The Dubai marathon race, officially known as the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, is an annual event attracting more than 23,000 runners from around the world every January.
For newly-married Lubna Fayez Al Fayez, 23, currently working at The Benefit Company, from Juffair, it has meant running through the heat in a hijab and decked out in a full-black tracksuit to keep as modest as possible.
“Being in a Muslim country, the hijab aspect was not something out of the ordinary. I didn’t face difficulties with that. The difficulties I faced were during training as I had to endure harsh winds and rain, but it was all worth it when I saw how supportive and encouraging everyone was,” Lubna said.
“My parents were very supportive as they usually are of whatever I choose to do. They were particularly proud that my faith and decision to wear the hijab did not limit my ambition.”
Her husband Abdulla Ahmed Al Shamlan, 24, an employee at the Derasat Research Centre is proud of his wife’s achievements, as is her father, Fayez Abdulla Al Fayez, who even travelled to Dubai to cheer her on as she crossed the finish line.
She explained: “I only had one month to train so you can imagine how hectic it was. I ran 10 kilometres every day leading up to the race.
“I only took up running a few months before the marathon because I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could complete one. Many people said I would never succeed in such a short time, but my parents taught me to finish what I start. My husband always challenges himself to be the best, so I decided to follow in his footsteps too.
“Completing the run was invigorating. It gave me great confidence. I’d definitely like to participate in more events around the world and I’ll be better prepared next time.
“I only hope that my efforts will encourage more Arab women to be confident enough to try new things! If you want something badly enough, nothing should stand in your way!”
Lubna’s triumph in her hijab rekindles memories of Ruqaya Al Ghasra, the inspirational 100m and 200m Bahraini runner who competed in a global arena while her body was fully covered and with her hair veiled.
The 30-year-old has been hailed as a role model for all Arab and Muslim women before her recent retirement from track events. The sprinter secured a golden double – 60m and 400m – during the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha.
She proved that religion and culture could no longer be used as an excuse for not making dreams come true.
Lubna’s drive impressed her friends Nada Abdulla Jamsheer, 28, an investment banker from Manama, and Dana Khalid Zubari, 30, a trader from Seef, who both ran alongside her in the marathon.
Dana said: “I definitely think Arab women in general are a minority in international and local races. I am especially proud of Lubna who wore a hijab throughout the whole race.
“She is a naturally talented runner who amazes all of us and we are really proud of her!”
Dana’s family and friends also provided her with great encouragement in the lead up to the marathon. She has been running since the age of 11 but was more accustomed to the sprint events – 100m, 200m and 400m.
She was given a flyer advertising a biathlon that involved swimming and running, she decided to train for it and ended up taking home first prize. She was then directed to the Bahrain Road Runners and the Bahrain Social Runners and was soon entering other races.
Dana said: “I started going to their practice sessions. Slowly, from a 5km race I moved to 10km, then 15km and after that it was a 17km race. All of a sudden I was running a half-marathon.
“At this point last year if someone had asked me whether I would run a full marathon I would have told them that they were crazy because I thought it was just ridiculous to run for four-and-a-half hours straight!
“I felt great throughout the full marathon. I was emotionally overwhelmed at the start and at the finish because I was so proud of myself for being able to put my mind to something and in two months’ time seeing it come to fruition.
“Now, I can never, say never. The regime was gruelling. I trained with my friends four times a week, two days of which were sprints and the other were distance running.
“Other than my biological family, the Bahrain Road Runners and Bahrain Social Runners, who I consider my running family, were very supportive and they were so proud of us. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have been able to finish the race – they really believed in me and provided me with great advice and insight.”
Unlike Lubna, who finished the marathon in four hours and 59 minutes, and Dana, who completed it in four hours and 35 minutes, Nada didn’t get the same sort of support from her family initially. She said: “At first, my family was very sceptical of this new sport I had taken a liking to. I suffered knee and ankle injuries within the first six months of training and had to leave home to train before sunrise on weekends.
“Eventually, I got the hang of it and was able to improve my form and speed. Since then, my family has been very supportive as they always encouraged me to excel in whatever I do.”
Nada started running in late 2011 after growing bored with the safe, air-conditioned gym walls. She said: “One hour workouts three times a week did not do justice to the amount of energy I had in me.
“I was keen on running a marathon as I was interested in experiencing the legendary feeling of ‘hitting the wall’ at around the 32km mark where runners lose the will to finish. You can get through it as we proved.”
Nada, who finished in four hours, 43 minutes and 53 seconds, said that few Arab women appeared to have taken part in the event. She said: “Although the marathon took place in Dubai, an Arab country, I don’t think I met an Arab woman running the race, other than my two friends who were with me.
“We had one goal in mind, to finish the race, no matter what it took.”
Another marathon is definitely on her agenda and she has already set her sights on running in Europe next year. In the meantime however, she will continue to run with her friends and help empower other Arab women to take up sport.
She added: “To all Arab women out there, I encourage you to leave your comfort zone. You will thrive on new challenges. As they say, the path of self-discovery can be a difficult one, full of risks, yet also rich with rewards. I knew I was capable of anything the moment I crossed that finish line.”
