Running season is back!

You might have been noticing that the weather in the UAE during the evenings have been somewhat cooling down. The humidity isn't quite there yet, but hopefully it will become a lot more bearable in the next few weeks. 

One of the greatest movements I have stumbled upon are the different running clubs and events that happen during the cooler months. Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate, or an advanced runner, you are certainly bound to find something that is up your alley. 

We Run DxB by Nike
The Nike Running Club is by far one of my favourite groups. They organize a number of free running events during the week that are meant to get you to become addicted to the sport, and ultimately build your confidence and fitness level to take part in the November 13 10k run, which takes place in Downtown Dubai. The free training events for this week include: a long run (5-9k) at Dubai Marina which takes place today (Sunday September 27) at 8pm; a women's only beginner's run (1-3k) taking place tomorrow (Monday September 28) at Box Park, Dubai that also starts at 8pm; and a speed run (around 5k) at Zabeel Park which should be taking place on Tuesday (September 28) also at 8pm. 

To reserve your spot, and to also find out about upcoming events, check out http://gonike.me/NRCdubai

To register for the We Run Dxb (10k Nike Run), go to http://www.nike.com/werundubai

Image Credit: Nike Running Middle East (FB Page)

Lifestyle Sports Run in the Dark 
An exciting pop up run event taking place this year in Dubai is the Run in the Dark event taking place just two days prior to the We Run DxB event. The 2 route options you've got is either to run the 4k distance, or the 9k distance. The way I see it, it is a great final warm up opportunity for the run that will take place the following Friday.

I believe that the event has already reached full capacity, so if you haven't yet registered it, it may be a little late to do so. Nevertheless, I think that this is a great opportunity for me to share with you the 10k 8-week training programme that I received from the organizers to help you either prepare for this run, or any other run really.

For more info, check out: http://www.runinthedark.org/dubai/

The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon Run
To many, this is the run that really counts! Taking place on January 22, 2016, the Dubai Marathon Run offers three different route options. The 42km course (for the strong and advanced), the 10km course (which is what I have my eyes on as an intermediate runner), and the 4km course (for the beginners). Registration closes December 31st (or probably when capacity is reached) so make sure you confirm nice and early if you are interested to take part.

Last year, the run was faced by a number of challenges, mainly being the organization of the running route. Nevertheless, no run is a bad run, and you should always take such events as a great opportunity to maintain an active lifestyle, and challenge oneself to achieve a life goal.

To register for the event, and for more info, go to: http://www.dubaimarathon.org/


Final words
Running has a lot of physical and mental challenges that you will need to learn and overcome, so you can successfully complete the distance of your choice. I really recommend that you start training your body well in advance of any run so first, you can learn more about your current limitations, and secondly, build your stamina up to the level you want it to be at. This is what every single runner takes a thrill in when they take part in any run. Obviously you should first aim to complete the run (hopefully, at a non-stop pace), but also aim to accomplish an objective like finishing the running course under a certain amount of time. Only then, will you really feel the excitement and purpose of running. Good luck to all!

Diaries of a fasting man: Hacking Ramadan

Hi folks,

Because of your amazing feedback from last year's Ramadan blog posts that mainly focused on reviewing the various Iftar and Suhoor spots, I was super inspired this year to share with you on a daily basis (to the best of my ability) my fasting journey for the next 29-30 days. My personal aim from this is to continue sharing with you my experiences from visiting the various Ramadan Iftar and Suhoor outlets, and also, to hopefully inspire you (and myself) in making our fasting journey easier, as well as clear out some misconceptions that may be out there.

To kick off this daily log, I thought of sharing with you my personal Ramadan survival tool kit. Over the past years, I have thankfully managed to fast all days of Ramadan, and it is of my intention to continue doing so this year. Here is how I try to get through the day:

Don't focus on what you're fasting from
The holy month of Ramadan is not about preventing yourself from eating nor drinking, so don't make it about that. I always see others who are fasting constantly reminding themselves with how hungry or thirsty they are, or with how much time is left for them to break the fast. Instead of doing this, I found it easier to shift my focus towards other matters, and manage finishing them during my fasting hours that I am free during, and before I realize it, it's already Iftar time.

Stay well hydrated during non-fasting hours
This year, we will be fasting for around 15 hours a day. Thirst is always a big challenge for many. The way I try to overcome this is by drinking A LOT of water during the non-fasting hours to compensate and keep my body balanced. A LOT of water shouldn't be measured by glasses, it should be measured by liters, and my recommended dosage is 3 - 4.5L per day (that's 2 - 3 large bottles of water, yes that much!). Not only has this reduced the chances of me feeling thirsty in the past, but it has kept me from feeling dizzy, and having throbbing headaches.

Avoid having food during Suhoor that is high in salt or sugar content
Consuming food that is high in salt (sodium) or sugar will result in you feeling more thirsty. The reason for this is because from a biological aspect, salt and sugar alter your blood composition in a way that releases fluids (water) from your body cells. Instead, what I recommend having for Suhoor are meals that are rich in fiber (personal choice would be Quinoa Salad) because its digestion is slow and will also result in releasing water into the body during the process, thus not only leaving me less thirsty, but less hungry during the fasting hours. 

Dress light, and in light colors
It's the summer in case you haven't noticed, and it will be scorching hot. Therefore, excessive sweating is inevitable, which will result in you being more dehydrated. As much as possible, lighten up with how you dress, and pick lighter colors as darker ones absorb heat more. This strategy should also be adopted during the evenings, so I don't know about you, but my shorts collection is definitely coming out!

Shower first thing in the morning, and stay clear from the sun
Again, hotter (and sweatier) days are upon us (up to 50-52 degrees). What I have observed from past experience is that if I take a shower before heading out to work, I tend to feel less thirsty during that day. I'm not sure if this has an explanation to it, but I am surely trying it out again this year. One thing for certain though, no direct sun exposure for me (as best as I can) for the next month!

Avoid coffee 
Coffee, as much as it will be missed during Ramadan, will result in the body dehydrating more. My fitness trainer once told me that for every glass of coffee consumed, I must compensate it with 3 glasses of water. I guess the same rule applies to fasting.


That's all what I got so far! Do you have any other tips of your own that you'd like to share? How do you carry yourself during the day while fasting? I'd love to hear your feedback. Until tomorrow, I wish you a good one!

Ramadan Kareem :)

The next 10-minutes may convince you to QUIT junk food FOREVER

You may have seen the above image floating around social media without really knowing what it represents. Well what it represents is Phil Parkinson, founder of The Circuit Factory, declaring war on Dubai's fast food industry. In his campaign titled Sun City, Phil highlights the dangers of today's levels of sugar consumption, and how that leads to many fatal diseases such as heart diseases. 

Watch Phil's 10-minutes video below as he shocks you with an inconvenient truth that may alter your perception to consuming fast food FOREVER!


Phil had also published an open letter addressed to His Highness The Ruler of Dubai on The Circuit Factory's website in which he requests 'levelling the playing field'. Read the full letter at the following link: http://www.circuitfactory.ae/suncity/ 

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