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Running before iftar with Sharjah Triathlon - As told by my dog

So I was SUPER excited to find out that a triathlon group was going to start running (and swimming and cycling *cough*) in Sharjah and to get them going had started a really cool ‘run before iftar’ initiative during the month of Ramadan to raise awareness of their presence! 

First of all I want to make it known that Sharjah Triathlon, in their huge efforts to get people outdoors and thinking about their fitness and health, put on this event for free. Yep, you heard me. No charge. Nil dirhams. Zero. Nada. ZILCH. They offered photos, a medal, a beautiful technical shirt and a full post-race goodie bag to all participants for FREE. Due to a clear lack of fitness culture here in the UAE I felt this was a really great move, well done Sharjah Tri!!

Sadly I couldn’t attend their equally hot and sweaty evening sessions as  I  was so busy wrapping up end-of-term stuff at work (swimming in end of term reports, exams to be marked and last minute admin counts as training, right?!) however was determined to get over to their inaugural event at the end of it all!

I was so excited, in fact, since I can't say no to a race, that I decided that joining however many other nutters to run laps round and round and round and round… and round Flag Island while I’m not allowed to drink water when it’s upward of 40*C sounded like a FANTASTIC idea! 

A free race, you say!! 


I decided to show my support for the initiative and meet some potential tri club members by registering for the event and rocking up on Friday evening to run 5 600m laps of the flag island, a beautiful little spot only 2 miles from where I live… It all seemed pretty perfect until I remembered that it was SUMMER in Dubai, that I’d be running outdoors while it was still light and around 40 degrees Celsius, and that it was still Ramadan which meant no water for me or for anyone while out and about, after which my thoughts were...

5 laps. 40 degrees. No water. Ha, good one! 


By the time I arrived at the venue I had a mouth drier than prohibition America and was already feeling ready to combust in the heat, but my mood was improved considerably by meeting and catching up with an old BSAC406 and running friend, Richard. We found shade (sort of) and chatted and exchanged travel stories until it was time to go.

The very chivalrous event marshals let us ladies go first and before we’d even started running I was feeling a bit like this…
IT'S TOO HOT AND I'M TOO THIRSTY AND I DON'T WANNA PLAY


5:20pm came about a little bit before I was emotionally prepared for this short but challenging race... But the man said go and I switched off my brain and ran. It went a little something like this... 

Lap 1 - Weeeeeeee!!!!!!!


Lap 2 - This is tiring, but I love running!


Lap 3 - Ooh this is starting to hurt 


 Lap 4 - What in God's name am I playing at?!


Lap 5 - Oh my life I'm almost dead 



The truth is, desert running is ugly. The conditions are treacherous. You can feel good and strong but make a 180 degree turn into overheating, dehydration and dizziness at any moment. This is exactly what happened to me that evening. The last four laps were getting longer… And longer… And longer. I was burning up. My mouth was so dry I could barely breathe. My legs were so tightly cramped with dehydration that I felt they could barely move. I never imagined I’d struggle this much with such a short run.

Needless to say, when I got home, and the following day with my suffering muscles, I looked a little like this...





However it was all worth it for the medal to add to my ever growing collection and the beautiful, perfectly fitted technical training shirt in a lovely shade of navy which I plan to wear a lot! As well as the cool action shots to remember the race by :)






 I’m so excited to start attending Sharjah Triathlon training sessions when I return to the UAE in August!! 

Huge thank you to Mack, my gorgeous fur baby, for helping me recount this race and representing my feelings perfectly! Good boy, Mack! 


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