11 Young Egyptian Hijabi Olympians at Rio 2016

Posted on August 14, 2016 by eliza noordin

As of Day 9, Egypt has bagged 2 bronze medals at Rio 2016.

After 104 years participation at the Olympics, Egypt has its first women to win an Olympic medal. Sara Ahmed, a young and strong 18 years old won the bronze medal for 69 kg category after lifting combined weight of 255 kg.

The Arab Republic of Egypt is a modern Islamic country, with a population of 91.4 mil, 90% of which is Muslim. Their first participation in the Olympics was in 1912, and at Rio 2016, they sent 119 athletes to compete in 22 games. Thirty seven (37) of them are female of which eleven (11) are hijabi or competing in modest attires. These eleven ladies compete in wrestling, taekwondo, shooting, beach volleyball, archery, athletics and weightlifting.

Here are the 11 ladies :

1. Sara Ahmed, Weightlifting

Sara became the first Arab woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. She won the third place for women’s 69 kg, recording a combined weight of 255 kg

Sara Ahmed won bronze medal at the Rio 2016

Sara Ahmed, at 18, won bronze medal at the Rio 2016

2. Doaa Elghobashy, Beach Volleyball

Doaa and partner Nada are in a stereotype game, where participants usually compete in bikinis. They have gotten many heads turned to their sides despite being all-covered.

Doaa is only 19. Let’s hope we see her again in Tokyo 2020

3. Nada Meawad, Beach Volleyball

Nada and Doaa played three games in round one to give them exposure of the games. Nada is only 18. They played against the German, Italy and Canada teams at Rio 2016.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 09: Nada Meawad (L) and Doaa Elghobashy of Egypt looks on during the Women’s Beach Volleyball Preliminary Pool A match against Marta Menegatti and Viktoria Orsi Toth of Italy on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Beach Volleyball Arena on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

4. Fatma El Sharnouby, Athletics

Fatma runs the 800 meters at Rio 2016. Her personal best time is 2:18.19 in April 2016. Young at 19, Fatma has a lot of room to learn from great athletes and runners at the Olympics.

Fatma while racing at the World Cross Country Meet, March 2015

5. Shimaa Hashad, Shooting

Shima is not new in the shooting scene. Rio 2016 is her third time partcipating at the Olympics, first in 2004. She competed for women’s 10m air rifle and ranked 27 out of 51 contestants.

Shimaa Hashad, 35, is ranked 27 at Rio 2016

6. Hadir Mekhimar, Shooting

Young and new in the shooting scene, Hadir is ranked 47 at Rio 2016. She won the gold medal at the Summer Youth Olympics in China at age 16.

Hadir Mekhimar the young Olympian shooter

7. Hedaya Wahba, Taekwondo

Second time Olympian at Rio 2016, young Hedaya competes in Taekwondo women’s 57 kg. She qualified for the quarterfinals at the London 2012 for the same category.

Hedaya Wahba, 23 is a taekwondo practitioner

8. Seham El Sawalhy, Taekwondo

Second time Olympian at Rio 2016, Seham, 25 years old, competed in the 67 kg category at London 2012. This year she competes for the same category.

10 AUG 2012 – LONDON, GBR – Seham el-Sawalhy (EGY) (right) of Egypt battles with Elin Johansson of Sweden during their women’s -67kg category preliminary round Taekwondo contest at the London 2012 Olympic Games at Excel in London, Great Britain
(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)

9. Shaimaa Haridy, Weightlifting

Shaimaa competes in the Women’s over 75 kg category. In the past, she has won gold medals at the Arab Weightlifting Championships 2015 and 17th Mediterranean Games in 2013, when she lifted 110 kg and 135 kg in snatch and clean & jerk categories respectively.

Young and Strong Shaimaa

10. Noura Mohamed, Fencing

Noura competes in women’s individual foil at the Olympics for the first time.

Noura Mohamed, 18, on the left lost to Tunisian fencer at Rio 2016

11. Reem Mansour, Archery

Reem is 22 and she competes in the women’s individual archery category for the first time at the Olympics.

Reem lost at round of 64 of the event

Egypt has a good line up of many young promising female athletes participating at Rio 2016 of which will gain tremendous experience and invaluable insights of doing better for future Olympics.

Pictures and Info Source:

Wiki
http://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/scalefit_970_noupscale/57acc28c1700002c00d1e367.jpeg
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/content/dam/images/news/2016/08/08/Rio%20Olympics%20Beach%20Vo_Webf.jpg.hashed.d3c323db.desktop.story.inline.jpg
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/nada-meawad-and-doaa-elghobashy-of-egypt-looks-on-during-the-womens-picture-id587602138?k=6&m=587602138&s=594×594&w=0&h=tF4U3MHoTxPMd3mYfGFDDHebh8gFFrFiFJNc5oua9uo=
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–eatANuAx–/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/sqybtxjrqbxyiug4im5j.jpg
http://english.ahram.org.eg/Media/News/2016/8/6/2016-636061094976655931-665.jpg
http://english.ahram.org.eg/Media/News/2016/8/6/2016-636061095256604176-660.jpg
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http://english.ahram.org.eg/Media/News/2016/8/10/2016-636064588892776477-277.jpg
http://www.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_800x600/HT/p2/2016/08/06/Pictures/2016-round-olympics-archery-women-ranking-individual_e89ce3cc-5b45-11e6-92e9-543a978214ab.jpg

CrossFit at a new Fuel Athletics gym!

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Weekend Runner

A few weeks ago, I had a great experience at the weight lifting introduction class in Fuel Athletics. Recently, they opened their doors to a new outlet in Shah Alam and invited me plus a few friends to try CrossFit after iftar (breaking our fast). I immediately said yes because I was drawn to CrossFit’s high intensity; I can get maximum amount of work done and calories burnt in a short period of time.

CrossFit can be roughly defined as varied high intensity functional movements, while combining certain aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. (source: https://www.crossfit.com/what-is-crossfit). Based on this definition, CrossFit is not new to me. I had similar experiences before at Revelation Republic and a few LesMills GRIT classes, under various names such as Body Conditioning or GRIT Strength. To me, the principles and movements are pretty similar so experienced athletes (or in my case, athlete-wannabes) will have no problem transitioning.

However, what makes Fuel Athletics different is its location and spacious design. Currently, Fuel Athletics is the first CrossFit certified gym in Shah Alam, attracting crowds from as far as Sungai Buloh and Puncak Alam. The location at Menara Naza TTDI is strategic, with a nice mix of working adults and student crowd. The gym has 2 floors, an outdoor space, and a pool with changing room and surau.

CrossFit space and equipment on the lower floor

Spacious upper floor, with future plans for yoga classes

Plus point: This gym even has an outdoor pool too!

After some dynamic stretcing and warming up indoors and outdoors, we proceeded to the highlight of the night – the WOD (Work Out of the Day). For tonight’s session, the WOD was simple, yet effective: partner up, and one person does burpees while the partner holds weight plates above his/her head. Then switch roles after the partner completes a few burpees. Do this as many rounds as you can in 10 minutes. Do not underestimate the lack of fancy equipments or movements, because burpees are advanced enough to be considered as a full body work out. So after a few rounds of burpees and holding up the weight plates above my head, my arms were already shakey. I even hesitated if I should decrease my weights from 10kg to 5kg so I can ‘survive’ all 10 minutes of the WOD!

Warming up outdoors with some sprints

The WOD got me like… (in a good way of course)

I can see that these series of WOD will definitely complement my marathon training programme. It will build up my legs muscle strength so I can run longer, faster, and less prone to injury. As for my upper body which has been neglected for some time, needs a lot of work as it has gotten flabby and weak. Perfection is still a long road ahead, so for the mean time, I just need to strike a balance between strength work outs and clocking in enough mileage.

For more info and registration: http://www.fuelprimecrossfit.com/

For more reviews on other types of cross-training and gyms:

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

#SayaPilihCergasRamadan , Anda Pula Bagaimana?

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Weekend Runner

Kekal aktif di bulan Ramadan agar cergas sepanjang tahun. Pilihannya di tangan anda!

Hampir tiba di garisan penamat!

Tanpa disedari, sudah lebih 2 minggu kita melaksanakan ibadah puasa. Masa berlalu begitu pantas apabila diisi dengan aktiviti berfaedah dan bermanfaat. Sudahkah anda mencapai semua target dan matlamat di bulan yang mulia ini? Gunakanlah hari-hari terakhir ini untuk berlumba-lumba mengaut ganjaran beribadah, umpama pecutan rohani dan spiritual yang terakhir sebelum tiba di garisan penamat. Namun, jangan mensia-siakan rutin sihat yang telah berjaya dibentuk semenjak awal bulan lagi dengan mengambil sedikit masa untuk bersukan. Kekalkan momentum dan tabiat yang telah diasah. Seimbangkan matlamat di akhirat dengan pencapaian di dunia. Saya yakin, jika niat kita betul, beriadah juga merupakan satu bentuk ibadah.

Sesi bersukan yang santai dan sekejap, asalkan dapat mengeluarkan peluh!

Tampil lebih berseri di Aidilfitri

Dengan hari raya yang bakal menjelma, saya tumpang gembira melihat rakan-rakan dan kaum keluarga membeli-belah busana raya yang pelbagai fesyen dan warna. Kita semua mahu kelihatan cantik dan kacak di hari raya, bukan? Namun, jangan lah kita hanya mementingkan paras rupa luaran. Pernahkah anda mendengar pepatah “You are what you eat”? Maksudnya begitu senang: Makanan berkhasiat akan menjadikan tubuh kita lebih sihat. Jika kita menjaga kesihatan tubuh badan dengan diet yang seimbang sepanjang bulan Ramadan serta mempunyai hati yang bersih, saya yakin wajah kita akan bertambah berseri-seri di hari Raya. Sesungguhnya, Aidilfitri tahun ini akan lebih bermakna!

Eratkan silaturahim bersama AIA Vitality dan Hotfm

Marilah beramai-ramai bersukan sambil bersosial!

Sambutan hari raya juga merupakan peluang untuk kita saling bermaaf-maafan, menziarahi kerabat dan rakan tauladan, serta menjalinkan persahabatan. Namun, kita tidak perlu menunggu sehingga bulan Syawal tiba untuk mengeratkan silaturahim. Di bulan Ramadan, kita juga boleh beriadah bersama keluarga dan rakan-rakan sebagai langkah mengeratkan hubungan silaturahim tanpa mengira bangsa mahupun agama. Pelbagai senaman ringan boleh dilakukan ketika berpuasa, seperti berjogging atau membuat yoga. Selain itu, ringankan tulang untuk membantu menyediakan persiapan Hari Raya dengan mengemas rumah, pergi ke pasar untuk membeli barangan basah, dan memasak ataupun merewang. Walaupun kecil dan dianggap remeh, ia boleh membantu membakar kalori juga.

Di kala anda sedang beriadah dan bersukan, apa kata ambil beberapa gambar sempena Hotfm Cergas Ramadan bersama AIA Vitality. Anda berpeluang untuk memenangi baucer barangan sukan bernilai RM300 agar terus bersemangat untuk bersukan dan beriadah dengan baju dan kasut baru! Hanya upload gambar anda di Facebook atau Instagram dan jangan lupa untuk tag #SayaPilihCergasRamadan #AIAVitalityMY @hotfm976.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner.

Ladies, this is for you!

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Weekend Runner

“Running should be [an] empowerment, not a fear”

– Elizabeth from www.runningforbling.com, sexual assault survivor.

Women have made tremendous progress is the world of sport. Sadly, not much have changed when it comes to safety while working out, especially running. It does not show that women are the weaker gender, or the way she dresses is too provocative (modestly dressed women can be victims too!). But instead, it shows that ‘monsters’ still lurk from time to time, preying on unsuspecting victims. On the bright side, these ‘monsters’ have never hampered any women’s spirit to get out and run. After reading a few articles and blogs from other female runners who were survivors of sexual assault, I can find a common theme of lessons learnt, which I hope is useful to everyone who is reading this.

Most importantly, use your gut feeling and common sense. A women’s intuition is a powerful tool and it is rarely wrong, so if you feel like something is amiss, then it probably is.

For some basic safety rules that still apply to both genders, for example here

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

Introduction to lifting techniques at Fuel Athletics

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Weekend Runner

I have always felt that weight-lifting is still a male dominated sports. Just look around you at the gym; somehow women will gravitate towards the cardio equipment and machines, while male will congregate at the free weights section. Maybe because women are scared that they are not strong enough to lift, or they fear that they might bulk up and lose their curves, or they just simply do not know how to use weights. Weight lifting should know no gender boundaries. God has created men and women to look different for a reason, and women will never lose their curves no matter how heavy they lift or how much protein they take. In fact, lifting weights will give women a leaner, healthier looking body as it reduces body fat and increases muscles, so your clothes will fit better without the flabbiness. Oh, and having flatter abs is always a plus point too!

At 8am last Saturday, I was thrilled to see many strong ladies (and gentlemen) from my running group who were eager to learn more about some basic lifting techniques at Fuel Athletics. We started off with some basic warming up, like squats, jumping jacks, burpees, and mountain climbers.

We love the open-air vibe of this gym, a refreshing taste from the normal concrete walls. The glass walls give a very spacious illusion to the space, and blends in with the greenery outside (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

Warming up outside the gym (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

After warming up, we started with deadlifting. Deadlifting was a basic method of carrying the bar from the ground. As easy as it sounds, it was not that simple. The coach ensured that everyone had the right posture, such as activating your hamstrings and keeping your chest up and straight. I also noticed that this should also be the correct way of carrying heavy things instead of bending down to prevent back ache.

“So, does anybody know how to deadlift?” *crick crick crick* (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

There is absolutely no point of trying to keep a straight face while lifting (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

Then, we proceeded to power clean. This movement was more complex than deadlifting, as it involves some explosive movement of catching the bar and simultaneously going into a squat position. Most of us have never even heard of this technique, but after a few round of practices, we managed to get a hold of it.

The assisting instructor showing us how it’s done (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

After learning the basics, we did a mini-Crossfit training with 40 reps of deadlifting, 500m of sprints, and 10 reps of power clean with our partner. All of these must be done in 4 sets. By the end of the 4^th set, all of our arms and feet have definitely turned into jelly!

WOD (Work out of the Day) as prescribed by the coach (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

We look forward to working out in their new outlet in Shah Alam after Ramadhan is over! (Photo credit: Kyserun Krew)

According to the coach, ideally women should deadlift about 80kg, so we still have a long way to go from today’s 30kg of lifting. Clearly, we have serious work to do here. So, ladies (and gentlemen), lets incorporate the weights for a stronger, leaner, and healthier body!

For more info, head to http://fuelathletics.com.my/ or http://www.fuelprimecrossfit.com/

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

How to Choose the Right Sports Hijab

Posted on May 31, 2016 by eliza noordin

Fitness requires the utmost comfort and what that means is being comfortable in your fitness attire. If you are a hijabi, comfort and safety in sports are equally important. To get the best fitness experience in a hijab, there are a 3 key areas you need to remember : Fabric, Safety, Design

1. Fabric

Choose the right fabric.

Choose fabric that moisture wicks
What it means is that the fabric is able to dry fast by evaporating moisture and sweat away from skin. Most wicking fabrics are made of polyester mix. Typical cotton absorbs moisture and sweat and does not facilitate evaporation well. Therefore, moisture tends to hold onto it and due to that, the fabric becomes heavier and may cause discomfort and chafing. There is moisture wicking cotton designed for sports, but expensive.
Breathablility
Mesh, Pattern Texture or Interlock or mix? Mesh is more breathable as it has small holes to allow ventilation.
There are some fabric with different types of pattern texture as pique, waffle and stripe pique. They are not smooth but adds flattering element onto your sportswear. Interlock, on the other hand is smooth and soft, but as not breathable as mesh.

.
Thickness & Weight
Depending on temperature and humidity, you would want to choose the right thickness so that you don’t get too hot or too cold with hijab on. Thickness comes with extra weight. If you are looking for performance sports hijab, choose the ones that are lightweight and fast drying. If you prefer heavier fabric for personal reasons, it is ok too. Some prefer heavier fabric as it is not easily blown by the wind, hence does not flip easily.
Wet or Dry, or Both
Find out if fabric is suitable for swimming and water sports. Some polyester and nylon fabric are fast drying and elastic that they are versatile for both dry and wet.

2. Safety features

Easily Detachable
Depending on the level of intensity and ruggedness of your activity, you would want to get sports hijab that is secure but removable easily so that your head or neck does not get snagged. Accidents can happen when your hijab gets stuck or pulled while working out.
No pins or brooch
Avoid wearing pins or brooches on hijab for sporting activities. Be it safety pins, sewing pins or scarf pins, you may not only cause danger to yourself but others who are exercising with you. Brooches with sharp edges and pins may cause unnecessary injuries.
Wrapsarounds? Maybe not.
Long scarfs that require wrapping around your neck are not safe as it my cause injuries if the scarf gets stuck or snagged while moving around.

Possible injury if scarf wrapped around neck for Sports

Reflectors (nice to have)
Invest a little bit more for additional safety feature like reflectors on your hijab. You would find such feature useful for caving, hiking, trailing and even for running and cycling at night or before the sun comes out.

Sports Hijab Reflector

3. Designs

Sporty
Sporty designs typically make use of vivid lines around the head and front. However, if you are not comfortable having such look, you could wear simple and conventional designs. Some sports hijab designs are suitable for both wet and dry activities.

Short Sporty Design
Length & Width
Depending on your dressing preference and comfort, you can either choose short or long hijab. Short sports hijab gives better hand movement and lesser obstruction around chest area. Some finds good comfort tucking in short sports hijabs into their shirts .
If you prefer long sports hijab for better chest coverage, make sure the sides do not obstruct hand and shoulder movement.

Long Sports Hijab
Colors
Black, white and grey are the common and most universal colors. Do remember however, that black absorbs heat and it does affect sporting experience, especially outdoor and during daytime. Avoid using dark colors and try wearing hints of bright colors on your sports hijab as it adds more vibrant onto your look.

Hints of Bright Colors

Design for the right Sporting Activity
Jumping & Inversion friendly
If you are looking for sports hijab for obstacle run, yoga or any sporting activities that require jumping or rolling like netball or volleyball, you may want to look for hijab that does not flip (unflippable) or invert, or you may want to tuck in your hijab.

Inversion Friendly
Competitive or Training
If you are an athlete looking for performance sports hijab, you need to get the ones made of lightweight and super breathable fabric.
It is also important that the hijab is comfortable and practical that it does not cause obstruction when you compete. You would want to compete with a clear and free mind. It may be pricier. You can spend a little bit lesser for sports hijab you use for training. It can be longer and heavier and not designed for performance.

So weigh your options and choose the right sports hijab for a swift and comfortable sporting experience. Check the fabric, make sure the hijab is safe for sports, pick design that flatters you and suits your sporting activity.

Focus on performance and having a great active lifestyle!

The Absolute Performance Top for Hijabi Athletes

Posted on May 31, 2016 by eliza noordin

Run swiftly and fast like a gazelle in Azza Toplectic. Toplectic is Nashata’s new product range that combines head covering and sportstop for athletes looking for seamless modest sporting experience.

Seamless Modest Performance Wear

AZZA is the first release for Toplectic range. It is simple, lightweight, long and loose cut. Suitable for athletes looking for performance in running, cycling and sporting activities that require jumping and rolling. The fabric is made of spandex and polyester and not suitable for swimming and wet activities.

Key features:

Hijab and Top combined
Long – You can wear your performance pants underneath without adding skirt to cover your thighs
Lightweight – We choose the lightest fabric for this top. We want you to get the best performance experience in toplectic. It weights less than 200 grams or 7 oz

3 colors ; blue, black, grey

STYLE IT!

1. Event Shirt

Wear event shirts with only 2 layers; Toplectic in the inside and event shirt(assuming it is short sleeves or sleeveless) in the outside. You need not wear additional hijab.

Event Shirt on the Outside

2. You could simply put it on and run

Headgear is secure on the head, no additional inner required. Ample room to hold buns

Running in Azza Toplectic

3. Let down the hijab and you get a cowl neck top

If you don’t want the hijab on, you can put it down and get a cowl neck top. Fancy huh?

Cowl Neck Top

Options

There are 3 colors (black, blue and grey) and 5 sizes you could choose from S/M/L/XL/2XL. With only RM129/USD32, you get the absolute performance top for hijabi athletes. We offer early bird price of RM109 for purchases made by 1 July 2016. Purchase yours now at nashata.com.

Lexicon Cyberjaya Duathlon – Relay Category

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Weekend Runner

Relay runs carry deep historical significance. Before the internet, telephones, and cars were invented, relay running was a method to pass messages and mails over very long distances. The most famous relay runs are Japanese Ekidens. Although Malaysia’s running standards are not on par yet with the Japanese, I was delighted to see that relay running is slowly gaining popularity in Malaysia with new events emerging.

However, duathlon relay is a completely new concept to me. A duathlon relay is held exactly in a duathlon format, but the only difference was that one person cycles and later, another person runs. So when a friend said he needed a partner to run in Lexicon Cyberjaya Duathlon event, I immediately agreed to it. I have always wanted to know how are duathlons and triathlons conducted, so I can use this chance to observe and learn. Perhaps it might also spark my interest to branch out from my running career into duathlon and triathlon too. There was also the option of doing all run-bike-run by yourself in the individual category, but I will save that for a later day.

The only 2 familiar faces that I bumped into in this event. Both of them are participating in the individual category. Can you guess which one is a regular podium finisher in duathlons?

Our plan was simple: My partner runs for 2.5K, and continued to cycle for 30K. Then I will finish the duathlon by running 10K. Cycling was clearly my partner’s forté. He came in 2^nd in our relay category. He got off his bike, quickly passed the timing chip to me, and I was happy with the head start. It was an easy route with minimal elevation. A few kilometers later, I can hear other runners catching up on me, and I was unable to maintain our 2nd position. I ran until my lungs were about to burst. The marshalls and volunteers along the way were encouraging, shouting at me to maintain my top 10 ranking. However, despite all the cheering, I could only manage to finish as the 11th position in our relay category.

The pressure is on when there are only 300 participants for this event

Relay partners at the transition area, waiting for their partners to finish cycling before we run 10K

Transitioning from cycling to the last 10K of running to complete the duathlon

I agreed to enter this relay duathlon as a learning opportunity with hopes that one day, I will be able to take on the individual category and complete a duathlon or even a triathlon by myself. There is still a lot to learn, such as improving on my running efficiency, polishing my cycling techniques, and in the long term, building up my endurance to swim in the open water. Until then, I’ll save up on investing the right bicycle first before I can even start on a BRICK (Bike-Run) training.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner.

KL Towerthon 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Weekend Runner

Once again I find myself at the base of the iconic KL Tower on a fine Sunday morning, ready to take on 2058 steps to get to the top of the tower. I did this Towerthon race last year, so I decided to participate again this year to challenge myself if there was any improvements and if I could beat last year’s personal record of 36 minutes.

As usual, they flagged us off in waves to prevent bottlenecks at the staircase, so as everyone fell into their own pace the crowd was evenly spread out. No one was jostling or pushing to overtake each other on the staircase. I recalled feelings of claustrophobic and monotony last year, but this time I was mentally prepared.

Are we there yet?

Upon completing the race at the top, I did not feel any muscle aches or joint pains from climbing the stairs. Maybe all of those squats and strength training paid off, or maybe the recent mini-hike during Taman Negara’s trip had prepared my legs. However, I was feeling breathless and nauseous from the elevation gained. I can feel the blood pounding and pumping in my head. Unfortunately, I don’t think I beat last year’s record of 36 minutes.

One more floor to go until we reach the finishing line at the top!

The only way to get down was to get on the passenger lift. I was disappointed with the crowd management this year. Last year, transferring the participants from the finishing line to the base of the tower was very fast and smooth. We did not wait for a long time to get into the lifts. But this time, hundreds of participants ended up waiting for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or more!) in a very narrow and hot space for the lift to get us down. There were a few participants who fainted due to the heat, exhaustion, and dehydration. The poor crowd management portrayed a negative image to our country’s iconic attraction too, as there was an international participant who expressed her dissatisfaction by saying she will never participate in an event like this again.

What goes up, must come down. Or in Towerthon’s case, it might take 1 hour 15 minutes to be able to go down. Everyone was getting agitated at this point.

On a positive note, I decided to continue last year’s spirit of being a tourist in my own city. Despite being born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, I could not remember when was the last time I visited the observation deck of the KL Tower. So my friend and I took advantage of the promotional price offered and bought tickets to the open-air observation deck and a new attraction called Skybox.

Skybox is an extended platform made from glass, giving viewers an unobstructed view of the city. Just a piece of glass separating you from going 431 meters down.

Looking at KL city from a different perspective, I can’t believe this is the city that I grew up in because it looked so different from above. I felt as if I was discovering a different city. Sometimes, you don’t have to go very far to feel like you are on a mini-vacation – all you need to do is explore your own backyard.

Hello Kuala Lumpur. You look beautiful from up here.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

5 things I wish I told myself when I started running.

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Weekend Runner

I consider running as a new, serious hobby for me, since I’ve been doing it for only 2 years. However, through out my journey, there were some things that I wished I told myself 2 years ago, such as:

1. Read, research, don’t be afraid to ask questions

This book should be in every runner’s library!

Running – a simple act of putting one feet in front of the next, yet it has been heavily researched with many school of thoughts about training, form, style of running, and culture. In short, there is no clear, definitive line dividing between what’s wrong or right in the world of running. So read up and do some researches to verify what you read, because there is always something new to learn everyday.

2. Invest in the right gear

What you wear is equally important as what you put on your feet

A good pair of shoes is the most important gear for every runner. I wish that 2 years ago, I took my time to search for the right shoe to save myself from the infamous runner’s black toenail and provide the right support for my foot arch. Arguably, the 2nd most important thing for me is my hijab. Thankfully, I discovered Nashata’s range of sportswear early in my running career. Thanks to Nashata, my hijab is never an excuse or a disadvantage to my performance in any sports.

3. Take your time to train, but be committed

It’s your own race, so run at your own pace

I took up running as a serious hobby with one goal in mind: Complete the full marathon distance of 42km. So for the first 2 years of my running career, I was relentlessly chasing the mileage until my knees were starting to hurt and it took me longer to recover from a common cold. I was going too fast until I burnt out. However, if I did not set a deadline for myself, I might end up losing focus or get demotivated easily. Looking back, I realised that I should have balanced my trainings better so I am consistently training with smaller increments in mileage.

4. Cross-train, cross-train, cross-train

Stronger muscles = less injury

As stated in No. 3, I was caught up in a relentless pursuit to clock in enough mileage until I was too exhausted to cross-train. My muscles became weak, my upper body and core were not toned. If I could turn back time, I would have told myself that it’s ok to lift weights once in a while, or do some yoga to stretch out those sore muscles. Click here to read on why runners should cross-train.

5. There is more to running besides just running

Some wonderful people I met through out my running journey

The running community in Malaysia is filled with people with many backgrounds. I’ve expanded my social circle, and this has helped me open new, unexpected doors. I appreciate whom I’ve connected with right now, but I wished I took the time to connect to even more people and treat races just like another conference or networking event. You may never know who you can meet along the way, or how you might end up supporting or helping each other.

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner

Nashata

Empowering Active Lifestyle

Category Archives: Sports

11 Young Egyptian Hijabi Olympians at Rio 2016

1. Sara Ahmed, Weightlifting

2. Doaa Elghobashy, Beach Volleyball

3. Nada Meawad, Beach Volleyball

4. Fatma El Sharnouby, Athletics

5. Shimaa Hashad, Shooting

6. Hadir Mekhimar, Shooting

7. Hedaya Wahba, Taekwondo

8. Seham El Sawalhy, Taekwondo

9. Shaimaa Haridy, Weightlifting

10. Noura Mohamed, Fencing

11. Reem Mansour, Archery

CrossFit at a new Fuel Athletics gym!

#SayaPilihCergasRamadan , Anda Pula Bagaimana?

Ladies, this is for you!

“Running should be [an] empowerment, not a fear”

Most importantly, use your gut feeling and common sense. A women’s intuition is a powerful tool and it is rarely wrong, so if you feel like something is amiss, then it probably is.

Introduction to lifting techniques at Fuel Athletics

How to Choose the Right Sports Hijab

1. Fabric

2. Safety features

3. Designs

The Absolute Performance Top for Hijabi Athletes

Key features:

1. Event Shirt

2. You could simply put it on and run

Options

Lexicon Cyberjaya Duathlon – Relay Category

KL Towerthon 2016

5 things I wish I told myself when I started running.

1. Read, research, don’t be afraid to ask questions

2. Invest in the right gear

3. Take your time to train, but be committed

4. Cross-train, cross-train, cross-train

5. There is more to running besides just running