I have signed up to run the Great North Run for the NSPCC this September. It was a decision made in the early hours of a chilly January morning, a week before a coursework deadline, as a motivator to get myself in shape and generally sort my life out. It seemed the kind of thing a person with a sorted life would do. I now realise the challenge I face is much bigger than I had first anticipated,
Due to study/work commitments, a recent holiday and general idleness (i know, excuses!) my preparation for the half-marathon has been, up until now, somewhat lacking. Today we welcomed the blessed month of Ramadan, a month of elevated spirituality, and physical and mental cleansing. Though I look forward to reaping the benefits, the added pressures to train and fundraise for the event, as well as interning during the week, have made this Ramadan the most challenging yet.
So to help me keep track and continually reflect on my time, I have decided to document this month (and perhaps beyond) through this blog. Partly, this is so that I can pass on anything I learn to anyone in the same position now or in the future. Partly, it is to reach out and ask for advice from the Muslim Ummah online. Partly, it is to share my story and perhaps help my fundraising effort.
One blog post which has been particularly helpful in my preparation is How to run in Ramadan by muslimrunner. Not only does she assert that it is possible to train in Ramadan, but it can be beneficial too! She finishes the post with something to bear in mind:
Every moment of Ramadan is special, and should not be wasted feeling tired. If it becomes a battle of resources for running versus fasting, I vote for the latter because it is better to optimize Ramadan than it is to optimize running in Ramadan.
Inshallah, Ramadan will be a time when everything I do will bring me closer to Allah (swt).
shmlr 