One Rising Star

“The strongest commitments are the ones you make to yourself.” November was all about fitness in Dubai with the DXB 30x30 Fitness Challenge. Despite my heavy workload, some stressful moments, a bit of illness, which all lead to some very inconsistent training and a dip in motivation and discipline, it became a month where I reminded myself that showing up is everything. I kicked off the month making a return to the Dubai running scene with a 10km race on the 1st, snagging 2nd place in my age group. It felt amazing to be back on the start line, surrounded by the buzz of the running community. Two weeks later, I tackled a 15km race. Leading up to it, I had been under the weather and barely trained, but somehow, I crossed the line and was awarded 1st place in my age group. It was a huge reminder that consistency is great, but determination counts too. I wrapped up the month with a 21km run, earning 4th place in my age group, and while I didn’t hit any personal records, it felt incredible ...

“There is no better feeling than making yourself proud.” Someone recently asked me, “What’s something small that always makes you smile?” At first, I had no idea how to answer. But after sitting with the question for a bit, I realized something: the thing that never fails to make me smile is doing something I once thought I couldn’t do. There’s a special kind of joy in surprising yourself; whether it’s traveling alone, surviving a brutal workout, or pulling yourself back up after hitting one of life’s low points. My strength, especially the kind that shows up when things get hard, never stops making me proud. This weekend, my inner strength showed up again. I had a 15 km race on my calendar, and to be honest, the timing wasn’t great. I’d been sick for a few days, hadn’t exercised, struggled with consistent sleep, and had been enduring a stressful workload. Not exactly ideal race prep. Even on race morning, I wasn’t sure if or how my body would hold up; I took some meds, sipped warm tea...

  “The beauty of running is in its simplicity; just you, your breath, and the road ahead.” After a long hiatus, I finally made my return to the Dubai running race scene! When I first lived here between 2012 and 2017, I took part in many road races and absolutely loved the local running community. Even after moving to Vietnam, I kept the momentum going for a while, completing a few 10km, 21km and even a full marathon, especially in my first year there. But as I got more into CrossFit in 2018, running gradually took a back seat. Since then, I’ve continued to run, but without the same structure, purpose, or goals I once had. That all changed a couple of months ago when I decided to reignite my running spark and even joined a few run club sessions. I’ll be honest; those group runs have really pushed me out of my comfort zone! I’ve always loved a nice, long, slow run, but short and speedy intervals? Not so much. Still, being surrounded by people who share a similar mindset, who challeng...