About Running

I have always been a sports person. In general, I follow a lot of sports, and I have practiced a few of them. However, running is my passion, though I started it late in my life, around the age of 27, but I was good, really good. I was fast and fit, with a low ratio of injuries, and I was capable of completing challenges andraces even without training. Over the years, it has become more of a way of life rather than a hobby.

14 years since I did my PB
and I was way more fit.

In my opinion, what made me resist and continue running was knowing my limitations, capabilities, and understanding my body. For example, sometimes I would stop in the middle of training if I felt I was not ready, or skip an early run if I needed more sleep. To me, I love running and enjoy it, so I do not want to suffer while practicing something I like. This strategy has helped me complete all my 11 marathons under four hours and achieve a personal best of 3h25m with minimal training, as well as completing a full marathon two hours after arriving from the airport following a full night flight. Anyway, I might write sometime about my marathon experiences in detail.

However, according to what I said before, I must admit I am not the same anymore. I am still running, but less than before due to many reasons and changes in my life, especially after I moved to Bucharest. I had some other priorities now, and this took a lot of my time away from running. In addition, some of my friends, with whom I used to run, have either moved, stopped running, or changed their schedules. After a period of time, I lost much of my speed, put on some weight, and at one point I thought it was enough, but my body refused the idea, which made me hope that I would find the spark to run as I did before.

DTiA Team

That spark appeared in the last few months through two things. The first and most important aspect was finding a running group that looks like me. My first running group no longer exists, and although there are many running communities here, I didn’t join any of them for various reasons—timing, concept, place of gathering, etc(1). Until I met my current group, “Descoperă Tara în Alergare,” (DTiA)(2) which means “Discover the country by running.” It’s a passionate group of runners, who, as the name suggests, run every weekend in different cities, discovering hidden gems of the country through long runs. I haven’t participated in any of these long runs yet due to other obligations during the weekend, but I join the runs every Tuesday in a nearby park. I always preferred running in groups, and this group, has motivated me to find time to run more and maintain the intensity. This weekly run and the book have reignited my passion.

Photo from the web.

The second was reading Haruki Murakami’s memoir, “What Do I Talk About When I Talk About Running.” It’s a warm, simple autobiography about his running experiences. Murakami’s straightforward style and detailed insights make it feel like every runner's story—like an old song everyone listens to and feels it’s talking about themselves. The book included many ideas and experiences I have had before or think about, such as how he describes the memory of muscles, which I completely agree with. The book was recommended to me long ago by an old running buddy of mine, Renald—by the way, if Renald ever reads this, I don’t mean “old” by age but by the time we’ve known each other. We are forever young, my friend. Although I wanted to read it for over ten years, I only recently got the chance. I really recommend this light-hearted memoire to every runner.

The writer also mentioned that he is moving to triathlon instead of long-distance running, which is exactly what I am planning to do. I just need to organize my time.

In Christopher McDougall’s masterpiece “Born to Run”, he discusses the “Khanouchi curve” with Dr. Bramble. Paraphrasing their conversation, Dr. Bramble asked, “From the age of 19, a runner starts improving until they reach their peak at 27. After this, they start declining. So, here is the question: At what age are you back to running the same speed you did at 19?” The answer was 64.(3)

I have always dreamed of participating in the Ironman competition. However, at some point, I gave up on this dream. But now, due to all the reasons I mentioned above, I think I still have time to do it. What do you think?

 **********************************

1- I have already wrote an article about the running groups and partners that I have ran with them under the title “A decade of running” and I still owe them all for the great times we shared.

2- Descoprta Tara in Alergare (DTiA) define themselves on their Facebook page as proposes adventures in new and fascinating places, where you can discover the beauties of Romania while running. Whether it's a trip to the sea, in the mountains, through the plains or even in unfavorable weather such as rain or snow, each run is an opportunity to explore and experience moments of bliss in the middle of nature.(Translated from Romanian by Google Translate).

3-Another Running Book favorite, I just used a summarized the conversation, to read the whole paragraph please refer to “Born to Run” by Christopher Mcdougall edition 2009 Page 239.

A tribute to the friend of all runners.

Photo from Radu's facebook

I always loved to write about running as much as I loved the running itself. Howerver, I never thought Iwould be writing this about a great, young talented photographer whom I met during races and I really cannot find the words to say.

I have met Radu Cristi few times, we have spoke maybe once or twice, maybe others did not knew him at all, but everybody knew that there was an awesome person, waiting for them on the streets no matter if it is hot or cold, if it is sunny, or rainy or snowing. Everybody knew that at the end of the day, when they will go home, rest and then open their laptops or smart phones they will find a load of perfect photos of them. These were all taken by Radu. 

Dear Radu, you will be missed by everyone, your friends will miss you, those who did not know you will miss you, the streets, the mountains, the slops, and every corner where you stood or lied will be missing you. 

Photo from Radu's facebook

In every race we run, we will remember you, we will remember that somewhere you would have been there taking your great photos and putting a smile on faces. You used to bring joy to everyone, your photos were part of our races. 

Rest in peace my friend, I hope you found your inner peace. Rest assured that you left a legacy that runners will never forget and always9 we will believe that you are there with your camera.

Until we meet again ....

In the loving memory of Radu Cristi, a great photographer and every runner's friend. (Photo from Radu's Facebook).

A decade of running

 

September 2010, my first ever Marathon training

"We spent the most days of our lives running. During the war*, when the fights were starting we ran from our homes to the safe houses. When the fights were stopping, we ran back to our houses to check the damage. We ran to our schools and we ran back from the schools to avoid the fights. After the war, we had to run for other things. When the electricity comes on, we run to turn on water boilers. When the electricity goes off, we had to run within three seconds to turn the boiler off, before the "ishtirak"** comes on, otherwise it will switch off. If it happened and you did not make it on time, then you have to run down, to switch the "ishtirak" on again and run back home to continue watching your favorite TV show which you had already lost at least 10 minutes running between boiler and ishtirak"! (from the speech of coach Walid Kabbani, opening ceremony of Beirut542 training program second addition,2015).

Actually by now, I have already been running for more than a decade, I would say I have started "serious" running and training by the end of 2009 when I registered for my first 10km race with Beirut Marathon Association, but in fact I started much earlier before when I was in Saudi Arabia and I did my first relay race. It was back in 2007 but then it took me till 2009 to register for a race again and meet some runners and start a new journey that I did not expect it to be so rich and full of new experiences and relations that will shape my character and the way I view things.

At one of the marathons'
finish line

So here I am, trying to summarize my whole experience from the first race to the last
marathon and how things have changed from the beginning till now, I will not say the end because till the moment I am blessed to be still running, though I am running with different perspectives now.

More than a decade ago I ran my first race in Bahrain, it was the race that introduced me to new atmosphere and to new beautiful people whom I am still in contact with such as Kerrie, Bettie, Marvin, Garry and others.

In a decade of running, I have done 11 Marathons, tens half marathons and countless races, I have joined the Elite Running Club in Beirut and met all those beautiful people and friends, then I moved to Romania and running helped me to adapt to life there and meet new people. 

Dr. Khalifeh to the left

In a decade of running I should mention the president of the club Dr. Ahmad Khalife. To
me, he is much more than this, he is my mentor whom I learned a lot from him about running and about clubs, a friend, a big brother, a coach. A man with whom I experienced a lot together, a man with whom we had a lot of ups and downs. We agreed on a lot of things, we disagreed on a lot others, but he will always be the same to me, the mentor and the friend and the reference that I always return to.

Dr. Hayek Group, its NOT
all about Running
 (Fadi in the middle)

In a decade of running, I did many challenging races, from races in places with temperature over 30 degrees to places full of ice and snow in less than zero Celsius temperature, from streets to fields to mountains to desert***. Running introduced me to Doctor Fadi Hayek, a man who had a great impact on me and whom I cannot describe the admiration and love to him. Literally, he is a charismatic man, you cannot ignore his presence, a sharp mind, a smart person and the funniest if he wants, also the most serious when he wants. A brilliant and respected surgeon and the most humble person in the same time, a man who knows me well, who can easily predict what I am feeling or what I am thinking, and he is always right about this, and of course, whenever I need an advice, he is the first to contact. And not to forget he is the one behind our hilarious group whom everybody wants to join the "Association of Young & Old Running Athletes". It is a fun group for running easy, quiet with no target no pressure just have fun of course everybody can join the run but not the group -according to the strict rules- it is only limited to 7 amazing members in addition to Fadi and me, there are Chadi, Ahmed Chmaitelly, Wissam and Maroun. 

A run in the snow
with Alergarea de seara

In this decade of running I moved to Romania, I reside in Bucharest and there I did a lot of races and marathons, I ran in snow and I ran in cold and I ran in forests. Running was always a nice experience here especially in the parks that are found all over the city especially my "all runs" favourite "Herastrau park" and its famous lake. Here, I also made a lot of friends beginning with Bogdan, the first guy whom I met in running, we are still friends and our families became friends Alice, Cornelia and Emma. I also met Florin the man behind the TTR or time trial running, one of my favourite running challenges. Florin is a man whom you can take as an example for fighting and standing up in life due to the story of his son Pavel whom he had to do many heart surgeries and he was still less than two years old, but they fought together and stood up together and Pavel is much more better now (he is almost seven years old by now, I guess). Among the friends too, there are Stefan, who almost knows all the running groups in the city he will tell you everything you need to know about them and we are still running together from time to time and finally Ovidiu Simon, a dear friend whom we had a lot of runs together and the passion and love for running that he has I have never saw it in anyone else, really Ovidiu runs each time as if it was his first run ever. 

Harald, me, Renald

I also had the pleasure to run with the "Alergarea de Searea" group or "The evening running group", I still run with them from time to time whenever I can. The group is formed by Andreea and thanks to her you can always meet new people and join them after each run to have a drink or eat something at a nearby restaurant. And thanks to Andreea and the group I met amazing people such as Harald with whom I did the best, toughest and fastest runs ever, I never enjoyed running as much as I enjoyed it with him, because it was never easy and we were always fast and we would run even "if it was raining dogs and bears". Daniel, who was the best partner when you want a calm easy run and a good conversation after, and we are still in contact though he had left to Canada and also our other Canadian friend Renald, the super star, the cosmopolitan citizen and the traveller of the world and the best partner for almost everything: cinema, drink, run, lunch, dinner, breakfast, party, whatever, he will always be first choice, unfortunately he also left too to his country, but I am still in contact with him.

Special needs team:
 Ahmad third to the left

In a decade of running, I have developed my passion for running to a skill in many different
ways, the marathon had gave a lot of experience and I had the pleasure to work in two projects with Beirut Marathon association which enhanced my experience and shaped my personality in many ways, first project was in 2012, I was responsible for the training and support of the special needs athletes, an experience that introduced me to special athletes with super powers. Thus, I had the chance to meet Ahmad Ghoul, one of the Lebanese champs of Hand cycle and a firefighter, Ahmad also joined me twice in Bucharest Marathon ( I had a previous article about our run in Bucharest). The experience with the Special needs was one of kind because it’s for people with strong minds and mentalities. The other experience was in 2015, when I was responsible for the second edition of the 542 training program, a program for preparing new athletes to cross the marathon's finish line for the first time. That was a lifetime experience, I was in touch with coaches, runners, clubs, companies, volunteers, charities,

Walid to the left

etc... At this stage running has become to me more than just training and running, but rather a responsibility at this stage I believe that one of the benefits of the program was strengthening the bonds with a dear friend and running partner, Walid Kabbani. If I have to describe running with him in one word simply it will be "Quality". Walid is a man who worships sports, it is found in his blood and he enjoys it to the maximum level and he transmits this passion to all those who train with him. In addition, the quality time, including all the outings we had together away from the running field and the discussions we had. If I had to take an example in running simply it will be Walid.

Finally, in a decade of running a lot had changed for me, from someone who used to run on
temporary basis like in football games or sports class in school, to someone who runs on regular and permanent basis. Running now is not only a hobby and passion, but is became a life style and part of my daily routine, I may not run and train for competitions now, but I run because I got also accustomed to it, it is not only physical activity but it may also include researched and reading and managing and preparing etc. ... 

Running had introduced me to a lot of people and friends from different countries and I am sorry I did not mention everybody otherwise I will not finish writing. But people like Rabih Khalil a unique person you never find a friend like him. Lamis, Nadia, Joumana, Joe, Mohammed Tabbara, Jackie, the Cairo Runners like Amr Ismail, Moustapha Mouneer, and Ahmad Saaddine, they all left their finger print in a way or another.

Left to right: Imad, Wissam,
me, Samer.

The last words goes to my forever friends, Samer Hijazi, Imad Wehbe and Wissam Akiki.
Most of us spent a life time searching for real friends and they may never find them. Personally, I am in contact with those guys on daily basis, my day would not be complete without talking to them at least once per day. There are the ones who I refer to whenever I need help, they are the guys whom I am sure they will back me up when needed, whom I share my secrets with, whom I will trust them for anything, they are simply my real friends and forever, and how did I meet them? I met them after a decade of running...

* War in Lebanon: we had a civil war that lasted 15 years from 1975 till 1990 and we are still suffering its consequences.

**Ishtirak: We still also suffer from electricity going on & off all the time. So there are private generators, you pay a monthly subscription fee. Subscription in arabic means Ishtirak.

*** Please do not mix with desert races that are ultra marathons for 250km and above. I ran a race in the desert and not a desert race, it was my first ever race in Bahrain but it was a relay I only did 6km divided on two legs each 3km. 

My Race To the Moon

*This article is dedicated to my aunt Qamar, may her soul rest in Peace...

   In the time I decided to start running, it was a personal decision not related to anything else, I started running simply because I love it. I did not run to forget my problems, I did not run "to run away" from something, I did not run to feel special, I did not run to be famous, I did not run to win races and be a champion. Simply I run just because I love it, nothing more nothing less...

They say, each one of us has a gift, and I think my gift is running, luckily, I am able to run and still achieve good results with or without training.

My shirt for the 2018 Marathon
with Qamar's name on it.

       From this point of view, though my inspiration for running was Terry Fox, I never ran to support someone, or a charity, or anything else, especially recently with all these events around and runners running for a cause and raising funds etc ... I mean, please do not understand me wrong, but in the era of social media, there are a lot of events and runners that support a certain cause, however in my opinion, it is more a show-off. **

       Nevertheless, there are a lot of really dedicated charities and runners, that I, myself supported and I actually ran for them like the Champs Fund whom will always have my support, the champ Ali Kedami among the most devoted runners and I also have to mention a dear friend Marry Kleiany who is behind "Run with Vision" for supporting blind runners. In addition, I dedicated my personal best in the 2011 marathon to my cousin who had a severe injury, and more recently I dedicated my past long race to my late auntie whom I am going to talk about in this article.

       Aunty Qamar (Qamar means "The Moon" in Arabic) was my mother's sister, she was a lovely person, a smiling face, a person who you look at, simply given that she will always give you that positive feeling of relaxation. She will make you smile in your worst conditions and she was also a great cook.

       Despite all the difficulties and hard times she had, she never complained, she was always the happy, optimistic face spreading all those positive vibes around.

In the winter of 2018, Qamar -our moon- was diagnosed with cancer, and a new chapter in her life and consequently our lives, started. This was the last thing we expected but it happened, and ironically, she was the calmest among all of us and simply decided to take the treatment and continue her life as if nothing happened. We always thought that she was the most fragile, but in fact she was the strongest among all of us.

Crossing the finish line,
Raingin my hands towards
Her soul in the sky.

       In 2018, a group of my friends decided to go with me to take part in Bucharest International Marathon held on October each year. Honestly, I was not so enthusiastic to do a marathon. After crossing 10 finish lines, five times for marathons during a period of 12 months, I felt I need a rest, so I was hesitating to register especially that I was really not preparing at all, the maximum run I did was 28 km and I was skipping a lot of training days. At the end, I decided to go for it. Believe it or not, the reason I registered for another marathon was just because Qamar was fighting and I decided to do it without the minimum training to show her that we can do it, we can fight... I was doing what I did not believe others were doing...

       Unfortunately, the unexpected happened, her health deteriorated after few months.  What we hadn’t known before is that her sickness was discovered in its later stages, which meant limited options. In October, 11th, 2018, in the day of travelling to Bucharest, I received the sad news. Qamar had passed away. She died in her bed peacefully and smiling as usual.

       It was the most horrible moment for me, I wish no one would ever go through it. Death is really the worst that could ever happen, in whatever your conditions were! I wanted to cancel my flight and the race, but my wife was waiting for me in Bucharest, a group of running friends were also preparing to travel with me, I had an obligation towards them especially that I was responsible for the whole plan, the registration, the flight, hotel reservation etc ... 

       I had few hours to think before travelling, I went to say goodbye to her. There was her little family, and to my surprise, they asked me if I was prepared to travel. I was not, I did not want, but they just cheered me up, they already knew what the plan was and how everything was going. So, at night, I said my goodbye to her, prepared myself and off to the airport with a broken heart.

       On the race day, it was strange, I felt guilty and I still have this felling from time to

Qamar Shehoury (1960-2018)

time whenever I think about it, but I am sure that she would have told me to go as her family did. I added her name to my BIB number and I was able to cross the finish line within four hours- a timing I did not expect. My race was dedicated to her, with all what it means or it does not mean. But this was my 11th and last marathon so far. I wanted to be the last memory of my marathons, whether I will take part again in marathons or not I do not know yet, but I am still running, and I always remember my 11th marathon. My race for Qamar, my race to the Moon.

*In the memory of Qamar Shehoury, who passed away on October 11, 2018.

**This is totally my own personal point of view, it is not a hint towards anyone personally, it is just a subjective point of view, it may be wrong or it may be right!

2016: My double finish line.

Beirut Marathon 2015: Photo Source: BMA facebook page

The best is to start from where I finished last time, last time I was crossing the finish line (2015) 65 times through my heart and not through my legs, being part of the Beirut542 training program. Nevertheless, until this moment it still hurts me not running the marathon.

Anyway, I was looking forward towards this year Beirut Marathon hoping that I will be able to achieve a good result and keep my record under four hours especially that it would be more than a year without a marathon and thus my ability to face a full marathon may be affected.

My season started by receiving a call from the Beirut Marathon Association to be part of the Beirut542 again, unfortunately because of several reasons I could not be a part of the project this year –running the marathon was one of them- hence, it seems I got attached to the project and this is a matter I will mention later.

I should mention here that I was supposed to do my sixth marathon this year. Usually I do not opt to do it more than once per year but what I did not know is that I was going to break my own rules this year.

I started my marathon training as usual in the first of September, training four days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and long runs on Sunday). Everything was going as

During Bucharest International Marathon 2016
Photo Source: Bucharest Running CLub

normal until I decided to travel to Bucharest on the 9^th of October. By that time, my longest run was 28km and I was supposed to do my 32km. I arrived to Bucharest on the morning of Sunday October 9^th, at six in the morning, having slept only half an hour during the night, just to find that it was the day of the marathon. Without thinking I went to the marathon’s expo. For my good luck they were still taking registrations. I simply registered and managed to do it in 03h59m keeping my timing under four hours. Honestly, my initial plan was to do my 32km training and for the rest whatever it happens, but it all turned out well.

Returning to Beirut, a dear friend of mine Jihad Shouaib who was one of the new coaches in Beirut542-third edition, contacted me to help him in training his team because he had to travel urgently to Canada. As a result, I found myself a part of the Beirut542 programonce again.

To be clear, I never considered myself a coach and I do not think I will ever be. I rather

Beirut542 Team-Jihad

prefer to be in the logistics and administration work rather than coaching. Coaching is a huge responsibility; you need to prepare people mentally and physically and follow up with their training, their fitness, etc. … Coaching really needs people who are dedicated to it, people who have a positive effect and have the influence to motivate others and make them follow their motivation.

In addition, the team’s training was different than my own training. It was difficult for me to change to the 542 training or make them switch to my training. So what I did it was doing both trainings, I did my training when I was with my team the “Elite Running Club” and I did the 542 training when I was with Jihad’s team. I must admit that it was not an easy task because combining the two programs ruined my training because I had to mix between “beginners program” and “advanced program”.

The Elite Running Club
Photo Source: Elite Running Club facebook page

In fact, I enjoyed this new experience, the lads in the 542 team were all fresh runners some of them were sporty guys and others have not run at all before. The common link between them was the enthusiasm and excitement to do their first ever marathon; in a way or another, they loaded me with the same excitement they were feeling, as if it was my first marathon. My excitement was almost the same as Ranwa, Saad, Khodr, Roland, Nisreen, Lama, Maha, Mario, Rayan and the rest of the team – I am sorry I could not mention all the names, I mentioned those which came first to my mind.

Me & Joe during the race
Photo source: ERC fb page

On the personal level, I did not have a lot of expectations, I was not thinking of making a new personal best but I still wanted to do it under four hours, so my estimated time was between 03h40m to 03h50m though my dream was to do it in 03h30. Before the race a lot of friends wanted to run with me because they wanted to do it in less than four hours, this aspect having put additional pressure on me and though I am usually not stressed it was the first time I feel the stress because I was thinking of the big responsibility towards those friends, what if something happened with me during the race and I could not continue? What if my estimation was wrong and I was not able to do it under four hour?

Anyway, on the race’s day only one person stayed with me. Joe Daoud, ran with me till the

Photo Source: Elite Running Club Page

36^thkm and then he had some cramps, luckily he managed to finish his race. As for me, I also did great and I finished my race in 03h 48m, a time that falls in my estimated range. (I will explain my race course in another article later). I finished two marathons in the course of one month, I think it was the best compensation for my 2015 marathon. And finally, I should not forget to mention that all the runners of 542-Team Jihad managed to cross the finish line in their first marathon. In summary: “Mission Accomplished”.

My Weirdest Marathon”BDL Beirut International Marathon 2015”: The Day I crossed the Finish Line 65 times.

"Beirut542" First Photo (Photo Credit: Ali Itani)

Weird is the only word that can describe my participation in the marathon this year. First of all, I decided to put an end to my disappointment in the last three years when I suffered from the lack of training. Thus, I had an objectiveto break my PB, registered in 2011 (03h25m). So I started setting the plans and a training program for this goal.

Then suddenly, I received a call from WissamTerro the “Race Director” at the “Beirut Marathon Association” asking me to handle the “Beirut542 Training Program”. I met him and Mary Anne Ballouz the “Race Consultant” and finally met Khalil Khatib the “CEO” and yes, I was assigned for the project. The project would change my life forever, running will not be only a sport and a hobby for me, but a mission in life.

From Left to Right: Coaches Alma, Mickey, Kathia & Ali (Ali Itani)

“The Beirut542 Training Program” is a four months program that aims to prepare and train new runners who want to run the marathon for the first time in their lives. Some of them have never ever run before, not even a kilometer.  It was not an easy task because running a marathon needs a lot of physical and mental preparation.

The project got its name simply because it was done in Beirut with the assistance of five coaches, who will prepare five groups of runners to do the Forty Two kilometers. It was the second edition of the program, after the first one launched in 2014 and the number of participants this year was almost triple compared to the first edition.

I had to follow up with a huge number of runners and coaches that exceeded at times 150 persons, a huge number that even some clubs do not have it. I was responsible to follow up with all details concerning the program, to follow up with the training and the progress of the runners and to coordinate with the media when they want to interview one of the runners or coaches, to set the routes the runners will take on their long runs, to follow up with doctors who will examine the injured runners. Not the least, I was in charge to provide with water for the runners, to set logistics for any event taking place regarding the project, like filming and much more other things.

On the other hand, I was still preparing for my own marathon, at the time the program started I was supposed to run the race so, I was still training, though due to the new circumstances I could not train on a regular basis so my objective of breaking my PB vanished. But still, I was happy I was going to run my sixth consecutive marathon.

My first, last and only run with the 542 (by: Ali Itani)

In addition, I was not able to do my Sunday Long runs, not even when the 542 persons did it, because while they were running I had to be found all around the track to check that everything is going all right. I did my long runs on Saturdays, thus, hitting many targets in one shot, I used to draw the long run’s course during the week and ran it on Saturday to check if the distance is accurate, the road is ok, the points for the water stations and most important safety of the road. It was hectic and boring sometimes – or most of the time- because I was running alone, so I had to carry by myself my phone and keep some money with me to buy water and refreshments. After finishing the run I had to compare the road I drew to the road I actually ran, in order to check if they are compatible and afterwards to make the necessary updates.

Me, Joseph in the middle and Mohammed
to the right (Photo by: Ali Itani)

I have to mention here, that each Sunday I had Joseph and Mohammad with me. Joseph from the BMA used to prepare the water stations, while Mohammad was with me all the way helping me during the run. Just four weeks before the race we had a dramatic incident when Joseph fell down and broke his hip; that moment I felt that mine was broken too, because work has been doubled now and Joseph was an expert in his job. Luckily, Joseph returned after one month, on the day of the marathon, his quick healing was a real miracle, I think it was the marathon’s spirit.

This is from the logistics and organizational side, but what about the other side? I mean the part when you have to interact with runners, to listen to them, talk to them, run with them and cheer them up. That was the interesting part of the 542. In other words, my duties were not limited to the logistics and the administrative part only, but also there was another more important task, it was keeping in touch with all the runners, listen to them, talk to them and give them advice, if it is necessary.

Team's Breifing with coaches (Ali Itani)

At the beginning there were 137 runners, all of them were excited to run the marathon, but, many of them did not know what a marathon means, how much dedication you need to put into training and the changes in life style you have to do, in order to be fit for the “D Day”. So, some runners - unfortunately- started dropping the program, it was really sad for me to see some people quitting.  It was my job here to contact them, to ask what are the reasons, and tried to get them back to the training, sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed. One of the examples is two sisters who were not as fast as others, this fact was disappointing for them, at a certain point they decided to stop. But after a small talk one of them decided to continue the training, while the other was not sure especially with the hard work conditions she had, it was a big surprise for me to see them both starting and finishing the marathon under the 542 name.

During one of the training (Ali Itani)

There are other cases when I was contacted by runners who wanted to quit, because they felt they cannot do it, they are slow, they are not fit, and many other reasons, but I managed to raise their spirit up and get them back to training and accordingly to the start line. I have also to mention here the great role the coaches played in this fact by cheering up their runners, at the end they were the ones who prepared them for running. In summary, the number of runners who quit the programs because they “think” they cannot run a marathon was only three runners out of 137.

As I mentioned before, I was preparing alone for the marathon, I had a goal to break my PB, well, this will not happen this year. One week before the race, Wissam informed me that I cannot run the race, because I had to be on the course to follow up with the cheering buses and the runners on the road, of course it was a big shock to me, this was going to be my 6^th consecutive marathon and the only one for this year, if I did not do it then I would not have run any marathon in 2015. After long talks with Wissam, the decision was confirmed, no marathon for me.

It was really a week of grief for me, after months of preparations, I cannot express my feelings but I am sure that every marathon runner knows how I felt. Until one of my friends Andrew, an Irish gentleman who lives in Tyre, South of Lebanon and came to Beirut especially to run the marathon told me after he heard the story: “Cheer up man, you are doing a great job, you are a man who carry a message of making other people run, without you they would not have been able to do it. You cannot think of yourself now, but think of those people. You should be proud of yourself and you will run the marathon later”.

With Andrew on the marathon's day

The words of Andrew were like magic, I still feel thankful to him, because he was right, I need not to think of myself right now, but to think of the last 66 runners remaining in the program.

The race’s day came, everything was prepared, I had to be on the road with the families and friends of the 542, we had several stops on the road to cheer them up, I was afraid and scared and I had the same feeling I had during my first marathon. With every one of them I felt myself running, I wanted to leave everything and run with them but this was not my marathon, it was my mission and my responsibility towards the runners, their worried families and the Association who put their trust in me. I felt that those runners were also running for me, I found myself in each one of them.

Our last station was the finish line, I forgot about myself, honestly, there were some runners whom I did not expect them to cross the finish line, but fortunately, I was completely wrong, they all did it, with each of them, especially with the late ones I was flying, I don’t think it would be the same if I was running the marathon myself. In the marathon you cross the Finish Line once, this time I felt I crossed it 65 times. Unfortunately, only one runner out of the 66 could not finish the race, due to a sudden injury. Well, I think I was the luckiest guy that day.

Finally, the “Beirut 542 Training Program 2015” is over, but it left something in me which will last forever, it gave me a new meaning for running, it gave me the feeling that there are a lot of things to do with this sport, more that training and participating in races. I feel now that running is a mission rather than a hobby you practice in the free time. It gave me the feeling of being responsible toward a wide range of people especially the young ones and those who lack the courage to start running.

In a country where everything is “Politicized”, it is very hard to organize a successful event that gathers all people together and the Beirut Marathon did. The efforts of everybody in the “Beirut Marathon Association” especially the President, Mrs. May El Khalil, make it happen.  Simply, because they believed in this, believed that they have a mission and believed that running is a message. They succeeded, we succeeded and everybody crossed the Finish Line.

The Finish Line Photo Mrs. El Khalil first raw seated, the fourth to the left,
MaryAnne Ballouz first raw seated, the third to the left
(photo credit: Ali Itani)

The Secrets of Running a Marathon

When I was selected for the Beirut542 program, the first thing that crossed my mind was my early running days. Though I was – and still I am – a sportsperson, my connection with running began when I participated in a relay race eight years ago. From that point, I had started a new chapter in my life.

It was year 2007, and I was living in a country where entertainment options were limited. There was an announcement regarding an upcoming relay race; shortly after the announcement, I registered. I had to run one leg (Leg – three-kilometers). To my surprise after three months of training, I was chosen to be part of the “Pearl Team”, a top team that belongs to the company I worked for. I managed to run two legs, and my team was the 8th overall of 275 teams from all around the area.

I returned to Lebanon in 2008; unfortunately, it was too late for me to join and participate in the forthcoming marathon. However, the idea and the love of running were already instilled in my mind. The first thing I did in the 2009 marathon’s season was call the Beirut Marathon Association, whom – thankfully – introduced me to the running group that is preparing for the marathon.

In short, during that time I was only considering running once, I did not think I would keep running after the race ends. I ran the 10-kilometer race in 2009, I joined the trainings in the last three weeks and I was able to do it. In 2010, I said to myself: “OK, you’ll do the marathon, and that’s it”. I had a lot of feelings during that moment, enthusiasm mixed with fear and love for the adventure I was about to embark on. I was afraid that I will not be able to reach the finish line, but I was eager to discover the secrets of the marathon. Why do people wait for such an event? Why put so much effort into participating in a single run, that could cause so much pain?

Up to this moment, I have run five marathons and am currently preparing for the sixth, more than 10 half marathons and countless races ranging between 5-16 kilometers.

What I like most about the Beirut542 program is that it revived the passion of running in me, or in other words, it was revitalized again. With each new program participant, I see the same enthusiasm, passion, fear, and eagerness to discover the secrets of the marathon. This is a secret that I will not reveal as each runner deserves that opportunity, and after a few months from now, they will get their chance.


                                        Published by Beirut Marathon Association on August, 17th, 2015
                            http://www.beirutmarathonblog.com/the-secrets-of-running-a-marathon/