03.24.08
After the NBK Walkathon
It wouldn’t be fair of me to encourage people to join the NBK (National Bank of Kuwait) Walkathon without letting them know how the experience was!
For those who didn’t join, they’ve certainly missed out…
As I’ve already mentioned in my previous article, there is more to the walkathon than meets the eye (or greets the foot). It’s not simply a physical exercise, but an exercise in trying out something new, and being prepared to push your limits. We can easily become accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and fear anything that’s not part of our routine. And although I participated last year, I still felt that it’s a new experience for me, and was excited about it as the month of March approached!
All my preparation for the race was at night, and I was worried that I might not be able to handle the afternoon sun on the day of the race. But the weather was perfect for the race. It was a sunny day, but there was a cool wind as well that made walking a joy.
The feeling of taking part in a race is very different to walking on your own. The fact that hundreds of people are walking together towards a common goal is very motivating for me. It would have been nicer if people shared the same spiritual goal of doing their best, but the fact that many participants were keen on cheating wasn’t very pleasant.
When I finished the race I felt a sense of accomplishment, and wanted to continue walking. The weather was still beautiful and the experience was great. I wanted to walk back to the starting point, but knew that it would take much longer going back. A few short minutes later my excitement dropped and I realised how tired I was, so I willingly hitched a ride with my sister 
Looking back at the experience, I know now that I can powerwalk faster than most participants, but couldn’t keep it up for a long time. Had I practiced more, things would have been different. I also realised that I’ve had better days in terms of my energy levels, and I should have determined what I’ve done in the past to boost my energy levels, and replicated the same conditions.
As for the organization of the event, the only suggestion I would make is for the referees to immediately disqualify anyone caught cheating, rather than to simply take their numbers down. When people register for the event, they should be told that their bibs will be confiscated if they are disqualified. That way, they won’t be surprised if they are asked to hand over their number. This will give more encouragement for other participants, especially when they see 50 or more people in front of them close to the finish line, but they don’t realise how many of them will be disqualified.
I personally didn’t give my number at the finish line, because I thought there were too many people in front of me that there was no point in wasting my time.
For those who opted out, I would certainly encourage them to reconsider their positions for next year.
Computerchi said,
March 30, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I was tempted to join this year, in fact I was determined. Alas, I had a business trip during the same time. I hope to be part of this event next year inshallah. Your inspiring writing makes even more enticing.
Haider said,
March 31, 2008 at 11:22 am
I’m happy to hear that you were inspired to join to begin with, and happier to know that you found the posts inspiring
See you in the walkathon next year (and hopefully a few more times before it!!)