RIYADH: For many, summer in Saudi Arabia means lounging on the sofa with the air conditioning on and watching others play sports on TV, but those who try to do so often end up suffering from heatstroke.
However, running clubs across the kingdom are busier than ever, and there are no signs of that slowing down.
“You can be active wherever you are,” Seema Ghannam, a regular at Riyadh Road Runners Club sessions, told Arab News. “There are no restrictions on your movements wherever you go. You already have hands, arms and legs. That’s what you were born to do: keep moving.”
The Riyadh Road Runners, of various ages and nationalities, started with a warm-up and then moved on to strength training, running a few laps around the court. (Provided)
Until recently, physical activity was rare in the kingdom, except for schools and designated soccer teams. People were discouraged by the lack of facilities, proper outdoor space, and hot weather. Now, all that is changing. From the growing number of padel courts to new projects on Sports Boulevard, physical activity is on the rise, and running is no exception.
To find out how these runners maintain their routines in the heat, Arab News visited Riyadh Road Runners, founded in 1978, for one of the club’s sessions held at the Eid Villas Compound on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Runners run laps, climb stairs and complete a full-body workout.
The group, which included a variety of ages and nationalities, warmed up first, then did strength training exercises, and then ran a few laps around the court to focus on proper technique.
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Coach Amr Hafez occasionally breaks up the running with bodyweight and stair-step exercises to build endurance and strength. The session ends with a final lap around the entire compound. After a sweaty workout, the athletes jump into the pool to cool off.
Ghanam, who is also a yoga instructor and swim instructor, added running to her workout routine two years ago. She said she enjoys Hafez’s holistic approach to the body, which involves working the abs, butt, glutes and thighs.
“We focus on learning different types of running, how to run, how to place your toes, and what shoes to wear.”
Riyadh Road Runner, Eid Billa Compound. (Photo: Mayas Al-Ahmadi)
Ghannam said he likes to run outdoors because “it allows your skin and body to acclimate to the temperature.” But to manage the heat, runners should choose the time of day that works best for them, whether it's at night or early morning.
Hafez, a national sales manager for Saudi Food Company, has been a coach for Riyadh Road Runners for more than three years. He has three key rules for running in the summer: drink plenty of water, control your breathing, and — to our dismay — do high-intensity interval training.
The coach said he used martial arts moves as part of his training when he first started running, a fitness technique he learned from his first running coach.
Riyadh Road Runner, Eid Billa Compound. (Photo: Mayas Al-Ahmadi)
“Runners need to build all their muscles to be able to run at peak performance,” he said. “Combining strength and stamina helps develop long-distance running ability.”
Hafez said running had no purpose and was just a way for school coaches to punish someone when they thought they were lazy. He never imagined that he would one day run a marathon or teach others to run marathons.
“Most of my teammates couldn't even jog a kilometer when they first started,” he said.
Omar Al-Ansari, coach of Riyadh Club R7, has run six marathons. R7 runs in Wadi Hanifa, an area that offers protection from the heat.
“The promenade is naturally shaded by trees, and the breeze from the lake provides a temperature difference of about three to four degrees compared to the rest of the city,” he said.
Like the Riyadh Road Runner, R7 emphasizes staying hydrated. “Always drink water and take electrolytes to replace what you lose through sweat,” says Al-Ansari.
He also advises runners to wear bright-colored clothing, finish their workouts before sunrise or after sunset, and choose gardens or wadis as their workout locations or exercise indoors.
“And don’t forget sunscreen,” he added.
Many players told Arab News that there is now no excuse for not playing in Saudi Arabia.
“We are seeing a greater awareness across the country of the importance of having an active lifestyle, and there are ways to do this despite the challenging weather during the summer months,” Al-Ansari said.
Hafez offered a simple suggestion to Arab News: “Start by walking and go from there.”
