I Decided to Succeed—or Succeed – Hossam Mohamed
My name is Hossam Mohamed, and this is my story with sports. I decided that I would either succeed or succeed. You can follow my social media accounts via the following link:
Standing at the front desk of one of Dubai’s luxury sports clubs, I reached into my wallet to pull out my credit card after a customer service representative had convinced me to take advantage of a limited-time offer for a club membership. He managed to convince me that it would be foolish to turn down such an offer, I handed him the card, and he charged me for a full year’s membership before returning my card so I could put it back in my wallet. That was probably the largest amount anyone has ever paid for a hot shower I took using the club’s facilities on my way to an event after work—and I never went back to that gym again! It later struck me as if I had made a generous donation to that gym, but in reality, I had neither the motivation nor the desire to go there to work out.
I was born in 1987 to a family of Sudanese origin and spirit. I grew up in the beautiful city of Dubai. I have traveled and moved from continent to continent, from one country to another, and from one city to the next, driven by a passion for travel and adventure that God has instilled in me. Thirty years of my life have passed, and my relationship with sports has been like two similar magnetic poles—always and forever repelling each other. I love relaxing and lounging on the couch, scrolling through social media while munching on a bag of crispy potato chips with a large glass of ice-cold soda, especially in the summer, or watching an entertaining movie while eating a quick meal (or two) from a fast-food restaurant—my relationship with those places was quite special, and my lifestyle in general was anything but healthy. Climbing stairs, even if there were only a few steps, was a challenge I dreaded facing, and I knew in advance that I’d be fighting a losing battle—one where I’d be gasping for breath, and my knees and joints would tremble with every step until I couldn’t go on, forcing me to stop and give them a little rest so they might be able to continue. I hated it when my shoelaces came undone because bending over to tie them was a situation I always wanted to avoid, As for health problems, there’s no need to beat around the bush: indigestion, high blood pressure, and diabetes struck me before I even turned forty, forcing me to visit hospitals and undergo constant follow-ups with doctors.
What attracted me most during that period was fashion and style. I liked my clothes to look as if they had just arrived from the world’s leading men’s fashion houses, but unfortunately, they were often unavailable. The sizes that fit someone of my weight—which at the time exceeded 130 kilograms—were extremely limited, that is, if they were available at all. So I was forced to settle for whatever clothes and sizes were available that suited my weight and stocky build, even if they didn’t match my taste or what I was looking for.
How long? I’ve asked myself that question many times: When will this suffering end? When will I be able to choose the clothes I like instead of buying whatever’s available? And if I’m already going through all this health-related suffering at thirty, what will it be like when I’m sixty or seventy? Is this the kind of life I’ll be living for the rest of my life?!
In early 2018, I decided to start a new chapter with the beginning of the new year. I decided to make different resolutions—not like any I’d made before. Most importantly, I wouldn’t just talk about them; my words would be backed up by action. I went to the market and bought two cooking appliances—one for grilling and the other for steaming—and made a list of the foods I would stop eating. so I’ll be saying goodbye to oils, carbohydrates, and sweets for now, hoping to enjoy them again in the future—and I truly hope that day isn’t too far off. I’ve replaced them with vegetables, fruits, and grilled meats. I was certain that the solution starts with healthy eating.
After about two months, motivated by a noticeable change in my weight, I started walking for thirty to forty-five minutes every day, Afterward, I would go back to my phone or computer and search YouTube and the internet for information on fighting obesity. I began to show greater discipline and follow a healthier diet.
One day, while I was out for a walk, I passed by that gym to which I had made a generous donation years ago. It stood proudly in the middle of a crowded street, as if looking at me defiantly and asking me sarcastically, “Do you want to support me again?” I felt the urge to defy it and join again. I went inside and signed up for a six-month membership. I walked out, looked at it defiantly, and said to myself, “The amount I just paid won’t be a new donation like the last one.”
I started at the club; the first few months focused on cardio exercises under the guidance of Ismail, a Nigerian-born fitness trainer, and then I moved on to weight training. During that time, I began participating in athletic and physical challenges organized by the organization I work for. I took part in running races, cycling races, and stair-climbing races. I didn’t like the running races; I found them exhausting, strenuous, and extremely boring.
Through my participation in numerous sports activities and events, I have formed many friendships with people in the sports community who encourage and support me to keep going and persevere—people who share my interests and love for sports and the sporting lifestyle, such as the team NavyDXB And the inspiring Captain Abdulrahman Al-Hashimi.
A few months later, I returned to running after remembering an invitation Captain Fouad Nasser had extended to me to join the team 530 RunThat team and Captain Fouad played a major role in fostering my love for running. Running along the shores of the Arabian Gulf in the early hours of dawn and enjoying the sounds of birds mingling with the sound of the waves at sunrise transformed my lifestyle, turning me into someone who loves to wake up early.
My real passion for running began when I started practicing Race In Obstacle Course Racing, running accounted for 60 to 70% of the sport. My desire to improve my running skills grew, so I joined a team that specializes in obstacle course racing. OCR Nation I met Captain Muhammad al-Balushi, who, as I later learned, was a coach specializing in running.
Captain Muhammad once asked me, “What is your goal in running?” I didn’t have an answer ready; I had never thought about a specific goal I could achieve through running. In fact, I didn’t have any goal in mind when I took up this sport. So Captain Al-Balushi helped me set an achievable goal, which is actually what helped me improve my performance in this sport. This happened after I hired him as my personal trainer; I listened to his guidance and learned from his experience and knowledge.
With Captain Muhammad’s help, I participated in 5-kilometer, 10-kilometer, 16-kilometer, and half-marathon races, followed by trail runs in the mountains and the desert, until I completed one of the toughest 25-kilometer desert races in early 2021, marking the start of a new challenge this year.
Today, I weigh eighty-five kilograms—having lost 50 kilograms from my previous weight—and I’m living a healthy life in a sports-oriented community that has taught me to start my day on a regular basis. Through this community, I’ve met many remarkable people who have had a positive impact on my life, They have been a source of inspiration and motivation for me to join them in their challenges and push myself by participating in exciting and crazy races.
Sports and I have become like two magnetic poles drawn to each other; it has become my passion after having been my worst enemy for so many years. I love practicing it, and I love helping anyone who wants to practice it and motivating them to reach their goals. It may seem difficult and tiring at first, but once you set foot on this path, you’ll never be able to turn back.
I am very happy to say that I succeeded when I decided that I would either succeed or succeed. My relationship with doctors and hospitals was limited to routine checkups and tests, after sports took over my life and my free time, giving me the strength, determination, and physique I had always wanted.
It’s impossible to describe the joy that comes from exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle, and what’s even better is sharing it with anyone who needs a word of encouragement or a helping hand to start a whole new chapter—just like the one I began at the start of 2018.
What lies ahead is always better, God willing.
Read more on Run Sameh Al-Zaghou's Story with Running – From the Hospital Bed to the Podium
