KNEE SURGERY DIDN’T SLOW HIM DOWN

Sometimes injuries can be a blessing in disguise. This was true for Mohamed Sherif Jallad, 25, an Abu Dhabi resident and Jordanian expat who tore his anterior cruciate ligament or ACL (one of the key ligaments that stabilises the knee joint, connecting the thigh bone to shin bone) while playing football three years ago.

Despite undergoing major surgery in 2014 and rehabilitation for one year, Mohamed did not just learn how to walk all over again — he took on more difficult and strenuous physical challenges and became a triathlete.

“Exactly a year after my injury, I participated and finished a 26km run at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club,” Mohamed told Khaleej Times. “After that, I’ve set myself to higher goals of taking more challenges to boost my selfconfidence and build my strength and endurance,” he added.

The civil engineering graduate from Sharjah University was unstoppable from that point. While juggling his time as a traffic engineer at a reputable consultancy firm in Abu Dhabi, Mohamed seriously trained for the IronMan Challenge — an arduous competition where a participant had to swim for 3.86km, then bike for 180km and finish the race by running for 42km.

“The total distance covers the entire length from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed finished his first IronMan Challenge in the Netherlands with a personal best time of 13 hours and 57 minutes. His IronMan Dubai personal best was five hours and 40 minutes, which covered half the distance of the full IronMan Challenge. He also joined a 100km ultra-trail marathon in Ras Al Khaimah and finished it in 20 hours and 20 minutes. All these feats happened in a span of two years after his ACL injury.

Now he is setting his sight to join the Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in Norway that will happen in August next year. “Only 306 international participants can join this gruelling challenge which takes place under rough weather conditions. You swim in freezing water, bike and run uphill. Your grit and endurance will be tested but we will also see amazing landscapes,” according to Mohamed.

And as part of his preparation for the ultimate triathlon, Mohamed is participating today in a 45km trail run in Kalba.

With all his achievements, Mohamed said he embraced the 30X30 Dubai Fitness Challenge without hesitation. “The initiative does not only inspire people to be active but also make them become the best version of themselves,” he said.

In his recent Ted Talk at the Indian International School in Abu Dhabi, Mohamed shared his experience on how he overcame his challenges. His favourite quote: “My soul is not contained within the limits of my body; my body is contained within the limitlessness of my soul”.

Mohamed said it’s not required for people to go to the gym to workout. “With the proper goal and motivation, they can exercise anywhere. There are many outdoor spaces where people can run, walk or do any activity,” he pointed out.