Emirati finishes 75-hour run to raise funds for cancer patients
abu dhabi — After 75 grueling hours of running from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi, Dr Khalid Al Suwaidi completed a mind-blowing 327-kilometre run, as he finally reached the finish line at Zayed Port on Tuesday afternoon, proudly holding up the UAE flag.
The 34-year-old executive director at Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), is now also holding the title as the first Emirati to run from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi.
Dr Al Suwaidi’s three-day Rahma Run from Fujairah began at 6am on Saturday, in an attempt to raise awareness for Cancer Patient Care Society Rahma, while also coinciding with the celebrations of the Year of Zayed 2018.
Upon his arrival at Zayed Port on Tuesday, he was greeted by Major-General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Commander-in-Chief of the Abu Dhabi Police; Dr Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi, director-general of ECSSR; and other senior officials as well as his family and friends.
“I don’t call this a run, I call this a mental challenge,” said Dr Al Suwaidi, moments after his arrival.
“I was able to leave Abu Dhabi by car and come back by foot. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me a lot about who I am as an Emirati.
“I got to see my country by foot,” he added.
Dr Al Suwaidi said the 75 hours taught him experiences that he will never forget.
“There is a slight comparison between cancer and surviving an ultra-run marathon of this kind, and that is, the only way going is going forward.”
He highlighted that through any battle in life, whether it is illness or endurance, one must not give up.
“Cancer is such a treacherous disease and it wants to beat you at any chance it gets, and if you give up, it will succeed.”
Dr Al Suwaidi pointed out that he faced similar situations during his last three days. “It tried to beat me and knock me down
There is a slight comparison between cancer and surviving an ultra-run marathon of this kind, and that is, the only way going is going forward.” Dr Khalid Al Suwaidi
many times because I was continuously moving.”
However, he said he is proud to have reached his goal and become the first Emirati to run from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi.
The father-of-two said the challenge certainly taught him a lot, about himself. “Every time it tried to break me, I kept on going forward, and that is the message I want to share with everyone.
“In life, there will be many situations where things won’t happen your way, and maybe some things will try to break you. But it’s how you get up and recover.
“It’s difficult and sometimes it’s easy to quit, but its 10 times better when you face it, because it makes you grow as a person.”
He stressed that once people step out of their comfort zones, they will begin to grow and see a new light.
“Four months ago, I hated running, but I decided that I wanted to run because I wanted to challenge myself.”
He noted that raising awareness for cancer sufferers and survivors is what made him keep moving forward.
“I witnessed my father fighting cancer in 2003 and seeing him not giving up gave me this willing determination — even during my run — to never give up either.
“We should all be winners, but winners happen not by the way they succeed — winners happen by the way they fail and get up from the failure and push forward.”