10/07/2025
الحمد لله رب العالمي
“This one is difficult to share, but I think it’s important to be open about the experience.
Unfortunately, I didn’t finish Challenge Roth this year, but I’ve taken away some valuable lessons from the race.
The swim was a real challenge for me—this was my first time swimming without a wetsuit in a canal with no saltwater for buoyancy.
I’ve trained in wetsuits and saltwater many times before, and I’ve completed similar distances in about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
However, the unfamiliar conditions in the canal really threw me off. I missed the swim cutoff by a small margin—after 2 hours and 23 minutes, I barely made it out of the water.
That extra time in the swim meant more energy spent, and by the time I was out of the canal and heading to my bike, I could already feel how much more I had relied on my legs than I’d like.
When I got on the bike, it quickly became clear that I needed to recover, but the uphill battle to regain energy was tough.
I pushed through as best I could on the bike, but the power I needed never really came. I focused on pacing myself—attacking the climbs with caution and using the downhills for some recovery. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and I missed the cutoff for the run by just 10 minutes.
It was a heartbreaking moment when the referee wouldn’t let me start the run, especially after having put on my shoes.
Although it’s disappointing, I’ve taken it all in stride. This race really opened my eyes to the importance of adapting to different conditions and being better prepared for the unexpected.
I may not have crossed the finish line this time, but I gave it my best effort, and I’m already thinking about how to come back stronger
إن شاء الله خير