Today I ran to the beach
and back in my full Tehran marathon running gear. I tried out running with a
sports hejab, with my long top and with the camelbak that is going along with
me on the marathon, but not all at once. Because training in wintery Holland
for a marathon means coldness and darkness before and after working ours, I
mostly train on the treadmill during the week, wearing long tights and a long
sleeved top to get used to it. Hydration will be one of many great challenges
during that Tehran marathon. Will be wearing the same stuff as today minus one
long sleeve layer, but it is 4C now and in april in Teheran it can be up to
30C, so I am a bit worried... I sweat more than most people do (yes, I sweat
like a pig.... a pig with a hejab 😐!),
so I will definitely be carrying my water during the race (very happy with the
Camelbak ultra LR).
Last time I wore my hejab,
former president Rafsanjani died, this week president Trump was being a total
loser (.) with his entrance ban for seven nationalities including Iran. This
will surely affect the Persian American runners participating in the marathon
in Iran...
Wearing my sports scarf for
the second time on a long run, it felt less awkward than first time. Lots of people on my 17k route (and
Scheveningen beach is always crowded). I wonder what they think, but of course
no one blinks. To be honest, I always wonder what the story is behind every
woman wearing a scarf I come across, can't stop doing that, and if possible, I ask. So many
different stories and reasons behind a scarf. Women who have to wear it because
of the law, women who don't want to wear it, women who choose to wear it
(despite their family or husband not promoting it), women who wear it because
of social, cultural or religious pressure, women who wear it sometimes and
women who wear it training for a marathon in Iran... Anyway, wearing it doesn't
have to stop you doing great stuff. For me, having had to wear it for a while
makes me appreciate the fact that I don't have to wear it more!
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