Essence of Running: the DC Gaza 5k

By Nadrat Siddique

So, this morning I ran the Gaza 5k in Washington DC's Rock Creek Park. The race starts on the grounds of the iconic Carter Barron Theatre, and is one of my favorite races. I run with some regularity from the Carter Barron, and it was beautiful to see it nearly over run by Palestinians in kaffiyahs, some of them carrying Palestinian flags. (Usually I encounter mostly Black and Latino youth playing soccer and such, in itself a beautiful sight.)

The Gaza 5k is organized by UNRWA, and benefits Palestinian refugees. The DC version of the race (which is also held in other cities) had turned virtual due to COVID-19, and I'd missed it terribly. This was the first year the live event was rekindled.

In Gaza, Palestinians are crammed into refugee camps with an extremely high population density. These camps frequently lack basic resources, such as electricity and running water, which "Israel," as the occupying power, controls. "Israel" then conducts aerial bombardment of these heavily populated areas, under the pretext that Hamas fighters are "hiding" there. (Where else would they be? They live there.)

As a result, much of the population of Gaza has been terrorized, displaced, and traumatized. It would be difficult to find someone there who DOES NOT have PTSD and other serious mental health conditions. Palestinian children are the worst afflicted. UNRWA's facilities in Gaza provide schooling, mental health care, and other badly needed services to Gazans.

At the Gaza 5k, I was thrilled to see a great turnout, with a youthful, energetic vibe. The race seems to get larger every year. The majority of attendees appeared to be of Palestinian heritage, with a smaller number of allies (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian) present. Race participants ran and walked a 3.1 mile course which was largely downhill on the outbound. Unfortunately, since the race route returns the same way, there is a huge climb on the way back. During one of the last in-person renditions of the Gaza 5k (before COVID), I remembered my father, the editor of the Muslim newspaper "New Trend" and a huge supporter of Palestine, bravely walking the course with his wife. In his late 70s at the time, he completed the course, but not without some effort.

PERSONAL NOTES: Today as I ran, I was still recovering from an annoying bug I'd picked up during a recent trip to Florida to attend a funeral for a member of my extended family. But I would not miss my favorite race for anything. I thought about the Palestinians who, when faced with much more serious ailments, are deprived of all medications, due to the "Israeli" blockade of Gaza. That, from "the only democracy in the Middle East." My cold (or whatever it was) quickly became a non-issue.

I hadn't been training at all, since Ramadan had ended not so long ago (I relax my training during the Holy Month, running only about 25 miles per week, instead of 40), almost immediately followed by the death in my extended family. I even registered very belatedly for the Gaza 5k, totally unlike me. In any event, when I finally did register, it was as a member of Team Jamaat Al-Muslimeen. And our team, in a very short time (less than a week), raised over $400.00 for UNRWA's work in Gaza.

As I ran outbound, I was intimidated by the huge hill I knew I'd face on the inbound. I hoped rather unrealistically that the race organizers had tweaked the route to avoid runners having to tackle that hill (around Mile 2).

They had not. I tried to concentrate on my breathing and form, which helped somewhat. Two or three groups of young, fast Arab men passed me, which made me feel even slower than my (approximately) 8:30 min/mile pace. Then, a young, very fit looking Black woman caught up to me. For some reason, she told me right then and there (shortly before we were about to encounter the monster hill) that "I look beautiful." I thanked her, saying "You do, too," and complimented her on her pace. She ran with me for a short while, before overtaking me. I tried to keep her in my sights, which helped my time. (She later told me I helped her time, as she'd spotted me from afar, and was trying to catch up to me.) We both survived the Hill.

A while later, when the awards ceremony was held, I was surprised to hear my name called. I was #1 in my division, with a finish time of 26:08 (8:25 min/mile pace). Later, looking at the detailed race results, I realized I was #9 out of 334 total women participating in the race. Of the 8 women who finished before me, all were in their 20s and 30s, except an 8-year old and an 18-year old. (I'm now 54.) Amusingly, the 8-year old beat me by two seconds. Alhamdulillah.

The lesson in all this? One need not use age as an excuse for inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, which will necessarily lead to premature aging. If you fall down (metaphorically), you need not stay down. If you're a Muslim, then the Rasool (SAW) is your example. That includes in the realm of his eating habits (very little meat; instead: grains, dates, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc), and very active life style (he personally participated in running, horse back riding, etc and engaged in military campaigns, which, at the time, were very physical, into his 60s). From Gaza to New York, oppression is pervasive, and we cannot afford to be physically (or mentally) lazy or sedentary.

#Gaza5k #FreePalestine #FreeGaza
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It's not to late to donate to the Gaza 5k. You can do that here:
https://unrwausa-2023-dc-gaza-5k.funraise.org/fundraiser/nadrat-siddique

Muslims Run for Gaza

 By Nadrat Siddique

Special to the New Trend

Washington, DC

September 16, 2017

Under beautiful sunny skies, hundreds of runners ran along the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The heat rose to 78 degrees that morning, and some participants wore tank tops, short sleeved tees, and shorts. But a large number wore kaffiyahs or tee shirts bearing the Palestinian flag. Many of the female athletes wore hijab. A few of the young men donned Palestinian flags, which flew behind them in cape-like fashion. The run was the Gaza 5K, which is held annually in five major U.S. cities, including Washington, DC. It is sponsored by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) USA, and raises funds for UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Programme (CMHP) for Palestinian children in Gaza.

Why a 5K run for Gaza?

There have been three major Israeli offensives against Gaza. Each had a devastating impact, and illustrated Israel’s utter disregard for international law. During the 2014 offensive—the last major offensive, 2,139 Palestinians were killed. Of these, 490 were children. Eleven thousand (11,000) Palestinians were wounded. Of that number, 3,000 were children. In addition, Israel destroyed 20,000 Palestinian homes in Gaza, and up to 500,000 Gaza residents were displaced. By comparison, in the same (2014) conflict, 64 Israeli soldiers were killed; 6 Israeli civilians were killed; and 1 Israeli child was killed. (Statistics: The Independent, August 27, 2014)

According to the race organizer’s (UNRWA USA) web site, “Children and adults alike continue to experience high levels of stress and distress as result of a decade of recurrent Israeli military assaults, deepening poverty, increased gender-based violence, isolation, and movement restrictions because of the illegal blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt.”

The UNRWA USA web page continues, “The stress of these issues has produced: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, intense fear, bed-wetting, poor concentration, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, irritability, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”

So the Gaza 5K was for the innocent children of Gaza, and to this writer, who has done dozens of 5Ks, it felt right being there.

Teaming up at the Gaza 5K

Runners and walkers participating in the Gaza 5K have the option of running as individuals, or as part of a team. The teams participating were diverse, and illustrated the world community’s deep love for the Palestinian people and a broad commitment to human rights in Gaza. A total of 60 teams participated in the 2017 Gaza 5K.

The team U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, which included many non-Muslim friends of the Palestinian cause, raised the most money for the refugees, at $4,875. The team’s self-description was “Jogging for Justice.”

Team Al-Hanooti included family members of the late imam of Dar ul-Hijra fame. Imam Muhammad Hanooti was born in Haifa, Palestine, and the family evidently does the race every year, including shortly after their patriarch’s passing in 2015. The team raised close to $1,777 among their seven members. Hanooti’s 29-year old daughter Shayma al-Hanooti finished the race in 39:54.

Another team was that of Albert Mokhiber and his family: Team Mokhiber. The former Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) head, now an attorney at a high profile law firm in DC, led one of the top fundraising teams, raising $4,772 for Gazan refugees. Mokhiber’s daughter Laila is Director of Communications for UNRWA USA, and the Mokhibers said the team was their way of helping Palestinian refugees. The 69-year old Albert Mokhiber walked the race, finishing in 1:02 (1 hour 2 minutes). His wife Hindy, 10 years his junior, finished in 48:50.

A Tribe Called Hibster was the fifth ranked team in fundraising, raising $3,309. The team included several members of the Dajani family, which has centuries’ old roots in Palestine. The team’s captain, Hiba Ismeail, fundraised with great fervor, but did not walk or run the event.

MAS (Muslim American Society) Maryland’s four member team raised $1,767. Their team member Marwan Oweis held an impressive pace of 7:29 min/miles throughout the race, finishing in 23:14.

DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia) Muslim Youth’s team was dominated by women, including team captain and longtime pro-Palestine activist Aneesah Abdul-Fattaah. The team’s Nathan Nesbitt, of Cambridge, MA, took first place overall, finishing in 18:25. He held an astounding 5:56 min/mile pace for the duration of the 3.1 mile course. The team raised $116.

The top female runner, 25-year old Cherie Bennett, did not appear registered with any team. With short cropped blond hair, shorts, and tank top, she blazed the field, finishing in 20:24. She was doing 6:34 min/miles! In the awards ceremony which followed the event, Bennett said she had been to Palestine, and supported the Palestinian cause.

Then there was Wadi Run, a team of Georgetown University students. They raised $1,061. Wadi Run team member Lauren Stricker was the 2^nd fastest of all women, finishing in 22:39. (She held a 7:18 min/ mile pace.) Her team mate, Keith McKay, finished just before her, completing the course in 22:34.

PLO Delegation, a team in itself, consisted of only three people, and raised exactly $79. One woman from that team, 31-year old Janeen Rashmawi almost took me, running 7:32 min/miles. (I was doing 7:25 min/miles, but more on this later.)

Islamic Relief, a team with 12 members, raised only $211. But IRUSA team members, mostly young, compensated by blazing the field. They were fast, most of them finishing in less than 30 minutes. Twenty-five year old Ibrahim Zafar, of Arlington, VA, was the fastest of them, finishing in 24:15 (he was doing 7:49 minute miles).

Jews for Gaza, a team with 9 members, raised $1,055. The team’s self-description was “Jews stand in solidarity with Palestinian refugees to support freedom and dignity for all.”

Their team mate, 23-year old Adam Beardsley, was the fourth fastest of all runners, finishing the course in 19:07. (He held a 6:09 min/ mile pace).

Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen

This was the first year that Jamaat al-Muslimeen participated as a team, called Team Jamaat Al-Muslimeen. Among others, the diverse team included Kalim Umran, a Muslim historian who is the narrator of a PBS video series on Barry Farms (a project in SE Washington, DC, and the subject of major gentrification attempts); Shakoorah El, an activist sister from Baltimore, who is also practiced in traditional African dance; and New Trend editor/ imam Dr. Kaukab Siddique.

Imam Dr. Kaukab Siddique of Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen-Baltimore, who is 74, completed the walk in 1:22 (1 hour 22 minutes). By all appearances, he was the only imam to physically participate in the Gaza 5K. Dr. Siddique, who used to run with his mother years ago, and then later with his daughter (this writer), did the course without stopping or feeling overly drained. He said he walked continuously for at least half an hour every day, and expressed the hope that his participation might encourage other Muslims to follow the Prophet’s example of physical fitness and staying active into their later years.

The Gaza 5K was Shakoorah El’s first race. She completed the course in 57:46. As awards were announced, she was astonished to hear her name being announced: She was awarded the “Fastest Masters Female Award” (the Gaza 5K’s masters award is granted to the fastest 65+ year old runner).

I was team captain for Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen, my first time ever as captain of anything. It was a liberating feeling, running the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, in Southeast Washington, DC, an area which, to me, held many parallels to the Gaza struggle. The run was an out-and-back run, so that after one reached the half way mark and doubled back, one could see other runners approaching from the opposite direction. Some of the runners I saw as I doubled back carried the Palestinian flag. When I saw them, I yelled “Free free Palestine!” to which they responded in kind. Many of the runners and walkers expressed appreciation for my shirt during the race, as well as afterwards. (I wore a long-sleeve black tee, bearing the words “Free Palestine” above the red, black, white, and green Palestinian flag.)

After I’d been running for a while, I chanced upon Shakoorah El. She was speedwalking while talking animatedly with two other sisters in hijab. All three of them cheered me on, and I did similarly. Shortly after that, I saw Dr. Kaukab Siddique (Ameer of Jamaat al-Muslimeen). He was accompanied by Abdur Rahman Hasib (Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen custodian, and a dear brother and friend). They were walking in relaxed fashion, holding a steady pace. We exchanged chants of “Allah ho Akbar!” and fist pumps, after which it seemed to me that we all moved a little bit faster.

The crowd support propelled me to finish #1 in my division. I completed the race in 23:01, holding on for dear life to my 7:24 min/mile pace. And— I was the 4^th fastest female finisher out of the 312 women who ran the race. Only three women were faster than me, and they were 25, 21, and 30 years old (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place respectively). I was #23 out of everyone including men (so out of a total of 545 participants).

I am 49-years old, and did not get into serious running until age 39 (prior to that, I engaged only in casual and sporadic running since my teen years). Aside from the personal sense of accomplishment in doing a race for a cause very dear to my heart—Palestine, the experience reaffirmed for me the notion that neither age nor gender necessarily define ability, and that some limitations are human-/ self-imposed. And— the hadith tell us that our beloved Prophet (SAW) engaged in very physically arduous military campaigns against the kuffar which required him to traverse long distances on horseback across the deserts of Arabia until the age of 65. If he is our role model, we, as a community need to up the ante on physical fitness. How many of us can run a mile comfortably? The Rasool (SAW) could, and did, with his wife, Ayesha Siddiqa (RA).

Alhamdulillah, our team, Team Jamaat al-Muslimeen, raised $743 in its first year of participating in the race.

In all, 540 people ran the Gaza 5K: 228 men and 312 women. There were Afghans, Libyans, Palestinians, Bengalis, Pakistanis, American-born Blacks, and others. There was a woman in a wheelchair, an evidently pregnant woman, and many who ran or walked with baby strollers. At race’s end, an elderly man who had walked the 3.1 mile course was taken away in an ambulance. From the ambulance he called out that he would be doing the race again next year.

At least for one day, at the Gaza 5K, the aphorism “The believers are but one brotherhood/ sisterhood” was evident.

©2017 by Nadrat Siddique