What we fear without noticing is always stepping into the unknown. We call it risk, where people either in their conscious or subconscious mind assess the plusses and minuses and decide whether or not to take this step into the unknown. Of course while doing the assessment, we tend to think about many influencing factors, like how would I support my family if this did not go through, or, will I be able to change my mind and go back to certainty if this did not work out. Well today, this is what I am going through and let me tell you why I have decided to do something that many of you may not decide.

I always believed that a person could be as creative as he can be to analyze and solve the challenges he faces in his life. For example, if a person finds his house always messy because of his kids, he can create a cleanup-tidy up game. It’s fun, and at the same time it solves the messiness issue. One stone on two birds as we say. And in my world, this is something that I absolutely love.

This is why many articles ago, in my previously deleted blog (personal reasons), I suggested that Bahrain offers free healthcare only to those who complete a certain number of hours of workout per week. If they don’t, then they have to pay their medical bills, because they have personally contributed to their deteriorating health condition. With many exceptions of course and a regulating entity, this thing is possible. I’ve also suggested that people do these workouts in stationary bikes that power a large battery for nearby shops/homes/lights, etc. I still strongly believe in this idea by the way.

But I can’t just talk, I simply cannot just sound off without stepping up and do the walk as well. And this chance, this amazing chance have come up to me on a sudden. I’ve been very public about my love to triathlon, and how it is helping me regulate my diabetes through mixing both cardio and resistance exercises. I’ve never looked away from stating that I wish every person in the world were a triathlete. It is really possible, because this sport can be difficult and easy at the same time, and it can be fun all the time. It is the only sport in the world where you choose what you want to do in the race, whether you want to challenge the professionals, or simply challenge your capabilities and yourself. More and more people are entering this sport, it is literally the fastest growing sport in the world.

And it grew all the way to Bahrain, to us here through The Challenge Family, a multinational company based off of Roth, Germany. The half-iron distance event is set for December 6 of this year, and will repeat annually.

Through this event, there are two roads that we can take, the road that almost every event in Bahrain takes (without naming any), or the unique road that I have yet to see any event go through. Through the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Nasser, His Majesty The King’s personal representative for Youth Affairs, we chose to take the road not taken before. This is why we refuse to call it anything less than a national project.

To be able to do what I have always wanted to do made the decision to change jobs and manage this project easy to make. However, I cannot hide the fact that I am nervous and scared that what I always wanted to happen may only be a piece of my ideological mind. Will this translate in reality?

This is why I have requested to literally bring every concerned party, every ministry in Bahrain to the facilitation table, and received the approval for that. Honestly speaking, Bahrain and I should be extremely grateful to His Highness Shaikh Nasser for believing in us all and backing this national project personally and professionally. Now it is on my shoulder to make this happen.

By God’s will, we will work together to bring Bahrainis together through this sport, we will get people off of their coaches and decrease the health care expenditure by creating a more active society, with better training facilities. We will integrate our economy by providing more opportunities for businesses to benefit and capitalize from this event. We will help spur the tourism industry with good tourists, to enjoy Bahrain and for us to enjoy having them here. We will help scale up the economy and show young Bahrainis that scoring points in their Xbox is positively correlated with pharmacy visits later during their lives.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Bahrain needs us, and when it calls, we have to answer,

Even if it places your professional career on hold

This is Bahrain, the country we love,

Without a blink, I answered ‘yes’ when it called.

Categories: Bahrain, Economics, Social

Tags: Challenge Bahrain, Challenge Family, Triathlon