EP36: 🚴🏾‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️Sports for Life: Community athlete Najla Hallit on finding the training and life balance to train the long-distance triathlon Challenge Roth

The Mettleset Podcast

Hi Afshan here,

In a new book by sports journalist Sally Jenkins called The Right Call - What sports teach us about work and life, she says that we are all a combination of light and electricity as much as tissue. Sports and exercise light us up like a swarm of fireflies.

It sounds romantic but if I have to bring it to reality and layman terms, it’s that rush of joy I feel when I get off my bike after a ride or the sustained high after a run.

It’s what makes sports not just for the elite and professionals but for everyone - you and me - community athletes.

And it’s what Najla Hallit, our guest today, discusses with us as she takes on one of the biggest challenges in the triathlon universe and a race on every triathlete’s bucket list - Challenge Roth in Germany - on June 25.

Najla only started sports in 2020, at the age of 36, and hasn’t looked back since. Challenge Roth, a long-distance triathlon, similar to the Ironman brand, with distances of 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run, is only her second full triathlon.

The long-distance Challenge Roth has been organised by the Challenge Family since 2002.

The race sees more than 3,500 participants each year. There are more than 260,000 spectators on course cheering them on, along with 7.500 volunteers that keep it going.

This makes it one of the biggest triathlon festivals on the calendar and a coveted one for every triathlete - pro or amateur.

Like Jenkins book, this episode is more about what sports can teach you about navigating life from the lens of a community athlete who spent the last four months training for one of her biggest races.

The discipline, commitment, balance and sacrifice that comes with it as you spend 12 to 16 hours training for an event while also balancing your daily life as a non-professional. We also talk about developing a strong physical and mental foundation to endure and finding a community to keep you going in your sport.

We are also heading to Germany to cheer the Roth challengers on and soak in the energy of this electrifying race, so stay tuned for more coverage from the ground.

Enjoy!

To follow Najla Hallit, head to @naj_hallit

To find out more about Challenge Roth, visit www.challenge-roth.com

Today’s episode was supported by the awesome and adventurous team at Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. Check them out for some truly awe-inspiring scuba and freedive experiences. Visit www.deepdivedubai.com

Our wider support team for this episode includes Editor JJ Thompson and our Artwork is by the talented Alexandra Hickey of Studio Theodore.

For more info, visit www.themettleset.com , and follow us on @themettleset

Dawn & Afshan

@dawnable

@afshahmed