May 19, 2026

Iqraa 12: Tips for Runners Plus

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A few things to share and then 5 Tips for Runners from Saturday’s seminar.

First, we’re still recruiting runners. If you want to help, please let people know about our info session at Palestine House of Freedom on Friday, May 22, at 3:30 pm and/or post the flier on your social media (it has the details including address).

Also, this is the last week unregistered runners will receive the MCC training email, so please register if you want to participate (choose $30/Iqraa): MCC training  

  • Show me a better deal than $30 for nearly 6 months of training!

Second, we’re looking for host housing for a young Gazan, Ahmad Abu Shammalh, who Iqraa veteran Cathy knowsthrough We Are Not Numbers. Here’s his request:

  • Hello, my name is Ahmad. I’m a recent computer science graduate (University of Southern Indiana, magna cum laude) who will be studying at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (Class of ’28) for an MA in Arab Studies. I’m looking for a place to stay starting in late June, ideally with an easy commute to campus, for at least one year. I am able to cover the costs of my own food and transportation.

Third, we’re looking for volunteers to bring food on these 6 remaining training dates on which Iqraa will host: Jun 27, Jul 25, Aug 1, Aug 22, Aug 29, Oct 17.

And now, the Tips for Runners, drawn from Jenny Hadfield’s article on the MCC website under the summer training program (STP): https://mc-coop.org/stp/weekly-training-articles/

These tips are a mix of philosophical and practical advice and a reminder that running is full of life lessons. These are the first five tips from last Saturday’s seminar; we’ll cover the remainder next week.  

  • Start from where you are. Running is a high-impact sport, and distance running is best engaged gradually. This is central to the MCC training program.
  • Don’t comparison shop. It’s good to find heroes to emulate but don’t allow comparison to be the thief of joy. Trust the process and stick to your training. It will pay off.
  • Make running friends. Best-kept secrets: friends help us keep commitments to an early Saturday, help the miles go faster, help us run longer, and help make running a lifestyle.
  • Lube Up. Running plus heat and moisture causes friction, and summer humidity is coming. Fortunately, we can do much to mitigate, e.g. start early, run in shade, Body Glide, technical shirts, etc.
  • Mix things up. This is a call to alternate between high-impact and low-impact days so as to not over-exert. Cross-training—swim, bike, yoga, etc.–works different muscles and keeps us fresh and fit

Last note: this Saturday’s run is at Carderock at 0800, another great green space. Last Saturday we met at Candy Cane City and had so many runners we blocked out the Iqraa sign; Najwa was also present.

 Candy Cane City

See you on the C&O!

 

May 6, 2026

Iqraa 10: First Run

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Our first run is this Saturday at Peirce Mill at 8 am! It’s exciting—and daunting—altogether.

  • We’ll see many veteran runners and hopefully some new faces.
  • We want everyone to enjoy the program and we have to—for instance—find volunteers to help with the aid stations that provide support beginning May 16.
  • We trust our people to step up, train regularly, and support the cause—education.

This is our 19th year of Running for a brighter Palestine! Since 2008, we’ve raised almost $500,000 creating and expanding educational opportunities for Palestinians.

Two thoughts to highlight about the training program:

  • Consistency is key if you want a transformative experience. For long-distance runners, that means hitting the long-run mileage every week as it increases.
  • Running shorter distances is legit for fitness and to support the cause. You can pick any race you want. Train shorter but train regularly.    

Thank you again to our Potomac River Run volunteers!

Traffic flow: Khaled, Bilal, Reza

Our volunteer turnout last weekend was unofficially our largest ever and helped make the Half and Marathon races a success. Iqraa volunteers were everywhere, from traffic flow at Fletcher’s Cove, to Logistics support across two days, to providing Gatorade and water, and moral support, at the Lock 6 and Lock 7 aid stations.

  • Lock 6: Bill, Kirk, Shobila (with non-Iqraans, Sentayehu and his 3 daughters)
  • Lock 7: Cathy, Greg, Jo, Mazen, Norman
  • Logistics (Friday and Saturday): Bill, Bob, Dave, Kirk, Lorraine, Shobila
  • Traffic Flow: Bilal, Khaled, Reza.

Lock 6: Bill, Shobila (rear), Sentayehu and family (front)

In closing, if you’re on the fence about running this year, my 2 cents: jump off and register.

  • Worst case? You gave $30 to a charity. Best case: transformative experience for you.

Read more: Iqraa: Running for equality and education

See you on the trail, inshallah!

 

October 9, 2025

Iqraa 24: Ready for race day?

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First, thanks again to Basma for hosting last Saturday, along with help from Shobi and her cousin, Siva. Your manaqeesh was a big hit…latheeth!

And apologies to Bilal, who shared his Park Half photo with me—it’s a great action shot—and I forgot to share it (see attached) last week.

And now, thinking of a potential ceasefire, this poem is from Mosab Abu Toha. It appears to be from 2024 but is certainly topical.

Can we take a rest?
Maybe die for a few
months or years
and wake up when the poem
is complete,
when the flowers in our
garden start to grow,
their scent luring
the sparrows into visiting
our house,
our house that’s now
a small forest of rubble.

~Mosab Abu Toha

The main message this week is race prep, as we approach some of our runners’ races, e.g. Marine Corps Marathon (Cathy, Bill, Reza) and National Capital Region race (Peter).

This is not preparation through training, though al-hamdulillah so many of you have kept up with that diligently for months. These are a few things you can do for an extra edge on race day…

  •  Study the course, so you know what to expect. This will help visualize the race too, often a step toward success. You can drive it ahead of race day, run portions, or study a map for familiarity.  
  • Rest up. A big part of race day prep is tapering and resting. The training plan incorporates tapering, and it’s up to us individually to rest, including adequate sleep.
  • Hydrate and eat healthy. We expend a lot of fluids in the exertion of a race, so hydrate well in advance. Consider tips like avoiding dairy in pre-race meals because it causes the secretion of mucus, which can impede breathing.
  • Plan ahead for race day weather and consider whether you’ll need cold or wet weather gear.
  • Goal-making. Consider various race day objectives—typically time goals but also fun-meter–and be flexible to the requirements of weather, esp heat, and other factors.
  • “Hard times” mantra. Think of a simple but powerful mantra–that you can match your gait to–for the tough times, e.g. “take.. this.. hill” or “don’t.. slow.. down.”
  • Pre-race outreach. Make sure to let your supporters know how your training is going and why you’re running for Iqraa. Ask them for their support and promise a post-race follow-up.
  • What else? We all have unique needs for a big event. What else is on your list?

Extra, Extra! Here are couple of race prep articles from the MCC website:

Last week/this week. Last Saturday at Carderock, Basma, Cathy, Bill, Reza, Jorge, Alejo, and me, and (not pictured) Mazen and Peter, ran or walked for a brighter Palestine. Great job, marathoners, with your 20-mile training runs! This Saturday at Columbia Island Marina, the marathon trainees will run 12 miles, while half-marathoners have optional miles.

Whatever happens with a Gaza ceasefire, Palestinians must have a place at the table after the genocide ends and must be treated as equals.  

 

August 26, 2025

Iqraa 18: A Time to Every Purpose

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We’ll get to Ecclesiastes…or is it the Byrds …

But…First, thanks to Shobi and Siva for helping me out with hosting this Saturday when we’ll be running from Candy Cane City.  

Second, UPA asks for quotes from Iqraa runners: Why do you run for Iqraa? Well, they came to the right place. 😉 Two stipulations:

  •  A few sentences in length, no more than a paragraph
  • Please indicate whether your name can be used: first name only, first and last, or no name.

Next, a PSA from Cathy (Iqraa since 2010), who’s run the prestigious Boston marathon. Cathy is participating in the reading of We Are Not Numbers (by Ahmed Alnaouq and Pam Bailey, 2025)—whose stories she helped edit–at Busboys and Poets on Sept 4th at 6 pm.

To every thing there is a season. It’s the season to begin fundraising, in addition to running. To fundraise, we must plant and then pluck up that which is planted…

So to gather stones together:

  •  Understand the cause. You can find more here at UPA and  here at Iqraa
  • Write from your heart. The most convincing message is your narrative—on anything you understand and care about. 
  • Ask…and explain how. A beautiful narrative without a request for support and a link for donors will get you praise and good feelings but won’t help our students pay their tuition.
  • Start now. There’s more than one approach but mine is to write an initial outreach in Jul/Aug explaining the cause’s importance, a 2nd message weeks before my race summarizing that summer’s training, and a final outreach narrating my race.
  • Let your mood/personality in: if you feel colorful, jovial, sad…that’s an authentic part of your personal story.
  • We’ll share templates. Typically, a few of us share our messages with the group hoping to spark an idea or provide an incentive to others to pick up their pens, laptops, or phones.

Last week/this week (photos). Last Saturday at Carderock, Cathy, Basel, Bill, Reza, and me ran (or walked), and then Cathy, Bilal, Reza, Shobi and me met in the afternoon at the Museum of the Palestinian People, followed by mezze and knafeh at Nabiha, nearby on U St.  This Saturday, we’ll be at Candy Cane City, where marathoners will run 18 and half marathoners will do 11 miles.

[The divine] has made every thing beautiful in its time

and also has set the world in [human] hearts,

so that no one can find out the work that

[the divine] makes from the beginning to the end.

…there is no good in them but to rejoice and to do good in this life.

~Ecclesiastes 3:11-12