If you’re observing Ramadan, you might be wondering whether it’s safe to run during the 30-day period of reflection – especially if you’re training for a race.
As Ramadan falls 10 days earlier each year according to the lunar cycle, the holy month currently falls in spring, which impacts those running spring races and marathons. But with careful adjustments and considerations, you can continue to train safely during Ramadan.
This year, Ramadan begins on the evening of Sunday 10 March and moon sighting predictions suggest that Eid al-Fitr – the festival of 'breaking the fast' – is likely to be celebrated on Wednesday 10 April.
Haroon Mota Meet the cover star: Nathaniel Dye Join Mota in taking on the Ramadan Challenge spring, and is one of the many Muslim athletes who has experience of preparing for a race while observing Ramadan. Last year, he trained for both the Boston Marathon and London Marathon Health & Injuries.
Romesh Ranganathan: training for London Marathon Muslim Runners, an organisation which aims to tackle underrepresentation and help Muslim athletes to feel more confident and comfortable while running. We spoke with Mota to find out how he approaches marathon training during Ramadan – and to get his top tips for fellow runners and marathoners.
You can still run during Ramadan – but do what works for you
'Many people out there will just stop running,' says Mota. 'They think: Ramadan means no running and no exercise for 30 days. But we don’t want people to feel that way. You can still run.
'Often people will feel that way because they don’t find community – that’s why Muslim Runners is so important. It’s about being very individualised and learning about your body and what works for you. If that means you’re only going to exercise once a week, or if it even means no exercise at all, then that’s fine. Ramadan is a time for you to focus on other things. But if you’re not running, you could always try another form of training that you might have neglected in the past that will support your running – such as yoga or Pilates.'
Adjust your goals accordingly – especially if you’re training for a race
'Previously, Ramadan was a little bit later – so you could perhaps afford Ramadan to be a time to really slow down. But if you are training for a race, whether it’s immediately after Ramadan or within, it can be a little bit problematic,' he explains.
'Supporting Muslim athletes with their London Marathon training is still a new learning experience and we are learning as we go. But the same principles still apply about being smart, listening to your body and managing your expectations – and I think that’s the key message. If you are training for a race, it’s fine – train for it, but perhaps be prepared to adjust your goals and focus on being comfortable, confident and healthy more than anything else.'
Training while fasting can be tough – and experience plays a huge part
'If you’re someone who has never run a marathon before and you are choosing to run a spring marathon for the first time and it clashes with Ramadan, it can be very daunting,' Mota continues.
'We previously had one girl contact us who was only 19 years old and having to withdraw from her race. It was only her third Ramadan and she had very little experience of fasting, so to throw in marathon training on top of that – it was too overwhelming. She hoped she could build herself up for it the following year.
'While you might get runners who are smashing their training during Ramadan, there are people out there who are struggling and who are not built up for it.'
If you're training for a spring marathon, start early
'If you’re following a spring marathon programme of 16 weeks, try and get in a few extra weeks of training beforehand and start well before Christmas, so you can compensate for Ramadan fitness loss and have a longer taper period. The biggest gains will come from the work you put in throughout the winter. Ramadan is a time to maintain and just keep your legs ticking. It’s about fitness maintenance rather than getting new gains,' he says.
Prioritise your fluid intake
'It's really important to pay attention to hydration, even though it's really difficult during a standard 16-hour UK fast. With less than six hours of non-fasting time daily, from sunset it really is a race to fuel, hydrate, pray and sleep. I think it’s natural to feel hunger more than thirst, but my advice is to prioritise fluid intake from the moment the sun goes down.
'While it’s generally advised to drink around two litres of water every day, if you’re running in Ramadan, there’s even more fluid and electrolyte loss to compensate for. So, it’s probably a wise idea to run on alternate days, allowing the body to rehydrate and recuperate, rather than force the body to become progressively dehydrated and fatigued.'
Eating during non-fasting time can be challenging, so be strategic
'There’s only going to be two meals during your fast – the one that you break your fast with (iftar) at sunset and then your breakfast (suhoor). I think the biggest emphasis is going to be on that iftar meal. Your stomach is constricted, so you’re very limited as to how much you can eat. Sometimes you have a few mouthfuls and you're already full. So, for that reason, try and prioritise your carb intake and maybe have a very small meal at that time. Then, a couple of hours later before you go to sleep, try and get in a second meal,' he advises.
'If you are a person who doesn’t stay awake at night and goes to sleep, you’ll wake up at 4am and won’t have the energy to eat. Sometimes it’s just about forcing yourself to eat because you know you are going to need that energy to get through your day and recover from training.'
Everyone’s non-fasting time will look different, so don’t put pressure on yourself
'Depending on whether you pray at home, you pray at a mosque or whether you have to travel to get to a mosque will all influence your routine. You might also be someone who has to prepare food and drink. It’s about making the best of the time you have under the circumstances. You do have to try and be kind to your body and not be too harsh on yourself. Ramadan does come once a year and we always try to emphasise that it’s time to make the most out of your worship, be God-conscious and be charitable and then try and fit in your training, however well you can.'
Run at a time of day that suits you
'It’s a good idea to choose a time in the day that suits you best, rather than follow what others do. In the UK, people run at all times of the day – early hours just before breakfast, before work, during their lunch break, just after work, pre-sunset, immediately after breaking the fast, or even at midnight after the night prayers. It’s OK to experiment with running at different times, as there really are no rules to running. Do what works for you.'
I like to run in the evening before breaking my fast – but it doesn’t work for everyone
'Last year, while training for Boston and London, I ran in the early evenings, which is my preferred time. My fast was about 14 hours but, by the end of Ramadan, because dawn gets earlier and sunset gets later, the fast increased by about two hours, making it progressively more difficult,' says Mota.
'I wouldn’t be happy exercising in the middle of the day and then having to wait several hours to eat or drink after a run. However, motivating yourself to get out of the door is challenging if you're training later in the day, because you’ve been without food and drink for a longer period of time.'
If you’re training for an event, have a very flexible approach
'If you’re following a training plan for a race, I think it’s important to have a loose, flexible approach which enables you to be kind to yourself and listen to your body. And don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a run. It’s absolutely normal and it’s fine. Trust in all of the training you’ve done pre-Ramadan – even if you’ve not done enough – and don’t make the common mistake that people do of trying to train more. You will get no fitness gains by doing a 10-mile run in the last few days of Ramadan before a marathon.’
Be kind to yourself – and don't underestimate the power of rest
'We’re always going to be sleep deprived in Ramadan – we know that. So, it’s important that the rest element is acknowledged – that time to be mindful, put your feet up and relax. That might mean being away from people or spending quality time with your family, which may also help you to feel better and happy and relieve stress. Of course, people are often praying more and giving more quality time to prayer, which can itself be a form of rest.'
If you’re running a spring marathon, rest is especially important
'This year, Eid is predicted to fall on Wednesday 10 April. Eid can be quite a big celebration where you spend time with your family, going to prayers, feasting and talking lots on our feet – a lot of the things you don’t want to be doing the day before a marathon! So, if you're running a spring marathon like London, which takes place on Sunday 21 April, my advice would be to give even more attention to your rest, sleep patterns, food and hydration in the final weeks of Ramadan.'
Your body will be in a different balance – so be prepared for changes
'When Eid comes, it's going to be tempting to go for all the usual fried food and sweets and takeaways. So, feed yourself and get some energy in, but be sensible and don’t do anything that’s going to potentially upset your stomach – especially if you have a race around the corner,' says Mota.
'If you’ve been fasting for 30 days, your body is in a totally difference balance – things like your toilet routine will have changed, for example, which might upset your routine on race day. You might need to do your business on the route, so make sure you are aware of what the course looks like in terms of toilets. Just be prepared that there might be changes in your body.'
How to nail your final week of marathon training. Whether you like running, cycling or any other physical activity, the Ramadan Challenge is your chance to get active this Ramadan and provide children and young people with free meals. Visit charityright.org.uk/ramadanchallenge for more information.
