Ramadhan: obstacle or opportunity?

In little over a week, the blessed month of Ramadhan will be upon us. In recent years my fasting has been severely restricted by health problems, but this year I hope to fast the entire month. It will no doubt be a huge challenge, with the month rooted firmly in British summer, meaning daily periods of around 15-16 hours without food or water. The implications for my training regime seem dire at first inspection. Obviously, I'll be unable (unwilling, at least) to run during the fast, and with evenings occupied by (huge) meals and prayer, this leaves only the dark hours of the night to get those runs in. I'll have to get accustomed to running in dark, isolated streets, although I do have some experience with this already. And of course, it'll be tough to maintain the balance of my current diet, with meals coming in a short space of time. Not ideal.

On the other hand, Ramadhan is so much more about fasting. It's a time to rise above the usual standards; mentally, physically and spiritually. It's not uncommon for Muslims to feel a certain drive during this month, resulting in better performance in all aspects of life. For my own part, my finest days as a student were undoubtedly as an undergraduate and amongst my fondest memories were the intense late night study sessions during Ramadhan. Studying is hard at the best of times, more so when one has gone hours without food. But one can adapt and get the best of both worlds. I'll probably switch one run a week with an extra swimming session. I'm well ahead of schedule, deliberately so, because I was aware that I'd have to adapt in this way during Ramadhan.

The next month will be as much a job of maintaining current fitness levels than anything, but even this will require a monumental effort. It would be futile to deny the challenges Ramadhan will present to training. But should I really shy away from this? A brief look at history shows us that the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions fought and trained for some of their greatest battles during Ramadhan. Fast forward to the present day and all round the world Muslims strive to fulfill their religious obligations, despite facing poverty, war and worse. In this context, it would seem pitiful to suggest I have it tough. Particularly as a student, where the flexibility in my schedule allows me to adjust accordingly. Will it be harder? Sure. But that just drives me on. None of this has been easy so far; I'm not going to back down now.

I hope and pray that I can find that strength and bring back to reality those glorious memories of Ramadhans of old where, for want of a better phrase, I'd basically kick ass.