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Bahraini adventurer Dr Saqer Al Khalifa has once again demonstrated his remarkable mental and physical endurance by completing one of the toughest challenges in the world of sport – Ironman Switzerland – in 12 hours.
The achievement also brings to a close his more than two-month-long ‘soul searching’ journey from Bahrain to Europe in a 2500 Ram Power Wagon that he had transformed into a luxurious camper.
Speaking to the GDN on his drive back to Bahrain, he described the race as a ‘graduation ceremony’ marking the end of his adventure and expressed his excitement about reuniting with his family just in time for his twin daughters’ 16th birthday celebrations.
“I faced a lot of ups and downs during this Ironman and it took a lot of mental endurance to keep going, but I got through it, and I feel really proud,” the 45-year-old said.
“At the 20km mark, I fell on a short but steep climb, badly injuring my right hand and getting bruised. It slowed me down initially, but I knew I had to get back up and keep pushing forward.”
Highlights
Dr Al Khalifa at the finish line
Dr Al Khalifa also spoke about the struggle of swimming in icy waters. The Ironman Switzerland Thun course features a 3.8km swim in Lake Thun, a 180 km bike ride through the Swiss Alps and a 42.2km run across scenic bridges.
“It was so cold that I had to swim extra hard to keep myself warm,” he said, adding that after he got on his bike, he had to put on two sets of gloves to keep himself warm.
“I also experienced stomach problems that hurt me throughout the race, as well as low and high blood sugar, so I had to stop for a bit to stretch and control my sugar, which slowed my pace.”
Dr Al Khalifa running during Ironman Switzerland
It took the American University of Bahrain adjunct professor, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2013, exactly 12 hours to complete the race.
Type 1 diabetes is a life-long autoimmune disease that prevents the pancreas from making insulin, an important hormone that regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It requires daily management with insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring. If a person does not have enough insulin, too much sugar builds up in the blood, causing hyperglycaemia.
“What got me through it was knowing that once I crossed the finish line, I would have days to relax as I drive home to Bahrain,” he said, adding that the time away strengthened his love for the kingdom.
“This soul-searching trip has also provided me with lessons that I look forward to sharing with my students upon return. As a professor, I believe we need to take risks and build experiences to properly teach the next generation. How can I teach my students to go out and travel and experience places and cultures if I myself haven’t even done that?”
He also emphasised the importance of staying open to new goals while traveling.
Dr Al Khalifa during the cycling portion
“People often get too attached to their original plan, but sometimes changes happen and that is okay,” he said.
“By embracing change, instead of rigidly sticking to my plan, I ended up learning far more, and can use my new knowledge to teach my students and children.
“I think more people in Bahrain should take risks and venture outside of their comfort zone.”
The 2500 Ram Power Wagon in Monaco
His key takeaway is that staying in comfort zones limits growth, and by challenging himself in new situations, he has grown and evolved into a better version of himself.
“I felt really homesick, but I knew there was a greater purpose, and I am looking forward to reuniting with my family, in time for my twin daughters’ birthdays on August 31,” he said.
Dr Al Khalifa, who holds a PhD in political science from Claremont Graduate University in California, also competed in the Maratona dles Dolomites, in Italy, on July 6. It is an annual one-day road bicycle race that takes place in the Italian Dolomites and typically features three route options, with the longest being a 138km course with 4,320 metres of elevation gain.
He set out on his trip in June, heading to Saudi Arabia before making his way to Kuwait, Iraq, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and France.
Dr Al Khalifa equipped his 2500 Ram Power Wagon with a king-sized bed, sitting area, fully-equipped kitchen with a BD700 four-in-one microwave oven, plus toilet, air conditioning, television and other high-end features. The project took six months to complete.
He has competed in around 35 Ironman races, including in Bahrain, the UAE, Muscat, US, Singapore, South Africa, Australia, Thailand and more.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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