Marathon
Usman Iqbal: Environmentalist and Endurance Runner
Usman’s pursuits in life are a testament to his will to follow his heart.
In Usman Iqbal’s own words, he has always had a knack for sports, particularly if it has any element of running.
He has been on the football field for nearly two decades now, commanding the midfield for Karachi United, one of Pakistan’s most successful private football clubs.
Before that, he was a regular feature on the track and field teams of his academic institutions.
Usman is a natural runner
© Bilal Ahmed Qazi
As people would tell him often, Usman is a person who is a natural runner.
That’s exactly what he has been doing for the past four years, and may well be on his way to becoming one of Pakistan’s best long-distance runners in the near future.
Now 35, the Karachi-born Usman had no particular inclination towards the endurance sport up until the last half of 2016.
That was when he met a group of people with an interest in running and other similar sports.
They invited him for a run and the rest, as they say, is history.
Apart from running, Usman is also a certified Scuba Diver.
© Bilal Ahmed Qazi
A few months later, in January 2017, he was on the way to the Dubai Marathon.
The experience of the race and the few months of training that preceded it were enough to convince Usman to take up long-distance running in earnest.
It is now a regular feature of his daily life and something he has been glad to balance with his work as an environmentalist.
His choice of profession, which is noble to say the least, is testament to his will to follow his heart.
Usman Iqbal and Kaukab Sarwar
© Bilal Ahmed Qazi
He has been associated with the Olive Ridley Project for years and leads a team of volunteers engaged in the fight against plastic pollution in our seas.
Usman’s academic background – a business major – did not bring him to this field. Rather, it was his love for marine life and passion to make the world a better place.
He also acquired professional training and is now a certified scuba diver, a skill that proves invaluable in efforts to remove ghost gear from the sea.
While fitness was never a particular concern for him, given his athletic predisposition, Usman says entering the endurance sports arena has improved his life in other equally important ways.
“The impact on my life has been immense. Discipline is the main thing I have learned from the grueling training requirements. Now I know the power of making a plan; it can help you achieve the most demanding of objectives,” he says.
Usman Iqbal trains on a Sunday morning
© Bilal Ahmed Qazi
“Life will always throw difficult things at us but everything is achievable if we just plan right.”
This planning is now evident in Usman’s life in the form of his daily routine and training regimen. For last month’s Dubai Marathon, he trained six days every week but in a manner that made it doable.
“It was broken down into sections; two days were for fast pace training, three were slow days with training twice a day, and the sixth was a mid-pace day. That helped me manage the physical and mental load,” he explains.
However, he concedes that even the best planning can prove insufficient when the human spirit gives in. “The mental aspect of the training was really tough. Doing it alone is a challenge; the motivation is just so hard to come by at times. There were many missed days, but thanks to the schedule, I still made sure to get six training sessions a week if not the nine,” says Usman.
Usman Iqbal
© Bilal Ahmed Qazi
He also credits his support system – friends and family – for making his transition into an endurance athlete a fulfilling process. “My wife has been a constant source of support and encouragement, as have my friends. All of this really would not have been possible without them,” he says.
“Balancing personal life, work demands, and a social life is a challenge, but it is always a welcome one. And I’ve learned that I can achieve a lot of I just put my mind to it.”
Usman participated in the Dubai Iron Man 70.3 Triathlon in Feb successfully.
Given his newfound penchant for planning, there can be no doubt that he will have achieved all his targets – and saved more marine life in the near future.
