Guest column: Emirati Waheeda Al Hadhrami on pedalling her worries away

The 24-year-old heads Banat on Bikes, a social-media platform that reaches out to girls in Abu Dhabi to help them get active and revive their love of cycling.

Waheeda Al Hadhrami says cycling brings back memories of a happy childhood. Courtesy Waheeda Al Hadhrami

Waheeda Al Hadhrami is a 24-year-old Emirati with a passion for cycling. She heads Banat on Bikes, a social-media platform that reaches out to girls in Abu Dhabi to help them get active and revive their love of cycling. Al Hadhrami, who is a talent-development associate manager for twofour54, also leads a weekly ladies-only cycling group session with the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.

Like many people, I started cycling in my local neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi as a child. I had an electric scooter, too, so I guess I was always on two wheels. But also like many people, it was something I grew out of when I hit my teenage years.

Then, in 2013, I rediscovered my love of cycling when I started actively attending indoor spinning classes at The Room in Zayed Sports City. I obtained my instructor certification, and was told I was one of the first Emiratis to qualify as a spinning instructor.

In June, I taught my first outdoor cycling session as part of #theADmovement, a series of fun health and wellness events in Abu Dhabi aimed at encouraging women to lead healthier, happier lives. I felt both excited and nervous for the chance to put my education and experience into action. I did two sessions, each with 10 to 15 young women, many of whom hadn’t cycled for years. I was then approached by the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy to get more young Emirati ladies involved in cycling. I now lead sessions for beginners and amateur female cyclists at the ladies-only evenings on Wednesdays at Yas Marina Circuit, as part of #GoYas by Daman’s ActiveLife. We do four to five laps, which takes about an hour.

What I love about cycling is the feeling of nostalgia of being a child again. Compared to other sports such as CrossFit, which I sometimes feel can be too aggressive, cycling can be soothing in the sense that you’re at one rhythm with your mind, body and soul. You also feel a strong sense of being in control, because you’re in charge of how fast or intensely you want to go.

There’s been a huge increase in young Emirati women cycling in the past year, not only on Yas tracks but also on Al Wathba cycling track and Al Qudra in Dubai. I think it’s wonderful that Emirati girls are embracing this sport as a way to get fit and also de-stress. I tell my group that with every pedal, they’re pedalling their worries away.

In October, I formed Banat on Bikes on Instagram, to reach out to more girls in Abu Dhabi who are interested in cycling. We now have almost 300 followers, with plans to hold regular cycling sessions around town. Five of us took part in our first cycling race in October, at the Abu Dhabi Tour “Fastest Lap” Challenge, and I’m proud to say that I won second place in my age group [18-24]. These are girls who, before they joined Banat on Bikes, hadn’t cycled for many years, and the whole group-support element is what gets us really motivated to go further. It felt really good to get out of my comfort zone, and it was a good starting point for me to join more challenges. I’ve now signed up to do the Women’s Heritage Walk, a 125-kilometre desert walk from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi, which takes place in February. Cycling makes my calf muscles stronger, which will come in handy for walking up those sand dunes. I’m excited to challenge myself, both mentally and physically, and to raise awareness for the legacy and heritage of Emirati women.

As told to Jessica Hill