5,000 women deliver powerful message with 1st obstacle run

Regardless of age, country, race or social status. Thousands of women gathered at the Hulhumale’ Central Park with the sun on Friday morning.

Mothers and grandmothers. Children, teachers and friends. Nurses and doctors. The queens of the nation filled the entire Central Park.

Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

They readied for a huge challenge. The country’s first obstacle run. The women woke up to national songs played by DJ Angie.

Hardworking women filled the ferries from Male’ to Hulhumale’ at 5:30 am, on their way to join the country’s first obstacle run and the country’s first all-women run, organized by the Maldivian branch of international organization – Women in Management (WIM) – to celebrate International Women’s Day 2018.

The more than 5,000 women who participated in the run were guided through their warm up by fitness trainer Kaishan Saleem (Kai) from “Train with Kai”. Kai was joined by Neena (Neen) from SHE Fitness. There wasn’t anyone with a smile on their face as Kai and Neen counted down the seconds to the run. Five, Four, Three, Two, One. The women literally pressed and progressed forward.

Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

MESSAGE, DELIVERED THROUGH OBSTACLES

Every participant of the run, from the two-year-old girl to the 67-year-old woman wanted to deliver one simple message. It’s the same message the President of WIM – Maldives, Minha Faiz wanted to deliver.

“We managed to deliver the message we wanted perfectly given the large number of women who participated. We completed this event this morning with a huge number of women. This is the first time for such a huge number of women to participate, the first time for an all-women run. The obstacles represent the challenges faced by every woman in life. The participants pressed forward, overcoming all the obstacles. The message delivered at the end of the run is that women will press forward and progress,” said Minha.

Minha Faiz, President of Women in Management - Maldives, at Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

The distance of the run was 3.7 kilometers. Participants had to overcome three obstacle courses in order to complete the run. As the women who participated completed the run, the 2,000 or so Girl Guides who participated in the run were no less courageous. The girls completed the run and won a badge to add to their sash.

Refreshments were provided by Coca-Cola and the participants, happy and excited to have successfully completed the historic run, posed for pictures, confident in the conviction there’s no reason why women should back away from any challenge.

Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

JUST THE BEGINNING

“This time we organized a 3.7 kilometer run. We will organize a bigger run next time. We are very happy to have begun this with such a huge number of women. We will organize many more events in the future,” said Minha, President of WIM – Maldives.

The first all-women run ended in a joyful and celebratory atmosphere. The women eagerly overcame all the obstacles to complete the run and deliver an important message; indiscriminate of age, or position.

Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

The initiative by partners of the run; Train with Kai, St. Art, Housing Development Corporation, MTCC, Ooredoo, Dreams Salon, Divas, and Girl Guide Association was all for the sake of women. Minha thanked all the partners, including the media partner Sun Media Group, on behalf of WIM – Maldives. She also thanked the event's co-sponsors; GreenBox, MPL, Life Support and Thilafushi Corporation.

Medical attention during the event was provided by ADK Hospital and Maldives Red Crescent, while security was maintained by Maldives Police Service and volunteers from Cadets and Girl Guides. The Hulhumale’ Hospital was on alert for the run. The obstacle courses were arranged by Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). No doubt, such detailed organization of such a mass event is due to the cooperation by all those who participated in the event.

Run With Us - Women's Day Special Obstacle Run by Women in Management - Maldives at Hulhumale' Central Park on March 9, 2018. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Afrah)

The joyous scenes at the Hulhumale’ Central Park is just the beginning. They have proven that Maldivian women have taken a step forward, and are ready to take another step forward. They have proven they don’t need to wait for someone else to empower them and provide them with their rights.