“I want to change the world, one race at a time” - Khadijah Diggs
Khadijah is Mother, Project Manager and a Team USA and Silver IronMan All-World Triathlete. Her mission is to Promote a Positive Image of Muslim Women and Islam in General through Sport.
Khadijah is currently ranked in the top 5% of her age group by Ironman Triathlon and is the first African American woman to represent Team USA in Long Course Triathlon and the first Muslim women to represent Team USA in any multi-sport event. The single mother of twins competed in her first triathlon in 2012 at age 43, and now aspires to win a national championship in the Master’s division.
Khadijah in her own words:
"Training and racing started off as my therapy to recover from a failing marriage and the loss of loved ones to cancer. It has remained that but has also become how I express myself and share who I am as Muslim, a Mother and a Woman."
Her GOAL is to open dialogue and connect women of all backgrounds on a personal level by sharing common experiences, joys and struggles through healthy living, group training and healthy competition.
"I have learned traveling all over the country and the World to race, that at the core, we are more the same than different. The struggles of motherhood and just being female are universal and it binds us as women.”
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Show notes
- Who is Khadijah
- Loving swimming from a young age
- Running track in college
- Getting her first bike for her first triathlon
- Doing her first triathlon in 2012 at 40 years old
- Coming 3rd to last, but loving the whole experience
- Being encouraged and supported at the start of her triathlon journey
- Figuring it out at the start
- Reading books and looking at training plans on-line
- Figuring out her method for triathlon
- Increasing from sprint triathlon to a half ironman distance
- Deciding to take swim lessons
- The struggle of finding appropriate clothing to wear
- ASIYA hijabs
- Muslim role models in triathlon
- Becoming a better athlete through making mistakes
- Realising the importance of nutrition
- The importance of planning for everything that can go wrong
- What’s going on mentally during a race
- Dedicating races to loved ones
- Using triathlon training as a mental escape
- Trying to get the balance right
- Having all the equipment to train at home including an endless pool
- Racing in Cuba
- Nutrition and changes to diet to help balance blood sugar levels
- F2C Nutrition
- Looking at nutrition in a holistic way
- Training during Ramadan
- Magical moments from races
- The power of mantra
- Being an introvert and preferring the virtual settings
- Final words of advice for taking on a triathlon
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