Sooo here we are, trying something new, it’s our first ever reflection and honestly I didn’t think I’d be sitting here writing this and posting this (eventually). But let’s be fair new years can feel quite daunting, scary at times, where do I go? What do I do? What can I do differently this year? What’s the best thing I can do this year to make it THE year, what changes do I need to make? What’s my “new year’s resolution”?
How about I run a marathon? Or eat 10% healthier, or or how about go on a crazy juice fast so I can start the year on a high.
Reality is, all that is bullshit. Really, I was never with the idea of hey yeah let’s do changes at the start of the year, in my humble opinion that’s just what you do to pause your life and do a change that’s uncomfortable, you wait and wait till “the moment is right” but actually and this is what 2025 taught me, is that there’s never a perfect time. There’s the leap of faith you need to take that sets you apart from everyone else, the moments that you didn’t let life dictate but just trust the process and the timing of every aspect of your life.
This was arguably one of the scariest parts of my 2025. Doing my first ever Solo Hyrox race, and continuing a long-distance relationship with someone I never met. You might think why would that be scary, they’re both things you love – fitness and love.
Let’s jump into this, doing a Solo Hyrox race was an insane experience and one that I’m 100% doing again but the fear of going to race alone, being a lone in my own thoughts, in a city where I know no one and being someone who is so critical of themselves, this race meant everything and it was the biggest lesson of the year.
Take every part of your life one step at a time. It’s so easy to say this, seriously – but this is what Hyrox taught me. Brick by brick, step by step. There’s pain, there’s difficulty, but there’s also enjoyment, contentment, fun at the end of every single race you’ll ever do.
Same thing applies to racing – you’re gonna see people faster than you, fitter than you (which was 100000% the case on race day) but that’s the part of life no one really explains to you because it’s so hard to teach this. Just don’t look at other people, “race your own race” – guy with the bulging muscles and 6-pack abs, cool – probably had his own journey to how he got there, doesn’t mean I need to have the same one.
The crazy about all this is that I as soon as I touched that race floor on lap 1, all the thoughts went poooof. Out the window, all I had was me, and my thoughts, not caring about anyone else around me, just doing what makes sense to me.
No matter what’s anyone else will ever tell me (or you) you’ll always need to trust your gut and do what makes sense to you. I always say this on the Podcast, no one gave us a book about how to live life or how to think, or whatever, it’s all based off own our narratives and thinking and that’s what happened.
The moments of “body shaming” myself throughout this year was insane, looking at other athletes, being like “man how? I’m doing everything right im not eating this, im being so disciplined” but the truth is, I wasn’t seeing the fun in all of it, I didnt let myself enjoy some moments, have that dessert I wanted, or have that cheat meal. There was no fun, there was no play, there was just process and chaos.
Going back to it being the scariest part of 2025, I kept wondering how will I do, how will my coaches think of my performances, my parents what would they think, how would my teammates think about my performance because I built this whole persona around Hyrox and fitness and god knows what. That internal dialogue, a killer. Looking back I’m kind of glad that I had those moments, because without them I wouldn’t have seen the highs of just doing what’s best for me and thinking about me.
Same thing applies in a weird way to my relationship, this was so difficult, it’s funny because me and my (now girlfriend) speak about this all the time, it’s like we didnt know how things would be when we meet, we’ve done so much talking on text and video call but nothing in person and that’s what makes it all so much harder.
Do I stay, do I go? What kind of man would I be if I left? What kind of man would I be if I spend all this time to then end it that wouldn’t be a cool story would it?
What this taught me is that (similar to my Hyrox race) is that nothing in life comes easy, nothing comes without change or compromise, nothing in life ever comes if you dont trust your gut.
Imagine if your idol kept acting based off how someone else would. That’s a sad story cuz they wouldn’t be your idol – they’d just be someone who followed someone else’s thought process and implemented.
For me it’s almost the same, it’s all about what would Karim do. Sometimes the answers weren’t so great, not so bright but you need to find your way around it, you need to control that voice that doesnt help you.
Anyways this has been one big brain fart, but I felt that these two experiences shaped my year and the lesson, is just go for it. Anything you want to do, anything you’re thinking- just go for it. Imagine the world we live in if people didnt take their chances on things. No risk, no reward. Just go for it