Anyone who sets foot in Heliopolis Sporting Club’s track knows that it’s bound to become one of their happy places. It is the place where people go to unwind, forget the worries of the outside world and challenge themselves to accomplish a great deal.
To me, this place holds a huge place in my heart. It is the place that holds so many memories I cherish, a place where I proved how determined I am and a place where hard work really pays off.
I was lucky enough to have the support and motivation of someone who took me under their wing and help me make a miraculous transformation of losing over 20 kgs and realize that I could really accomplish whatever I set my mind to.
Having spent the past five years of my life in and out of this one special place, there are so many people I’ve encountered. If you ever step foot in my happy place, here’s what to expect.
The older generation doing their morning stretching
There’s something so cheerful about seeing a group of older people gathered in a circle and doing their morning routine. It’s one of the reasons I love the track in the morning so much. Whether it’s a weekday or a weekend, nothing stops these bunch of elders from showing us how it should be done!
CrossFit
Don’t be surprised if you see people crawling on the floor and trying to do weird animal moves, that’s just part of CrossFit being crossfit! If you’re interested in joining check their Facebook page here.
HITEgypt
Every once in a while some new fitness workout appears and becomes a huge HIT! And this one has the perfect name for it, too. You see those colourful banners near the end of the field? Yup, that’s where you’ll find them! Find out more on what these champs are doing here.
The young kids aspiring to become athletes
Every kid now goes to like five different trainings a week, and to be honest that’s the ONLY reason I find hope in the young generations. But whether they’re swimmers, tennis players or football players, they all end up in the track at least once a week.
The hurdlers and runners
It’s okay to stereotype here, because everyone I’ve seen on the hurdling team has extremely long legs! That’s how you can spot them out in the track. Oh, and the things they jump over, too.
The ex athletes whose lives cannot go on without sports
Not everyone gets to be a professional athlete, and so for those who have been working out continuously for their entire lives, exercising is just as essential as breathing. You’ll find them usually in a corner doing their own kind of workout and making it look like it’s a piece of cake!
Stallions
Usually located on the right end of the track, you’ll find a group of people doing all kinds of different things. One day they’ll be showing off those colourful elastic bands while other days they’ll be competing against each other for motivation. Whatever it is they’re doing, they always look like they’re having fun! See for yourself what this group is up to here.
The annoying personal trainers
They don’t let you get away with anything and you have no one to hide behind and slack off like in group trainings. They have a mission, and that mission is to get you in shape and there’s nothing you can do about it!
In my case, my personal trainer was my best friend who knew what I’d been eating all day and took it out on me during workout time. He’d finish his workout, cross his legs on the bench and make me lose every calorie of that burger I just ate the previous day.
He was so annoying and bossy I wanted to kill him, but to be honest, without his persistence and determination I wouldn’t have come this far and definitely wouldn’t have lost over 20 kg.
Ignite
Who said working out wasn’t fun? You can’t see what these guys are up to and not feel you want to be part of their team just because of how motivated they seem and how much they seem to enjoy it! Find out more about them here.
The couples motivating each other to workout together
One of the things I love the most are couples wgo workout together. You’ll find a husband encouraging his pregnant wife by walking with her, couples running together or just encouraging each other to keep on pushing. And of course, you get the bonus of hanging out with your loved one afterwards, spreading happy vibes all over the track.
The annoying kids crossing the track
It’s so annoying to have an obstacle stand in your way when you’re trying to keep your running pace, but it’s even more annoying when that obstacle is a kid! They roam around the track like they own it and don’t even bother to look and see if they’re in someone’s way. They’ll just be chitchatting right in the middle of your lane! Ughh.. I hate kids!
Shabab formet el sa7el
Of course, the closer we get to summer the more people start to show up getting ready to show off those six packs! From doing pull ups on the bars to pushups with their feet up on the bench, they’re working out pretty hard to get back in shape!
The business men on their phones
If working out means you’re on the phone for two hours and jog for 10 minutes, then hat’s off to these businessmen for doing it right!
Mr./Miss Popular
When you’ve been training for a long time, you don’t go to the track just to work out, you spend all your free time there because that’s where you shine! You’ll find those popular kids who walk in and just spend an hour saying hello to EVERYONE there.
The older woman who’s fitter than I am
I hope that when I get older, I still maintain the need to exercise and have the strength and health to hit the track as often as these people do. It is kind of humiliating to be trying to catch your breath on the first lap when this woman has been going steady for 10 laps! But it is very motivating (especially for someone who is as competitive as I am) to keep up with her pace! Granny’s got nothing on me!
The people who come to socialize and not work out
Whether it’s to spend time with your friends or partners who are working out, watch your kids practice or just sit in the middle of the field with your friends, the track is filled with spectators and people just there to chill! Of course, let’s not forgot Mr. and Miss Popular who spend their time socializing. The track is a happy place for many, after all!
Football players who take over the entire field
There are nights where I go to the track and it is extremely crowded, even though I tend to go late at night after most groups are done. That crowd is usually because of football tournaments happening or just soccer practice. And because they take over the entire field, all the other groups who work out on the field take over the corners that us individuals use!
The little gymnasts doing perfect cartwheels
I’ve always had a thing for cartwheels, maybe because I’ve never been able to do one! But there’s something so positive about seeing a group of kids doing little, perfect cartwheels! It’s always a sight for sore eyes.
The spoilt AC lovers
Whenever I complain about the heat or how sweaty it makes me get, my best friend always tells me, “sweat is fat crying” – that combined with the love for the track for it being open air and the change the scenery as you run each lap makes me look at those people in the AC hut on their treadmills like spoilt brats!
The familiar faces
When you’ve been going for a while, the faces start to get familiar. I’ve been seeing the same faces for over four years now and seeing their transformations, their determination or just their faces appearing every day is one of the reasons that keeps me going.
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