When his brother convinced him to take part in a 10km race during the Covid-19 pandemic, the civil engineer and former football player was unsure whether he would even be able to complete the distance.
For Salem Al Hashemi, the path to completing some of the world’s biggest marathons began with simple curiosity rather than a long-term goal.
When his brother encouraged him to take part in a 10km race in Abu Dhabi during the Covid-19 pandemic, the civil engineer and former footballer was unsure if he could even complete the distance. Years later, while balancing his career, family responsibilities and training sessions of up to 100km a week, he has completed every race in the expanded Abbott World Marathon Majors series — taking him from Abu Dhabi’s roads to some of the most iconic marathon courses around the globe.
“I simply wanted to find out whether I could run 10 kilometres without stopping,” Al Hashemi told.
At the time, the 34-year-old had years of experience playing football and practising CrossFit, but he had never run beyond the 3.2km fitness test required during national service.
When his brother suggested taking part in a community 10km race on Yas Island in November 2020, Al Hashemi decided to accept the challenge.
“I had never run 10km before. I didn’t know whether I could finish,” he recalled.
To his surprise, he completed the race in 41 minutes, finishing 10th among around 500 runners and becoming the second-fastest Emirati in the event.
“I didn’t even know how races worked. I just kept following the runner ahead of me,” he said. “After that race, my life changed 180 degrees.”
The following day, he bought his first pair of running shoes.
Just one week later, he entered another 10km race and improved his time by more than a minute, breaking the 40-minute mark.
“That’s when I discovered the running community and joined the Abu Dhabi Running Team. From there, it was race after race.”
Since then, Al Hashemi has completed more than 100 local races and over 20 international marathons, improving his personal best time to 2 hours and 48 minutes.
Lessons from falling
His first full marathon remains one of his most unforgettable experiences.
During the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon in 2021, Al Hashemi believed the toughest part was over as he approached the finish line. But with just 200 metres remaining, both legs cramped suddenly, causing him to fall.
“It was the first time in my life I had ever experienced a cramp,” he said. “I had played football since I was seven years old and had never felt anything like it.”
Despite the pain, he pushed himself to reach the finish line and complete the race.
Rather than slowing him down, the experience became a source of motivation and strengthened his determination to continue running.
His next marathon brought a familiar and unsettling experience. Once again, his legs cramped near the finish line, this time with only 50 metres remaining.
“I remembered what happened the previous year,” he said. “I told myself, ‘No matter what happens, don’t fall again.’”
He slowed down to a walk but managed to stay upright and cross the finish line, relieved that he had avoided another fall.
Months later, at the Barcelona Marathon, Al Hashemi finally achieved his goal of breaking the three-hour mark, finishing in 2:58. The performance also earned him an unexpected qualification for some of the world’s most prestigious races, including the Boston and Chicago Marathons.
Winning the mental battle
While marathon training demands physical strength and endurance, Al Hashemi believes the biggest challenge is often fought mentally.
One of his toughest experiences came during the 2023 New York Marathon.
After crossing several bridges, runners enter a section known among participants as the “Silent Bridge” — a stretch where the usual crowd support disappears and the only sounds are the footsteps and breathing of fellow runners.
“All you can hear is runners breathing,” he recalled.
“You see people stopping, people collapsing, and you start asking yourself if you should continue. That was one of the few moments when I genuinely considered withdrawing.”
Despite the struggle, he pushed forward and completed the race.
Another defining challenge came ahead of the 2025 Boston Marathon.
An injury just two months before the race had disrupted his training significantly, leaving Al Hashemi uncertain about whether he should take part in one of the world’s toughest marathon events.
The legendary Heartbreak Hill section of the Boston course added another layer of difficulty.
After completing the race, his oxygen levels fell below 80 per cent, and he was taken to the medical tent. “There was always a battle between what my body was telling me and what my mind was telling me,” he said.
To prepare for such moments, he intentionally builds mental strength through long solo training runs.
“I spend hours running on my own. That’s when you learn to talk to yourself,” he said. “You keep telling yourself: ‘I can do it.’”
Balancing family and ambition
Al Hashemi’s achievements have come while managing a full-time engineering career and raising five children.
Preparing for a marathon typically requires around three months of training, with six sessions each week covering between 90 and 100 kilometres.
“You work eight or nine hours a day, then you need another two or three hours for training,” he said. “It really is a sacrifice. The time that should go to my family, I sometimes have to dedicate to training. Even annual leave has to be planned around race calendars.”
Unlike many professional athletes, Al Hashemi finances his marathon journey independently.
“Everything has come through personal effort: the travel, race entries and equipment. It is driven purely by passion and love for the sport.”
He said his engineering background has also influenced his approach to running.
“Engineering teaches you to solve problems and plan ahead,” he explained. “I plan my year around work, races, family commitments and holidays. If something changes, I find another solution.”
Completing this journey places Al Hashemi among a select group of marathon runners worldwide. According to Abbott World Marathon Majors, only 2,094 runners had earned the programme’s official Six Star Medal after completing the original six major races by the end of the 2025 New York City Marathon.
Al Hashemi has since achieved an even greater milestone, completing all eight races that now form the expanded Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
One of his most unforgettable moments, Al Hashemi said, was carrying the UAE flag during the Parade of Nations ahead of the 2023 New York Marathon.
“The MC announced my name and my country, and spoke about some of the UAE’s iconic landmarks — it was a very proud and honourable moment for me,” he said.
Last year, Al Hashemi was honoured by Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, for completing the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. During the ceremony, Sheikh Nahyan praised the achievement and highlighted the council’s commitment to supporting Emirati athletes and promoting excellence in community sports.
“The honour from Sheikh Nahyan meant a great deal to me,” Al Hashemi said. “It showed that our leadership follows these achievements and recognises the effort athletes put into reaching their goals.”
Despite achieving a milestone that many runners only dream of, Al Hashemi says his journey is far from complete.
“I have more goals,” he said with a smile. “For now, I’ll keep them to myself.”
“For me, every finish line is simply the beginning of another challenge.”
