Oh goodness, a girl after my own heart!

Muslim Women Remove Barriers to Exercise

love to run. Albeit, I run much slower than I used to, but I still find a morning run the quickest, most effective way for me to burn calories. I often run after Fajr before my husband leaves for work and can watch our children. It seems so trivial now, but one of the reasons that I delayed covering after converting was my concern that I would have to give up running.

The problem was not with finding modest shirts and pants. A few companies offer Islamic sportswear, but I prefer to wear loose pants and extra-large, long-sleeved shirts for men, both specifically designed for running and made out of fabrics such as Coolmax or Nike Dri-FIT. This material wicks perspiration away from the skin, keeping you cool and dry. It is far superior to cotton, which absorbs water and can become heavy when wet.

My problem was that I could not find a comfortable hijab. The Hijood is not yet available to non-Olympians (although the website states that it is coming soon!) And whereas the two-piece, tighter fitting, Al-Amira-style hijab seemed to be the best design option, they are made of cotton, polyester, or a blend — materials that make you hot and wet when you sweat.

In my search for the perfect hijab to run in, I discovered that necessity is truly the mother of all invention. When I could not find something suitable, I decided to make my own, even though I do not know how to sew.

My favorite “SportsJab” is the pink one in the picture. I bought a baseball cap made of this perspiration-wicking fabric and added extra cloth. I could not purchase small quantities of this fabric so I bought running shirts and cut them to a very simple pattern that I designed.

I then sewed the cut fabric to the hat rim. Although my hijab is not as aerodynamic as the one Al-Gassra wears, it is comfortable and cool and I dare say attractive. Many Muslim women I know have complimented it and want to know where they can buy one.

The point here is that clothing need not stop you from exercising whether you are an Olympian or just interested in shedding a few pounds and keeping healthy.

SubhanAllah, a sister after my own heart.  I attempted to make something similar, but apparently I am less talented than here.  I tried to cut up one of my old sports shirts to sew to a hat I bought at Target, but alas, halfway through hacking around with a pair of scissors, I gave up.