Fatima Bara Interview – Flying Girls Milano

Maybe you had the chance to see these “flying girls” speed through Milan. They are Najla, Sofia, Fatima, Lorraine, Micol, Arianna, Francesca and Greta. The all female crew created by Nike that runs through the streets of the city with the slogan #weflymilano. Young, strong but above all very fast, these girls come from different backgrounds. They have only one thing in common that makes this  group so close: running. We had a small talk with Fatima, a twenty years old “politics and economics” student at the Università Cattolica of Milan, who gave us some sneak peeks of the crew and brought us a bit in her daily life divided between running and what a normal girl usually does nowadays.

Hello Fatima. Tell me something about you.

I have always been very active since childhood, and I could not even stay sat at the table during meals! My first true approach to running has been during middle school, with the 5 Mulini student run: after that I felt tired and satisfied, a combination that from that moment on has become indispensable for me. I also love singing and speaking in English, they always put me in a good mood. Another thing that makes me feel good is food, I’m very greedy and it’s a bit hard for me to follow a strict diet. Unfortunately I am also a very loud person, but in my defense I can say that that’s what happen when you grow up in a house with 6 brothers and sisters. To be honest, I’m also moody, but in my favor I must say that my zodiac sign is cancer, dominated by the Moon.

You’re studying politics and economics. Why this choice? It seems to be very challenging.

I studied administration, finance and marketing in high schools, that made me realize that I wanted to study more economy and law topics. And considering my great love for English, what better course of “politics and economics” entirely in English?

Apart from studying, you’re a runner. What kind of running do you like?

Any kind of running, as long as it is running! Although what I do best is undoubtedly “running late”! I am a chronic late parson and I admit to do it on purpose: I love doing things at the last minute and running against time to get everything done. Speaking more seriously, my specialty in athletics is speed: 400m.

How is your typical day?

Every day is different. I do not have a meticulously elaborate routine and I like it that way, the important thing is to get to the end of the day having done everything I had to do. Usually I don’t use alarm clocks, because I get up naturally after about 8 hours of sleep and because I honestly find them also highly traumatic, they remind me of when I went to high school! Also, as I said, I like the feeling of doing things in a hurry. It gives me the perfect adrenaline rush to start the day. For breakfast I often eat a toast with coconut oil and brown sugar, a must also when I’m late! I love both tea and yogurt, depending on the fruit that I choose to eat that morning. Lunch is always a meal “on the go” for me: I rarely can have lunch at home, much more often I prepare a lunch box made of rice and chicken, fish, vegetables and crackers etc. All healthy foods, which are also good cold. Overall my days are very different from each other: lectures at the university, training, study and work are arranged every day at different times. The common thread of every day is definitely the rush, running. Dinner is the only meal that I do calmly and during which I have try to eat healthier. And when I go to bed every night to organize the next day, a nice hot herbal tea on my bedside table can’t miss.

What is your favorite time to run?

The training is like an apple: one a day, takes the doctor away. However I do not have a favorite schedule. In the morning running wakes me up and puts me in the best conditions to face the day. After lunch it prevents the famous nap and avoids a drop of energies. In the evening it gives you the mercy killing and makes you sleep like a child. Regardless of the time, the training is always welcome.

You’re part of Flying Girls Milano crew.

Everything started in May and it is the best thing that has happened to me this year so far. I already knew some of the girls while the others I met them later, but we linked immediately. We are all very different, but having many common goals in both in sports and in life, we get along perfectly.

What does it mean to be part of a Crew?

Being part of a crew means sharing. Joys, goals, disappointments, problems, opportunities. A crew is a bit like a family, everyone has a role, they all work together and no one is excluded.

Nike is making you live a lot of incredible experiences thanks to this project, what was the most exciting one?

The most exciting was definitely the Berlin marathon! We met a lot of interesting people with a passion for running and challenged other very strong crews. We made a huge cheer at the Nike cheering point at the 36th km and we could not help but get the creeps when Kipchoge passed in front of us.

It seems that your crew has a lot of fun while running, what would you say to those who think that running is boring?

You can say anything about running but not that it is boring! It gives you new feeling and they’re always different. The secret not to get bored is to focus on the details: the noise of your shoes on the ground, your breath, the surrounding environment.

My favorite shoe is the Pegasus 35 from the new Nike Run Utility Collection, cushioned at the right point, waterproof and with adjustable laces that never loose while you run! My ideal outfit for this season are definitely thick tights with fancy prints, thermal shirt and a hooded wind jacket! As for the colors, I love them all from the brightest to the darkest.

And what do you suggest instead for not being lazy and running even when it’s cold, in winter?

For me personally it becomes more difficult to have the motivation to train in winter when I don’t know what to wear. So the advice would be to use thermal, breathable and waterproof clothes, in order to be equipped both in case of rain and wind and no longer have excuses!

What is your favorite running shoe? And what instead your outfit and your favorite color for running?

My favorite shoe is the Pegasus 35 from the new Nike Run Utility Collection, cushioned at the right point, waterproof and with adjustable laces that never loose while you run! My ideal outfit for this season are definitely thick tights with fancy prints, thermal shirt and a hooded wind jacket! As for the colors, I love them all from the brightest to the darkest.

Do you run listening to the music?

As much as I am a music fan, I prefer to run without music. My favorite type of music is R&B that has a pace more suited to relax rather than running, then I prefer not to listen to music while running because it distracts attention from my feelings and the environment around me.

So what do you usually think about while you’re running?

I am a person with a thousand thoughts per second in mind, but while I run I always try to put into practice mindfulness, so I try to concentrate in that given moment only and exclusively on the act I am doing, it is a type of meditation that I really like.

What and who will be Fatima in the future?

As a child I dreamed of becoming a singer and I invented a thousand imaginary occasions in which to perform. Growing up and living certain experiences, my dream has changed. Now I dream of becoming a good mother: a patient, loving and extremely strong woman.