The success story of businessman Steve Madden, the owner of the renowned brand for women’s handbags and shoes for women and men, is one of those inspiring tales of self-made individuals that drove us to seek similar stories. Not in the same field or path, but in the hard work that has led to achievements that catch the eye - much like the story of sports physician, yoga instructor, and founder of the We Run running community in Riyadh, Saudi Sarah Farhoud. How did she reach where she is today?
Excitement—that’s how we can describe Dr. Sarah Farhoud's reaction when we proposed she be the star of the collaboration project between Sayidaty and Steve Madden to highlight self-made success stories of Saudi women who achieved their accomplishments through diligence. She saw many similarities between her story and that of Steve Madden, who started from scratch and managed to take his brand to global prominence.
Sarah's passion for sports began in her childhood when her mother enrolled her in ballet lessons at the age of six. Later, her feet led her to a yoga studio, where she discovered a world that brought her happiness and balance. Years later, she wanted to transition from being a trainee to a trainer, so she set her sights on Bali and Nepal to train under specific specialists. Despite being under twenty and spending a month abroad for her courses, she received encouragement from her parents. This is where her journey began, bringing her knowledge from Bali to Riyadh, and she became a professional yoga instructor.
Her love for sports led her to enrol at King Saud University to study medicine, specifically choosing a specialty in physical medicine and rehabilitation focused on diagnosing and treating sports injuries. She saw a future in this field, especially with the support of Vision 2030 for women and sports.
In 2018, she decided to try outdoor running in Riyadh, a solitary sport that transformed into a community one when she came up with the idea of organizing a whole community centred around running in the capital, in partnership with a group of friends who shared her interests. They named it the We Run community, and it began with special training sessions for women to encourage them to overcome stress and get used to running outdoors.
Sarah says, "In the world of running, we are all equal. Just wear a comfortable pair of running shoes and join us. We don’t care about your nationality, culture, financial or professional status, or even your fitness level. Together, a beginner becomes a professional, while the professional serves their community with advice and experience."
The We Run community grew in membership, and their skills developed, making Sarah see them as her second family. After running, they gather to exchange conversations and viewpoints that make them more open to others. The same goes for her students in the yoga classes she leads; thanks to this, she found people like herself and an environment filled with peace.
For Sarah, sports have been and continue to be her way of achieving personal accomplishments as a self-made woman, starting from scratch, reflecting the success stories of many, including Steve Madden, who shines a light on inspiring self-made stories from the region. Today, she dreams of opening a studio that combines her expertise as a trainer and sports physician to help the elderly and injured athletes in the future!
