Over one lakh people take part in Dubai Run

Our Correspondent

As Dubai Fitness Challenge winds up on November 28, enthusiastic participants had something to celebrate a day earlier – the Dubai Run.

Dubai Run is one of Dubai Fitness Challenge’s biggest events and brings an all-inclusive running experience to the city streets. All one needs is the will to participate and sufficient hydration.

This year, the Dubai Run was presented by Mai Dubai, a Dubai-based company that produces bottled water. It was not limited to a specific venue this time; instead the entire city was transformed into a personalised running track. Participants could walk, run and jog from wherever they wished – in their own neighbourhood or preferred park. Some of the popular tracks were at the Marina Walk, Kite Beach, Al Qudra, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai Autodrome, Jumeirah Beach Road and Palm Jumeirah.

Participants could choose their preferred distance and access a free coaching programme; options included a 2km, a 5km or a 10km run.

More than 100,000 participants took to the streets for the city’s biggest fun run. People of all ages, abilities and fitness levels walked, wheeled, jogged and ran along their own routes at stunning locations across the city.

A sea of yellow filled the city as participants came in t-shirts provided by Sun and Sand Sports.

Even little ones being pushed in their strollers and people of determination were part of the event.

Many participants posted photos of their run on their social media channels, tagging @dubaifitnesschallenge and using #DubaiRun. The best of these were rewarded with a variety of prizes totalling AED 500,000 provided by key city stakeholders.

Dubai Run participants also rallied together in spirit to raise significant funds for ‘Education Uninterrupted’, a fundraising campaign to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on the education of children and youth in the UAE. Led by Dubai Cares, and part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and the UAE Ministry of Education, the donations collected will help provide UAE students from low-income families with the necessary electronic devices to continue their studies from home.

Dubai Run was organised by Dubai Tourism and Dubai Sports Council. Along with with presenting partner Mai Dubai, there were association partners Emirates NBD, fitbit and Sun and Sand Sports; official partners Arabian Radio Network (ARN), Daman, DP World, Etisalat, Education Uninterrupted and Zoom; and government partners Event Security Committee, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai Police, Ministry of Education and Roads & Transport Authority (RTA).