Dubai aces first citywide run with help of tech

DUBAI: A section of one of the busiest roads in the world , the Sheik h Zayed Road, was closed down on November 8 for the first time as some 70,000 runners of all ages , nationalities and abilities took part in a one-of-a-
kind free run for the city dubbed Dubai Run 30×30.

The event is part of the 30-day Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC), launched and championed by His Highness SheikhHamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, which seeks to inspire residents to get fitter and heathier through 30-minute workout for 30 days. This year’s Challenge ran from Oct 18 to Nov 16, 2019.

DFC’s inaugural launch in 2017 had a million registered participants’ thanks in part to the Dubai Fitness App which helps people monitor their workouts, explore free classes and fitness sessions, among other features.

“Today marks a milestone in our mission to make Dubai the most active city in the world – together as one society. I commend the enthusiasm and energy of our people and I am proud of how the people of Dubai – across ages, nationalities and abilities – have come together to create such an inspiring event. Congratulations to all those who accepted the challenge,” said Sheikh Hamdan.

This marks the first time that people have been allowed to run on a section of the 14-lane highway, giving participants a unique, on-foot perspective of iconic sights such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera, The Dubai Mall and Emirates Towers as they come together to demonstrate their commitment to an active lifestyle and DFC’s vision to make Dubai the most active city in the world. The Dubai run event featured two courses—a 5km and 10km route.