Dubai residents challenged to take part in world-first 'Marathon at Home' initiative

Dubai Sports Council has joined forces with 530 Run and Asics Middle East to set the challenge

Dubai residents are advised to stay home and stay safe. AP Photo

If you’re looking for a way to keep yourself fit and healthy at home during the coronavirus outbreak, step up to Dubai Sports Council’s latest challenge.

In collaboration with Asics Middle East and 530 Run club, the Dubai Sports Council is challenging the city’s residents to take part in its new initiative, Marathon at Home, set to take place on Friday, April 10.

Residents are being challenged to run a full marathon – 42.195 kilometres – within the confines of their own home, whether that means inside, in a garden or even on a balcony. Runners can decide on their own course, but there are two rules: no running on a treadmill and, of course, no running in a public place.

The timed race will be the first in the world, organisers say, and will take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm, with a 10-hour time cap. Participants will be required to join the Marathon at Home group on running app Strava via their tracker watch or smartphone, in order for their time and progress to be registered.

The initiative is part of DSC's Be Fit, Be Safe and #stayhome campaigns, designed to keep residents fit and healthy while also helping to stem the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

While there won't be an official finish line or medal ceremony, there will still be prizes for taking part. The top three men and women to finish will receive a full Asics running kit, as well as a finisher medal and an entry ticket to the Moscow Marathon, which is set to take place in September. The top 10 finishers will receive 10 Electrical Muscle Stimulation functional training sessions from Vertexfitness. All finishers will receive a medal, certificate and T-shirt.

"We are really pleased to announce this first-of-its-kind marathon in association with Dubai Sports Council and Asics Middle East," says Fuad Naser, founder of the 530 Run club.

“With the spread of Covid-19, it was our responsibility to support the government and country in promoting #stayhome in order to #staysafe. These challenging situations inspired us to think out of the box and give our community a way to achieve and maintain an active lifestyle, while still #stayinghome.”

You can register to take part in the initiative at www.530run.ae until Monday, April 6.