epa05521380 Australian runner Suzy Walsham runs up the last of a total of 2,041 steps of the China World Summit Wing to complete the vertical run World Circuit at the China World Summit Wing in Beijing, China, 03 September 2016. As many as about 700 competitors from 23 countries complete the 2,041 steps of 82 floors to an elevation of 330 meters to finish the race.  EPA/WU HONG
epa05521380 Australian runner Suzy Walsham runs up the last of a total of 2,041 steps of the China World Summit Wing to complete the vertical run World Circuit at the China World Summit Wing in BeijinShow more

Stair-running: Fight the flight to step up your fitness levels



A few months ago, we wrote about the simple but effective regimen of stair-climbing – an activity that's inexpensive, easily accessible and boosts both body and brain health.

Most experts maintain that injury-free adults should aim to climb stairs daily for 10 minutes, preceded by a five-minute warm-up, which could include walking on flat ground, and some basic squats and lunges. Once you’re comfortable doing 70 minutes a week, add flights until you’ve reached at least 30 minutes a day. But what next? If you find stair-climbing physically and mentally productive, you can take it to the next level: stair-running.

Sometimes called tower-­running or sky-running, the sport is gaining popularity in the UAE. In addition to international competitions hosted here, organisations such as Gulf for Good and Zayed Sports City regularly organise stair-running events and races in the country’s many high-rises.

Singapore-based professional stair-runner Suzy Walsham came first in the women’s category during the Dubai leg of the 2017 Vertical World Circuit, scaling up the 52-storey Jumeirah Emirates Towers in 8 minutes and 16 seconds. Walsham also won top honours at the inaugural 82-floor Climb to Abu Dhabi vertical marathon hosted by Etihad Towers this year.

Before she became a professional stair-runner, the 43-year-old Australian was an 800-metre and 1,500-metre track athlete, who has won several Australian national titles and competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She tells us how she got involved with stair-running and about its many joys and jubilations.

What do you enjoy most about stair-running?

AI love the challenge of it. It is incredibly tough, but I love trying to work out how I can go faster and how I can train my mind to overcome the physical challenge. I get a great sense of satisfaction when I finish a race. I also like that it's an exercise where factors such as the weather are not really an issue, and you can get a really tough workout in a relatively short period of time.

What other sports would you compare stair-running to?

I have a middle distance track background; however, stair-running is harder physically due to the sustained lactic acid, particularly for a tall building, although you can recover quicker as there is much less impact. Stair-runners often talk about what sport is most similar, and we think speedskating and rowing, to some extent, could be close cousins. Stair races are different to track races, so I have enjoyed applying my skills to a new sport.

How did you get involved with the sport?

My first race was the Swissotel Vertical Marathon in Singapore in 2006, prior to which I never did any stair-training or used the stairs in regular life. I happened to win that race, and won a trip to New York to compete in the Empire State Building Run-Up [which she won]. Back then, there weren’t many races, but I quickly developed a passion for the sport. 

After the birth of my son, I turned, once again, to the stairs to get back into shape, and from 2012 I started to do a lot more international races – in 2016 I did 16 stair races. This year, I competed in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and I won both. I found the events were excellently run and had a great atmosphere, and I really enjoyed visiting the UAE.

How should active but amateur stair-climbers train themselves to compete in a stair-running race?

If you are going to do a race, then you ought to do some training on the stairs. It can seem super-hard at first, so start out with manageable sessions; stop after five or 10 floors for a set amount of rest time, and then increase the number of floors you do before stopping. 

Before a race, I recommend to at least cover the race distance in training, but preferably aim to do 50 per cent more in a session – that way the race will feel easier. You can also practise your technique and find out what works best: how you use the handrail, whether you take one step at a time or two, and practise pacing yourself. Too many runners start out way too fast; I always recommend to go out slower and then find your rhythm and build on that.

What’s your dream tower-running destination?

Without a doubt, I am desperate for there to be a race up the Burj Khalifa. I have been to Dubai several times and I refuse to go to the [Burj’s] observation deck until I can run there myself.

What are some of the physical and mental-health benefits of making stair-climbing a regular part of a person’s life?  

It is a fantastic exercise to build fitness and strength – you get the cardio because your heart rate goes through the roof, but you also get strength from pushing your body up the stairs – great for legs/glutes – and when you use the handrail, you also get a good arm workout. After some races, it is my arms that are sore the next day and not my legs. It also has much less impact than running, so there is much less chance of injury.

Stair fitness is also very convenient if you live or work in a building, and you can get an amazing workout in just 15 to 20 minutes, without having to worry about the weather or pollution, or paying expensive gym fees. It is also a great de-stressor as you can’t really think of anything else when you are doing a running session up the stairs, and the endorphins and sense of achievement you will feel will put you in a good mood. 

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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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What is a Ponzi scheme?

A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free

Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
List of officials:

Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.

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German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
T20 World Cup Qualifier

October 18 – November 2

Opening fixtures

Friday, October 18

ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya

Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan

Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed

Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed

The Beach Bum

Director: Harmony Korine

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg

Two stars

BeIN Sports currently has the rights to show

- Champions League

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- Italian, French and Scottish leagues

- Wimbledon and other tennis majors

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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour

Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain

Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons

West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins