Race director recalls how favourite hike became popular Wadi Bih Race

Registration for the 2017 Salomon Wadi Bih Run closes on January 18. This year mark's the event's 25 anniversary. Picture Glen Nuestro

The popular Salomon Wadi Bih Run celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017. Race director, John Young, recalls how the event started and reveals what participants can expect from this year’s race on February 3 and 4.

The Salomon Wadi Bih Run started on the Arabian Gulf coast from Ras Al Khaimah and traversed the Musandam Peninsula via Wadi Bih and over a high point in the mountains to descend down Wadi Khabb Shamsi to the Gulf of Oman.

Due to ongoing restrictions on travel between the UAE and Oman, the Salomon Wadi Bih Run now starts in the Omani port town of Dibba, and climbs up the gorges of Wadi Khabb Shamsi to the high point of the mountains with a view into Wadi Bih.

The run originated 25 years ago when a few of us decided to create a relay race through one of our favourite hiking areas in the Hajar Mountains. In January 1993, 16 teams of five runners raced through a winding wadi, supporting each relay runner from our 4-wheel drives, and culminating with a Ravi’s curry on the beach in Dibba.

Each team member would take turns in running a distance ranging from one to five kilometres, while the rest of the team offered encouragement from the support car. The 72km route was split into about 12 stages to the top of the mountain, before returning to the beach. Each team member ran about 15km in total, with breaks in between.

Fast forward to today and over 2,000 runners will flock up to Dibba for the weekend of February 3-4, the 25th anniversary of the race. The Salomon Wadi Bih Run has become a highlight on the Middle East running calendar and attracts runners of all ages and abilities with five different categories, varying vastly in difficulty.

The most popular race is the Team 72 route. This is the original format of the event and a fantastic way to experience the natural terrain between the idyllic aquamarine Gulf of Oman and the narrow canyon climbing to the high point of the Khasab road.

In 2014, a 50km version of the relay race was introduced, perfect for company team building, younger runners and, in particular, family teams.

The Salomon Wadi Bih Run has also evolved to create some of the toughest ultra-marathon routes in the Middle East. It wasn’t long before the full 72km relay route became a competitive solo category, and over the last 10 years it has grown from a few extreme athletes attempting something different to the ultimate long-distance regional running challenge with stiff competition and some superb times.

The 72km distance is a major challenge but there is also 1,000m of ascent and descent mainly on graded gravel tracks. There are a number of checkpoints to support runners. Anyone who completes this category deserves to be called the King of the Mountain.

There are also some shorter options available to solo runners – 50km and 30km solo routes have been crafted out of the original 72km.

The course for the Solo 30km skips the long dusty start of the Solo 72km, and instead departs straight into the narrowing wadi from the turnoff to Six Senses Zighy Bay, with approximately 500m of ascent, before reversing the route back to the start. This is a great category for roadrunners who have completed a half-marathon and are looking for something more challenging on different terrain.

The course for the Solo 50km is as per the Solo 30km event, but runners continue higher along a high-plateau ridge to witness superb views of the rugged mountains of the Musandam peninsula. This is ideal for roadrunners who have completed a marathon and are looking for something more challenging on different terrain.

The routes vary widely in difficulty but regardless of your ability, they all include spectacular views of the Hajar Mountains, and guarantee an exciting day out in the mountains.

Registrations for the Salomon Wadi Bih Run close on January 14 and cost Dh300 per runner. For more information visit www.wadibih.com and sign up at www.premieronline.com.