Running in United Arab Emirates - All Races 2024 [Running Calendar]

The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) is one of the up-and-coming sports nations.

This also applies to the organization of sports events. Major running events do not have a long tradition here. But a trip to the United Arab Emirates pays off.

No matter if you want to run a marathon or half marathon best time or if you want to do a triathlon, it is possible in the Emirates.

The biggest running events in the United Arab Emirates

Right in January the first big marathon times of the year could be run at the Dubai Marathon. There is almost no other running event in the world with such a high prize money as the Dubai Marathon. Accordingly, the top runners in Dubai are fast. In 2019, for example, the Ethiopian Getaneh Molla impressed with 2:03:34 hours. In the women's race, Ruth Chepngetich came dangerously close to Paula Radcliffe's world record (meanwhile broken) in the same year with 2:17:08 hours. In 2018, seven athletes also managed a time under 2:05 hours. Such a high performance density was the first time ever at a marathon event. However, a marathon start is also possible for amateurs and hobby runners in Dubai.

World record chase

The Ras Al Khamaih Half Marathon also has world record potential. At the premiere in 2007, the Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru ran 58:53 minutes, setting a world record for the 21.1 kilometers. Subsequently, the women also set several world records here. The very flat course is therefore definitely one of the fastest half marathons in the world. Around 3,000 male and female runners regularly take part in the race in February.

Towards the end of the year, the Abu Dhabi Marathon was held for the first time in 2018. The race made headlines with a winner's prize money of 100,000 US dollars.

At the beginning of the year, there will also be a big middle-distance triathlon in the U.A.E. with the IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai.

All Running Races in United Arab Emirates (sorted by date) can be found in the following overview: