Runners take over mall in Dubai indoor marathon
DUBAI (AGENCIES)Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping centre in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined "Mallathon" -- an indoor, air-conditioned race.The government-backed initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, and Minister of Defence aims to promote public health by encouraging all members of society to engage in daily physical activity during the summer.
It transforms nine shopping malls across Dubai into organised health and fitness tracks during morning hours, from 7am to 10am, between August 1 and 31.
Participants wearing "Dubai Mallathon" T-shirts and sports gear ran and walked past closed stores along vacant, marbled halls that were set to be teeming with shoppers hours later.On weekends, runners enter organised 10km, 5km or 2.5km races at designated malls, complete with podium presentations and prizes.During Saturday's race at the City Centre Mirdif mall, two robots buzzed around the participants, who paused to take selfies with them.Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world's hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.The UAE had its hottest April on record this year, and then breached its May high two days in a row. On August 1, temperatures reached 51.8C, just shy of the national record of 52C.Menna, a 36-year-old Egyptian who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, said there was "no way" she would exercise outside in the summer.
But in the mall, "we have air-conditioning, first aid, water... there's everything that you need."
"It motivates you more when other people are doing it too," Menna added.Fouzeya Faridoon, head of social activities at Dubai Sports Council, said more than 500 people had signed up for Saturday's event, which was free."The idea is to encourage people to exercise, especially walking and running, even in the summer," she told AFP.Children, men, women and at least one person with a disability were among the participants who collected a medal and a bag of freebies at the finish line.Zamani, a Sri Lankan tourist, was one of the runners, along with her young children.
"I like the energy, everybody is all geared up," the 46-year-old said.
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