Latest news with #DubaiMallathon2025
Extra.ie
11 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Extra.ie
Cool runnings? Dubai's 50°C temperatures pushes runners indoors for ‘Mallathon'
Mall walking is taking on a whole new game as those hoping to go for a run in Dubai are swapping the streets for the shopping centre. Outdoor temperatures are soaring this time of year, with some days hitting a whopping 50C, and those looking to go for a run have joinged the 'Mallathon' instead. The indoor, air-conditioned race is a government-backed initiative which encourages people to keep up their exercising during the Dubai high season, and making use of the giant shopping centres that are often empty at certain times of the day. People take part in Dubai Mallathon 2025. Pic: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images With tempteratures so high, it is dangerous to go running in the heat, so taking advantage of the air-conditioning is a great idea. The runners are given Dubai Mallathon t-shirts to wear with their own activewear, and can run or walk through the participating malls this August. There are nine malls in total taking part, including the massive Dubai Mall (one of the world's biggest) and all are open daily for the runners and walkers from 7am-10am. People take part in Dubai Mallathon 2025. Pic: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images On the weekends, runners can enter into the 10km, 5km or 2.5km races and each category has a podium presentation and prizes. Accordign to RTÉ, 36-year-old Menna, who has been living in Dubai for 15 years, shared there is 'no way' she can exercise outside during the summer, and loves the Mallathon idea. She said: '[In the shopping centre] we have air-conditioning, first aid, water… there's everything that you need. It motivates you more when other people are doing it too.'
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
As temperatures touch 50 deg C, Dubai runners turn to indoor marathon
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox People take part in Dubai Mallathon 2025, at the City Centre Mirdif mall in Dubai on August 9. DUBAI – 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 aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates' hottest month, and make use of Dubai's giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time. Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world's hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50 deg C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many. 'If you run outside, it's not healthy at all because temperatures are around 40C to 50C,' said one runner who gave his name as Rai, his platinum-blond hair pulled back with a headband. 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. Throughout August, nine of the city's shopping centres – including the cavernous Dubai Mall, one of the world's biggest – are open daily for runners and walkers from 7am-10am. On weekends, runners can 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. Others waited in line to use electric bikes that powered blenders to make healthy smoothies. Mallathon is backed by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 42, whose public profile projects him as an exemplar of active living. It is one of a number of attempts to steer Dubai's car-loving, mall-rat population towards exercise, including the 30x30 challenge, where residents are encouraged to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month. Obesity rates in the energy-rich Gulf country regularly top global charts. A study published by The Lancet in March predicted a staggering 94 per cent of UAE males would be overweight or obese by 2050 – the highest in the world. Partly to blame is the furnace-like heat that ravages the region for several months a year, and is steadily growing more intense. 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 51.8 deg C, just shy of the national record of 52 deg C. 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,' she 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. 'It's very modern and chic.' AFP
