On your marks for the 'Marathon at Home' in UAE

Dubai - To be precise, 749 runners will take to the start for this first of its kind initiative rolled out by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC).

"And the runners are through from the start at the main door. They are now in the living room and are taking the first turn towards their bedroom. As we head towards the crucial bend at the kitchen, mom and wifey, and the kids, are cheering on. The pace is pretty good at the moment and we could see good timings being set towards the end of the race."
That's how, perhaps, the race commentary could pan out, if there was one, when UAE residents run a marathon in the comforts of their homes at the weekend.
Faud Naser and Jaber M Hussain are among the over 700 people from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Kuwait, who have signed up for the first 'Marathon at Home' on Friday.
To be precise, 749 runners will take to the start for this first of its kind initiative rolled out by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), in collaboration with 5:30 Run club and ASICS Middle East.
It is a fitness initiative which comes under the 'Be Fit, Be Safe' campaign launched by the DSC, with the aim of keeping members of the community in shape despite being restricted to their homes because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hussain, who was born and raised in Dubai, and an avid cyclist and runner, counts it as a "challenge" as he had never done a full marathon (42km) before.
"It will be the first time I will be doing something like this but I've already planned out the route on where I could run at home," Hussain told Khaleej Times on Wednesday.
Hussain, whose roots are from Lahore, Pakistan, has competed in many 5km and 10km runs in Dubai and also took part in the 100km Cycle Challenge last year.
As part of his preparations, Hussain has been doing a bit of groundwork.
"I've been looking at average times, average speed for all the different runners. I've also tried running inside the house a couple of times. I will try to keep a certain average speed between eight to nine km per hour," he said.
Hussain lives with his wife and mother and revealed that they were initially surprised but came around it.
"My wife and mom are at home so they will be watching me go around. They did ask me a few questions but since it is starting at 8am, and usually on a Friday morning, they wake up late, so I will have a good two-three hours head start. Then, they will start cheering," Hussain giggled.
Terming it a good initiative, the 30-year-old was a bit philosophical.
"This whole coronavirus thing, a lot of healthy outcomes have come out of it, too. So, I think it is a really good start," said Hussain, who works as a videographer.
Meanwhile, Naser, founder of 5:30 Run club, said: "We came up with this idea because of the situation that is upon us."
The 32-year-old, who hails from Jordan, said that there was enough flexibility for amateur runners.
"Many are not ready to run a full marathon; many don't run long distances. So, what we explained in our race conditions is that you have the option to run as much as you can, the distance you want, within 10 hours. If you are able, if you are a runner and a marathoner and if you want to finish the 42km, there are a few instructions. We gave them some training tips beforehand for the marathon. So, if you are willing to do it, go ahead and do it, if not, run 5km, run 10km, run as much as you can. If you are tired, you can rest and you don't have to run the full distance," said Naser, who is a civil engineer and a fitness enthusiast.
"The goal is to bring people together and run," he signed off.
Important information
Know before you run
WHAT: Marathon at Home
WHERE: At your home
WHEN: Friday 8am to 6pm (10-hour time cap)
DISTANCE: Full marathon (42.195km)
COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING: The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Kuwait
NO. OF RUNNERS: 749 (526 males, 223 females)
AGE RANGE: Youngest participant is 18 years old and the oldest is 65
MORE ABOUT THE MARATHON:
Participants are free to decide on the shape of their running course, but running on a treadmill or any other training equipment is not allowed. Running in public areas is also not allowed. The participant will need to physically run on ground, and inside their house.
Race entry is non-transferable between individuals and relays are not allowed, and participants will have to make sure they have a fully charged smartwatch or smartphone on them, with the Strava app installed and activated. They will have to join the "Marathon at Home" group on Strava and stay connected as the app will detect their movement and will assist in keeping track of their timing and distance travelled.
PRIZES:
There are plenty of prizes on offer for top finishers with all the finishers receiving a certificate from ASICSME and 5:30 Run, an ASICS t-shirt and a finisher medal.
The top three finishers in the two categories - Men and Women - will get a full running gear kit by ASICS, an entry ticket to the Moscow Marathon, which takes place in September, and a finisher medal.
The top 10 will receive 10 EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) functional training sessions from Vertexfitness.
james@khaleejtimes.com 

• UAE