4th November 2023

For this race report, I’m going to start with a few introductions:

• For people who don’t know me, I’ve been a Strider since 2018, having joined after doing the 5 to 10k group. My family moved to the UAE in March 2021 for my wife’s job, having only been to Dubai airport previously.
• The Abu Dhabi Marathon Race Series is a set of 3 races to support runners training for December’s marathon. Each race covers various distances to encourage all ages and levels to enter – 1k, 2.5k, 5k (0 – 99 years), 10k and half marathon (15 – 99 years). The entry was GBP 38 and included a metal medal and Nike t-shirt.
• ADNOC, or Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, is a state-owned energy company. All the fuel stations in Abu Dhabi are run by ADNOC, and all the prices are the same across the country. The price is announced on the last day of the month and remains the same for the entire month.
• Al Hudayriyat Island (the venue) is a man-made island focusing on recreation and entertainment. Facilities include a cycle track, a Tough Mudder obstacle course/training track, a mountain bike trail, a running track, a skateboard park, etc etc, all in one place.

Sorry, back to the race; as with all races here, it’s an early start to enjoy the cooler temperature, so the alarm was set for 5am for a 6am start. With ample parking and plenty of support staff, it was an easy task to park up and get my race pack. Water stations were plentiful, unlike on course spectators. The race started with a cool 27-degree temperature, rising to 33-degrees by 8am. The course was nice and flat and did a crazy route around the facilities on the island, with lovely views of downtown Abu Dhabi across the water. There was a staggered start for the different distances, and the course allowed the different ages to merge towards the end. With a DJ cheering you in, the finish line led into the race ‘village’ with various activities and vendors to keep the tired legs moving.

For any Striders looking to holiday in UAE, give me a shout, I’ll be happy to share any tips or guidance.

Striders result: