From a Santa fun run to breakfast yoga: Five ways to keep fit over the festive season

Plus, practise your dance moves online or attend a wellness retreat

The Dubai Festival City Santa Runwill take place on Friday, December 11

Plan your week with wellness in mind, with these health and fitness-focused activities to try in the UAE.

Dress as Mr Claus for the Dubai Festival City Santa Run

UAE residents looking to add a little festive spirit to their fitness routines can sign up for the Dubai Festival City Santa Run. The fun run will take place on Friday, December 11 at 8am, and will cover the Promenade and Marsa Plaza.

People of all ages and abilities are encouraged to sign up, with two distances – 2.5 kilometres and 5km – available. While participants will receive a free Santa T-shirt, hat and beard, they can also get creative with their own Santa outfits to compete for the best dressed prizes. Tickets are priced at Dh125.

Registrations are open until midnight, on Wednesday, December 9, at raceme.ae/santa.

Bounty Beets launches biweekly yoga classes

The healthy restaurant and cafe at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina has launched a biweekly Namaste Breakfast yoga session to encourage UAE residents to start their day on the right note.

The classes will take place every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 10.15am, led by instructor and life coach Dalia Halabi on Wednesdays and yogi Melissa Tweedie on Saturdays. Guests can expect sessions that take them through a variety of poses and breathing techniques, all set in the lush Bounty Beets outdoor area.

After the session, participants can get a 25 per cent discount on a la carte breakfast menu, and a complimentary detox shot. Guests are required to bring their own yoga mats and water. A single yoga class is priced at Dh65, five classes go for Dh310, and a package of 10 classes is priced at Dh590.

More information can be found at bountybeets.com.

Sign up for an online dance session with Pointine

Online dance platform Pointine launched in the Middle East last month, bringing a number of dance lessons – from ballet to belly dance – straight to people’s screens. The website and app offers beginners and advanced masterclasses with a number of regional dance instructors through pre-recorded content.

Learn the art of salsa from Latin American and ballroom dancer Alexandra C Cojocari, ballet from classically trained dancer Tomomi Aramaki, and contemporary dance from Lana Fahmi, the principal dancer and choreographer at Sima Dance Company. Cham Al Malla, founder of Pointine says she launched the website so people could “have an outlet and de-stress through dancing during these unprecedented times. Dancing is not limited to any age group, one can learn at any stage."

The platform is currently offering a 30-day free trial, after which the fee is $19 per month for unlimited access to videos on all its dance styles.

Plan a wellness weekend with Retreatmi

After the excesses of the long weekend, those dreaming of a getaway with a focus on health and wellness can check out online healthy adventure hub Retreatmi. On the horizon is a wellness weekend with The Mountain Centre Ras Al Khaimah, which is offering one-night or two-night packages between Thursday and Saturday, December 10 and 12.

Visitors can partake in a number of wellness activities such as morning yoga, trekking and a fitness obstacle course, and staying in a villa-style tent with modern amenities – all set within natural surroundings, with plenty of fruit trees.

Simple and healthy meals will be prepared by an in-house chef. Packages start from Dh782 per person.

Sign up for a biking challenge in Ajman

Ajman Tourism Development Department has organised a series of community races in collaboration with Al Qudra Sports Management. Outdoor enthusiasts looking to challenge themselves can sign up for the Ajman Time Trial, which will take place at Al Zorah on Friday, December 4, from 7am.

Cyclists will race against the clock, with each participant starting individually, with a minute's gap in between. Participants can enjoy views of the greenery and wildlife found in the area as they complete 10km. Registration for the event is Dh105.

Meanwhile, the Amina Hospitals Half Marathon will take place on Friday, December 25, also at Al Zorah, with more details to be announced in the coming days. All community races will have precautions in place including temperature checks, mandatory masks and gloves, limited participants and social distancing measures.

Home-grown athleisure brand L’Couture launches new range

Female athleisure brand L’Couture has launched its new collection, Skin V2, featuring sportswear that is created with comfort and confidence in mind.

The range offers sports bras, biker shorts, leggings and jackets in four colour variations – black, khaki, black leopard and black camo. Made from polyester and spandex, both leggings and shorts are high-waisted, while the sports bras are made from a breathable material.