Dubai marathon hits its stride

Optimal mix of topography and timing make Dubai marathon the ultimate seasonal race

With ideal timing and perfect winter weather, Dubai marathon is poised to become one of the world's great marathons Francois Nel / Getty Images

Great cities have great marathons. The exhilaration of running through the streets of a new city, propelled forward by the cheers of the locals is nothing short of intoxicating. Regardless of whether you are chasing a personal record or just running for the atmosphere, the healthy buzz of being outside, surrounded by like- minded people who might justifiably be called “fitness comrades” explains the growing popularity of global marathons.

It is no surprise then that cities across the planet – from Cape Town to New York – are investing heavily in their marathons. Meanwhile, the tourism industry is keen to capitalise on a stream of new visitors with energy enough to do more than simply work up a sweat. (Runners have a lot of energy.) As most marathon-runners will attest, at the end of the day, half the fun of travelling for a marathon is getting away from the grind. Preferably in good weather.

But here’s the downside of the increasing popularity of marathons. It’s getting harder to secure a space to run a major race. If you want to run through the burroughs of New York, you have to try your luck with a lottery or shell out hundreds of dollars to a charity. Last month, 35,000 spots for this year’s Berlin marathon sold out in just a few hours. Compounding the problem of limited registration is the question of timing. Most of the world’s premier marathons take place in spring or autumn, leaving those who want to run in winter scratching their heads. But all is not lost, thanks to the Dubai marathon.

With a late January fixture and a fantastically flat terrain, Dubai offers everything a runner could want. Add easy flight connections and the result is one of the world's most culturally diverse running events. As The National reported, this year's race attracted many northerners eager to enjoy the sun and take in the local sights. It also gave local runners a chance to put their training to test and target those personal bests. Put simply, the Dubai marathon has come into its own as one of the great races on the yearly marathon circuit. Now, we just need to make sure there is enough room for everyone.