DUBAI // After running 540 kilometres, most people would be ready to sit, or fall, down.
But a patriotic group of ultra marathoners decided to show their enthusiasm for the UAE by joining a National Day parade.
The seven runners had just completed the Seven Emirates challenge when they met up with a celebratory march on Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai.
The group had been raising money for 18-month-old Mohammed Ayoub, who lives in Sharjah, who has a deformity in his legs.
He needs auto-prosthesis to walk, but treatment costs more than Dh100,000.
The team was led by Wendelin Lauxen, 52, from Germany, who is also the managing director for Limb Tech, a company that is helping Mohammed.
Lauxen is no stranger to running long distances – he holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to complete a marathon on each of the seven continents.
He ran across the seven emirates by himself in 2010.
“I knew it was going to be painful. That’s why, in some parts of the race, I wondered why I was doing it again,” Lauxen said. “But then it was for a good cause, to help this boy, so I knew it was worthwhile.”
The team has raised about Dh58,000 so far. The rest of the treatment costs will be paid for by Dubai’s Al Jalila Foundation, a charity that funds medical research and treatment for the needy.
Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, chief executive of the foundation, said they wanted to make sure Mohammed could walk.
“We will make sure this boy is treated,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if the treatment is paid for by us or by someone else. What matters is that he is treated.
“We are all very thankful to Allah that we can walk, so we want to help this boy back on to his feet, and, inshallah, maybe he will run too.”
The Seven Emirates run started on November 21 at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan hotel in Abu Dhabi. The team ran along the east coast of the country, through Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, then down to the west coast before making their way to Dubai.
Starting at 7am daily, the team sometimes ran for up to eight hours a day, clocking in an average distance of about 48km. Some days they hit 56km, others 45km.
They would stop every day at pre-arranged checkpoints – either at a hotel on the way or, if they were in the desert, somewhere they could pitch a caravan that was brought along by a support team.
Lauxen said running such a long race did not require any special nutrition, aside from lots of water.
“Sometimes your body tells you that you need a banana, or a steak, so you have to listen to that,” he said. “Two days ago, I was so hungry for a burger, so I ate one.”
During the race, Lauxen burnt up to 4,000 calories a day and, even with the odd burger, lost 7 kilograms in weight.
The six other runners, including Deirdre O’Leary, 38, from Canada, were part of Dubai Creek Striders, an amateur running group that meets every Friday.
Ms O’Leary said the team had been running up to 100km a week, as well as practising proper nutrition.
Even so, she was in pain almost from day one.
“It became very painful,” she said. “But sometimes you’d be in so much pain, and then all of a sudden your body would just fix itself and you were fine again. That’s never happened to me in a normal marathon.”
Lauxen said he was hoping to organise something similar next year, but with a slightly larger group of runners – 77, to be exact.
After finishing the race on Sunday, Ms O’Leary was not sure whether she would participate again.
“Ask me tomorrow,” she said.
mcroucher@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SCE%20Studio%20Cambridge%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%2C%20PlayStation%204%20and%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
And%20Just%20Like%20That...
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sarah%20Jessica%20Parker%2C%20Cynthia%20Nixon%2C%20Kristin%20Davis%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Company%20profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
More on Quran memorisation:
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
World%20Cup%202023%20ticket%20sales
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.