Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

                           

• Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai: This Friday’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon may be over in just two hours for the world’s most elite runners, but take a look at the city’s streets, parks and beaches and you’ll see its legacy lasts a lot longer.

A culture of running has blossomed off the back of the 14-year-old event — prompting those of all ages and abilities to take to a sport that is both as time and cost effective as is it simplistic.

Anja Velasco of local running club Dubai Road Runners told Gulf News: “More and more running groups are cropping up across the city and their numbers are growing.

“Compared to when I first arrived in Dubai 10 years ago, the number of people out exercising has increased tenfold. If you go to a park or beach running track of an evening it’s packed.”

Velasco added: “Different running groups cater to different distances and abilities and all will hold their own build-up events year-round and in the run-up to the marathon.

“When you consider gyms are even starting their own running groups — and with more events like the Ras Al Khaimah half-marathon next month — there must be a growing demand to meet their sudden rise.”