Running and cycling is the new driving in Dubai with residents flocking the city’s many new designated running tracks and cycling paths, especially on weekends. The vast majority of these facilities are for communal use and hence free of charge, making cycling and running not only a healthy and sustainable activity, but an economical one too!
Dubai might not strike you as a run- and cycling friendly place at first, with its spectacular skyline of high-rise buildings, multilane highways and sandy surroundings, but nothing is farther from the truth. You can find some of the best places and facilities for running and cycling in Dubai.
The wheels on the bike go round and round…
Cycling in Dubai has become incredibly popular amongst Dubai’s residents of all ages over the past few years, which is testament to the efforts and investments by the Government in the enhancement of the city’s cycling facilities, the development of dedicated bike paths and tracks as well as road safety in the Emirate.
Especially in the early morning on weekends, you see Dubai’s active residents out on the road, cycling their way through the city’s many community parks, bike tracks and neighborhoods.
If you don’t have a bicycle, don’t worry! At most of Dubai’s dedicated bicycle tracks you will find one or more bike rental shops where you can rent wheels for your ride.
Don’t have a bike buddy, don’t worry either! Just join one of the cycling clubs in Dubai. Dubai Roadsters is one of the first cycling clubs in the city and organizes lots of activities and rides throughout the year and they welcome visitors as long as you have a bike and a helmet. Another Dubai cycling club is The Cycle Hub – run out of Dubai Motor City by cyclists for cyclists- they organize weekly rides for people of all levels from beginners to pros
If you don’t want to cycle yourself and prefer to watch others ride, make sure to be around for the UAE Tour, which takes places annually in February. A spectacular, high-energy event, the UAE Tour sees the best riders from around the world compete in daily rides that take them across all of the UAE’s seven Emirates.
Dubai likes a good run
Prefer running over cycling? No worries, you’re not the only one! Dubai is a safe haven for road runners with its many dedicated jogging tracks across the city, many of which feature special surfaces. Whether you fancy a run along the beach, in one of the city’s leafy parks or straight across the desert, you will find some great running spots in Dubai.
If you prefer a buddy for your run, you can join one of Dubai’s running clubs. There are many run clubs in the city, some of which train multiple times a week, with plenty of events taking place throughout the year. The Desert Road Runners is Dubai’s oldest run club and The Dubai Creek Striders is the largest running group in the UAE.
There are many running events taking place in Dubai throughout the year with the most iconic race being the annual Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon which features a 3K fun run, a 10K road race and a full marathon. With over 25,000 participants, including some of the best marathon runners from around the world, this is a not to be missed event on Dubai’s calendar.
Other popular running events in Dubai include the RAK Half Marathon, The Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon, the Dubai Womens Run and The Color Run.