December 23
Saadiyat Great Santa Dash
Run five kilometres around the front nine holes of the Saadiyat Beach golf course and spot gazelles and dolphins along the way. The race starts at 4pm, so participants will also see the sunset. The fun run is open to all ages and entry fees start at Dh100 for juniors (8 to 16 years) and Dh140 for adults. There is also an 800-metre Santa chase for children (4 to 9 years), which costs Dh60. Register by December 18 at www.premieronline.com.
December 29
Train ZSC
Take part in the vertical training presented by Daman ActiveLife and run the 884 stairs of the National Stadium, Abu Dhabi, for a fun cardio workout. Or take advantage of the flat areas around the pitch for a run or walk. Kids will enjoy the play area, and there are health checks available from Daman. The training session at Zayed Sports City runs from 6pm to 9pm and is free to register. For more information, visit www.trainzsc.com.
January 14
Wadi Adventure Race 12
The Wadi Adventure Race is back. Participants will run through the desert, swim through lakes and negotiate more than 25 obstacles. There will be free training from 8am to 9.30am every Saturday until the event. Registration through www.premieronline.com closes on January 6 and costs Dh275 for the 5km distance, Dh300 for the 10km and Dh325 for the 15km. Entrants can choose their category based on their fitness levels.
January 13
ADCB Zayed Sports City Run
Raise funds for charity and get fit at the same time. Compete in your age group over the 5km or 10km distance in the second of the three-race series at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Register before December 31 at www.premieronline.com. Entry for juniors costs Dh100 and Dh160 for adults.
January 20
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon
Take on the 42km marathon, or the 10km road race through the streets of Dubai and compete against runners from around the world. For those less competitive, there’s also a 4km fun run. Registration closes on December 31 and costs Dh440 for the marathon, Dh275 for the 10km or Dh184 for the 4km. Visit www.dubaimarathon.org for information and registration.
January 21
Almas Tower Vertical Run
Climb Dubai’s tallest business tower, passing through 64 floors, 280 metres and 1,600 stairs, in a competition to win Dh10,000. Register by January 15 through www.premieronline.com. Entry costs Dh130, and the event, which is organised by Fidelity Fitness, starts at 2pm.
January 27
Climb to Abu Dhabi
Register now for the vertical marathon up an iconic Abu Dhabi tower. Elite categories will compete in a time-trial format over 82 floors and 1,617 steps while family, school and community categories will compete over 32 floors and 720 steps. The prize pool is US$25,000 (approximately Dh92,000), and training sessions will begin on January 8. The event will be held at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers on the Corniche, and registrations are being taken through www.climbtoabudhabi.com.
