Guide to safe running in Dubai
Dos and Don'ts
Do wear something bright if running at night.
If running on the streets choose a route which avoids too many road crossings.
Use pedestrian crossings and foot bridges. Think of the bridges as adding variety to your training.
Do not wear an I-pod whilst running in the streets. They are distracting and make you very vulnerable.
Be especially vigilant when running in a group. It is easy to think that there is safety in numbers. The opposite is true because there is a tendency to cross the road with the group without looking.
Better still, run in a safe place.
Below is a list of safe places to run.
Safa Park
The home of Dubai Road Runners for over 15 years the park has a purpose laid running track on the outer perimeter. One lap is 3.4km. It also possible to train inside the park where there is a nice hill to run up. It is frequently used by the ABRaS and numerous boot camps.
On the beach from DOSC
If you go from Dubai Offshore Sailing Clunb on the beach in the direction of Dubai it is possible to run for nearly 3 km on hard packed sand.
On the Russian Beach
There is a purpose running track stretching 2.5km on the beach about 1km Juneriah side from the Flag Pole.
Zabeel Parks.
Accessed from the Trade Centre round about and with plenty of parking, the parks have a running track laid on the outer perimeter. 2 to 3 km per lap.
Around the Creek.
It is possible to tun around the Creek from Maktoum Bridge, to the pedestrian tunnel through the tunnel and back to the bridge with hardly any interference from traffic.
Creek Park.
The park is very pleasant to run in. A circuit is approximately 4 km.
Dubai Autodrome.
Open for runners to use on Wednesday evenings. One lap is 2.5 km and it is floodlit. It is hilly! Very handy if you live in the Ranches.
Mushrif Park Mirdif.
On the inside perimeter of the park there is ma cycle track which stretches 4.5km. It is used more by runners than cyclists and has some really nice hills for a change. The Mirdif Milers meet there every Monday evening at 7:00 pm.
Mizhar track Kawaneej.
Similar to the Safa Park track. One lap is 3 km. It is used by the Mirdif Milers on Wednesday evenings for interval training..
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