MY FIRST DUBAI RUN AND WHY I'M GOING BACK

Reflecting on the community spirit that made my first Dubai Run unforgettable

- BY NIVETHA DAYANAND | Assistant Business Editor

This year was my first Dubai Run, and I realised very quickly why people keep returning. I had heard friends talk about it for years, but nothing prepares you for what it actually feels like to run on Sheikh Zayed Road with the entire city awake around you. I started the morning at 3am, half-asleep but curious. The metro ride set the tone for the day. World Trade Centre station was filled with people in blue T-shirts, laughing, taking photos, filming TikToks and chatting like it was late afternoon, not before sunrise. There was no rush, just an excitement that everyone seemed to share.

When I reached the venue and met my friends, the crowd felt endless. Every age group, every nationality, every kind of runner and non-runner. Parents pushing prams, teenagers dragging their still-sleepy siblings, older participants warming up. It was one of those moments when you look around and think, yes, this is exactly what Dubai looks like.