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Marathons have become a well-known tradition in the UAE that kickstarted in 1998 with the Dubai Marathon. With a footfall of nearly 2,000 participants in a year from the Dubai Marathon itself, it is clear that marathons have etched a place among UAE’s growing sports community and continue to bring more events to the forefront of the country’s sports roster.
In 2018, the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon was introduced with an aim to further boost the spirit of marathons in the country’s capital and welcome a diverse range of runners from all levels. And, to know more about how marathons can help you improve your health and wellbeing, we had the opportunity to interview coach Youssef Rochdi. Rochdi is a member of the USA Track & Field Association and founder of the Abu Dhabi Running Team, a club that is also the official training group for the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon.
“The number of new runners in the free training sessions has been increasing since the first edition in 2018, with over 100 participants sometimes attending sessions. In addition to the main marathon, the event also caters to runners of all abilities,” says Rochdi on how the diverse marathon options have contributed to the massive influx of runners from the age of 6-70 years old. “Having such varied options goes a long way to encourage the community to take interest in running as a sport. This evidently contributes towards making the Abu Dhabi community more physically active as people are opting for healthier lifestyles. This event really is a celebration of running and has played a key part in growing a community of runners.”
Rochdi describes Marathons as a path to self-discovery. “Running a marathon takes a lot of preparation, endurance, and both physical and mental stamina. For preparing and running the distance for the first time, each runner will go through a series of doubts on whether they can conquer the feat,” says Rochdi. “With such a distance, completing the race is very rewarding. Given this, most runners tend to learn new things about themselves during a marathon journey, especially once the finish line is crossed.”
The ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon is set to take place on 26 November 2021 and is the perfect chance for you to kickstart your marathon journey at the highly-anticipated event. Participants en route will also get the opportunity to witness Abu Dhabi’s popular landmarks such as Qasr Al Hosn, Emirates Heritage Village, Founder’s Memorial, and the ADNOC Headquarters.
If you’re a newbie to marathons, Rochdi recommends starting with an effective training program and progressing gradually to build your stamina:
“Conventional wisdom recommends that aspiring marathoners should begin training by easy runs three to four times per week, to gradually build mileage. As training progresses, kick things up a notch with a long run once a week to adjust your endurance to distance races. Afterward, runners are encouraged to practice fartlek as a form of interval and tempo training, to increase speed and cardio capacity. It is also important to have fun with it and work at your own pace, steadily building your stamina until you are in good shape. Finally, adequate rest and recovery are pertinent to prevent injury and mental burnout. Overall, consistency in the training process is essential to success!”
After all, nothing beats the ultimate thrill of being a part of community marathons, and like Rochdi says, “Running is a way of life. Once an individual gets that spark for running, they can’t stop running.”
