Dubai Marathon

I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration regarding the recent Dubai Marathon that took place on January 7th. While I had eagerly looked forward to participating in this event, my experience left me extremely dissatisfied, and I believe it is crucial to bring these issues to your attention for future improvements. The primary issue that marred the entire marathon was the complete lack of communication and organization at the start of the race. Runners were left in the dark as there was no announcement or clear indication of when the marathon would commence. This uncertainty resulted in a chaotic and delayed start, which ultimately affected the performance and morale of many participants, including myself. Furthermore, I was appalled by the decision to open roads to traffic a mere three hours into the race. This abrupt change in the course disrupted the flow of the marathon and prevented numerous runners, including me, from completing the race as planned. It was not only a logistical nightmare but also a safety concern. One aspect that particularly troubled me was the blatant dishonesty in stating that runners could finish on the footpath. This proved to be a bold-faced lie, as it was nearly impossible to navigate through the crowded footpaths, and it significantly hindered our progress. Such misleading information not only led to a disappointing experience but also raised concerns about the transparency of the event organizers. In light of these issues, I regretfully cannot recommend the Dubai Marathon to fellow runners or enthusiasts. The overall organization and execution of the event were extremely poor, and it failed to meet even the most basic standards of a well-organized marathon. I sincerely hope that you take this feedback seriously and use it as an opportunity to improve future editions of the Dubai Marathon. It is my belief that with better communication, enhanced organization, and honesty in event information, you can create a more enjoyable and successful experience for participants. JUST LIES.....

Dubai race organizers have ruined their race. They decided to replace a fast & flat course along the spectator-lined Jumeriah Beach coast with a race in the middle of nowhere (completely abandoned Dubai Expo City) where you run up several long, gradual grades on an 8-lane highway with ZERO spectators for 30km. The finish is better, with a fair amount of spectators, but marathoners have to weave in and out of hundreds of 4km race walkers for the last 1km since they share the same finish line. Hardly any electrolyte drinks offered, small bottles of water, and ZERO food along the course. Many other complaints as well; just a disaster of a race. Why Dubai cannot create an awesome destination-type marathon, perhaps a night race, which starts at the Marina and finishes at the Burj Khalifa is beyond me. So many runners would pay a huge premium to take part in an event like that.

I ran this marathon this past weekend for a challenge and it was boring and uninspiring. Dubai could do much better in organizing this event. The course is flat, boring and with no music and hardly people cheering you on. I'm glad I had my own music otherwise it would be a nightmare. The weather is nice to run but that's about it. During the race patrol cars from the marathon were honking you to move and constantly driving on the course. I've run in Chicago and New York and having this experience really irritated me because you lose focus and at one point a police car intervened in the course to guide a stupid woman who was allowed to drive on the course! Complete nonsense. I ran it but won't be signing up again. Save your money and run somewhere else.