Dubai Midnight Marathon: Going truly international

Dubbed as the ‘No Sun Fun Run’, the event was a litmus test for what would be a full fledged international marathon at midnight next year.

The inaugural version this year (3.2km fun run) around the start and finish point at the BurjKhalifa was a big hit among the many who turned up with friends and families from 5pm on Thursday.

The special invitees from all kinds of fields including cine stars; past and present sports legends; stalls; children’s fun zones; tuck shops selling food beverages and souveniers; star live concerts; and other forms of entertainment gave the atmosphere a festive look prior to the 11pm start.

Under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in Dubai are the organisers of the Dubai Midnight Marathon, a unique running event, at Burj Park, to position Dubai as tourism safety destination.

The event is strongly backed by various government sports, industrial and business entities apart from big time sponsors from the private sector.

In a pre-launch statement Khalid bin Sulayem, director general, DTCM, had said: “The Dubai Midnight Marathon is a proclamation to the world of the safe, secure and positive environment that citizens and visitors of Dubai enjoy as per His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, strategy for a safe Dubai.”

Famous Arabic and English language pop groups were to perform at the BurjKhalifa Steps from 7pm to 9pm and around 1,200 girls were set for a traditional hair dance in an effort to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Also lined up were a photography and painting exhibition about Dubai at the BurjKhalifa Park.

An attempt at the world record for the largest eco-board featuring the largest number of logos was another feature scheduled in a tightly yet mostly entertaining evening.

For the world class hotels in Dubai in and around Emmar Boulevard and Burj Khalifa, it was brisk business this week prior to the inaugural run as special holiday packages brought in thousands from all over the world.

“If the event becomes a permanent feature in the city, business will be good not only for the hospitality industry in and around the BurjKhalifa but Dubai as a whole,” said a junior F&B executive who preferred not to be named, on Thursday evening.

moni@khaleejtimes.com