Marathon runner reveals why Dubai is a safe city for women

Born to Sudanese expats in Dubai, Israa Sharaf’s heart is filled with gratitude for the UAE, a country that has given her the freedom to grow into a strong, independent woman.

A qualified dentist, Israa juggles work with the challenge of raising two children as a single mother.

She does all that with a smile on her face, sometimes even pauses during a phone conversation to check on an acquaintance.

Perhaps, it’s the caring nature of Dubai, a city she calls home, that has rubbed off on her.

Dubai is also a place which has inspired Israa to take up running. Now a regular marathon runner, her most recent event was last Sunday’s Burj2Burj half-marathon which started at Burj Al Arab and finished at Burj Khalifa.

Running that race featuring two iconic landmarks was like taking a trip down memory lane for Israa.

“When I grew up in the UAE, there was nothing in this (Jumeirah) area but Burj Al Arab. There was nothing, Jumeirah was not like how it looks today, with no Kite Beach, Sheikh Zayed road was very basic, and there was no Burj Khalifa. Nothing,” she recalls.

“So, growing up and seeing the country flourish like it has now is an amazing experience.”

The 38-year-old then explains how the safe and secure environment of this city leaves you with no room for excuses to avoid a healthy lifestyle.

“The fact that I can go out at 3 in the morning to run feeling completely safe as a woman, means the world to me. You have to understand how important it is for a woman,” she says.

“It’s part of the training to go for long runs, to avoid the heat of the sun, you have to go out very early in the morning. You do see people on the beach, but you feel very safe. You are not scared of anything. And to me, it is very important.”

Israa also gives you a peek into the kindness of Dubai and its people that only the early birds get to experience.

“Apart from the proper running tracks in various parts of Dubai, you also have free drinking water stations,” she says.

“Many people also keep water coolers outside their houses for the public to drink from, it’s something which is so nice.

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