Dubai: Race in the sea, cycle with Burj Khalifa views; 5 reasons, tips to try the triathlon

Racing with hundreds of others through the Arabian Gulf and cycling along one of Dubai's busiest highways was a surreal experience, one that really hammered home the beauty of the UAE. Even though your legs felt like jelly by the time you got to the run, the views of the Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai kept you pushing through to the end.

Here’s the personal experience of this writer who joined the inaugural Dubai T100 Triathlon last month.

Like more than 800 others, I gathered on Dubai’s Sunrise Beach early Saturday morning to take part in the Dubai T100 Sprint Triathlon. Filled with nerves, I couldn’t believe that race day had finally come. But, as we waited to dive into the water and begin our 750m swim, 20km bike ride, and 5km run, the skyline of Dubai started to appear around us.

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The view of the golden sunrise behind the skyline was breathtaking. Suddenly, the anxious fluttering in my stomach stopped. I realised how lucky I was to be doing something so exciting with hundreds of other like-minded people, and in such a special setting, too.

Before I knew it, my ‘wave’ of swimmers had been called forward to the start shoot, the countdown had started, and I was running full pelt into the ocean.

From there, the rest of the race seemed to fly past in a blur. While it was tough at times, I loved every minute of it. It was challenging, adventurous, completely unforgettable, and the euphoria I felt at the end was extraordinary.

With the second edition already confirmed for November 16 to 17 next year, I now want to try and persuade as many UAE residents as possible to do it with me next year, too. Here are five reasons why it should be on your 2025 bucket list:

1) Make new friends

Bringing together what felt like every active, open-minded, and sociable person in the UAE, the Dubai T100 Sprint Triathlon is a great chance to make new friends. Although it’s a solo sport, you’ll naturally chat and bond with others around you as you go through this unforgettable experience together.

2) Become fitter and faster

Triathlon training is the ultimate full-body workout, and signing up for the T100 will motivate you to stick to a regular exercise schedule. Combining cardiovascular and strength training, swimming, biking and running, it works every muscle, and you’ll naturally become stronger, faster, and fitter as you progress through your journey.

3) Learn new skills

Becoming better at something is always a satisfying feeling, and training for a triathlon lets you revisit basic skills like swimming and cycling – things that you probably haven’t actively practised since you were a child – and advance your capabilities like never before. Allowing you to address your weaknesses, overcome mental obstacles, and learn to better handle stress and tough situations, seeing your personal time improve, and noticing your training becoming easier and more enjoyable is a fantastic boost.

4) Improve your confidence

Completing a triathlon – even ‘just’ a sprint distance – is a remarkable achievement. It will leave you feeling confident, empowered, and ready to take on anything else that life throws at you. Just think, if you can swim, cycle, and run across Dubai, then you can definitely handle any work meeting, deadline, or difficult situation with ease.

5) Compete alongside the world’s top triathletes

Although the pros compete in their own 100km race, doing the sprint still allows you to participate in the same event as Olympic triathletes, and all the biggest stars of the sport. Knowing that they’ll be dragging themselves up the same stretch of beach as you, and careering around the same corners on a bike, is a thrill that you don’t get to experience with many other sports.

Tips from a novice triathlete

Speaking from experience, here are five ways to make your first triathlon a huge success:

1) Find a group to train with

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