Galadari staff accept Dubai Fitness Challenge with great zeal

IN IT TO WIN IT: Mohammed Galadari, Director of Galadari Brothers, leads the Galadari Run during the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

They came, they ran and they displayed a powerful team spirit. This is what best describes the 1,500-member strong team of employees of the Galadari Brothers (GB) who came to take part in the Galadari Run organised to kickstart the group's participation in the third edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) 2019.
This is the third consecutive year that the group, one of UAE's largest conglomerates with interests across automotive, retail, publishing and hospitality sectors, has participated and pledged support in the DFC.
The parent company of the UAE's first English newspaper Khaleej Times, Galadari Brothers, has always been among the first few of the UAE corporates to accept the challenge and managed to clinch the second and third spots at the DFC in corporate category among the hundreds of companies that registered for the challenge in the last two years.
The 2-km run at the Credence High School in Al Quoz started after Mohammed Galadari, Director of Galadari Brothers, led the top management team of the group to cut a sugar-free cake with #Galadari and DXB Challenge 30X30 written on it and welcomed the group staff for their participation.
Mohammed Galadari motivated the staff by asking them to keep up the momentum on for the next 30 days and help the group clinch the top spot at the fitness challenge.
"We at Galadari Brothers are encouraged and influenced by the Dubai Crown Prince's challenge to make the emirate 'the most active city' in the world. Maintaining an active lifestyle isn't a destination but a journey of happiness, and we're ready to embark on it," he said.
Suhail Galadari, Director of Galadari Brothers, said: "As a group, Galadari Brothers is glad that we can, for the third year running, participate enthusiastically in the Dubai Fitness Challenge thrown by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Dubai Executive Council."
Yahya Kazi, Group CEO of Galadari Brothers, said: "Galadari Brothers is committed to the Crown Prince's initiative. Thousands of fitness champs, volunteers and employees across our group have accepted the challenge while seven locations across our group premises have turned into fitness arenas for the duration of the challenge. We're in it to win it."
Employees of 12 Galadari Brothers companies donned white T-shirts bearing the DFC logo as well as #Galadari, before sprinting and taking 10 rounds of the school's football field. Among plenty of cheering from the groups' fitness champions, volunteers and top management, the group employees braved the heat and humidity and ran side by side to complete the run in around 20 minutes, followed by a 15-minute light workout.
A number of fitness activities have been planned daily until November 16 (the day DFC 2019 ends) for Galadari Brothers employees within their office premises. "Everyday in all our 12 companies, we have fitness activities planned for half an hour for all employees by professional, certified trainers. These include Zumba, yoga, tug of war, buddy workouts, HIIT, pushup and plank challenges among others. On weekends, we will have a major event like we had the Galadari Run today. For next week, we have cricket tournament preparations. We ensured that all our staff has downloaded the Dubai Fitness app and registered with their official email. They then select Galadari group and join it. After this, all they need to do is switch it on for the 30-minute workout they do whether alone or in a group and those points will be added to our group directly, said Sajad Saheer, Galadari group fitness champion, whose role is to arrange and coordinate the fitness activities at all the 12 companies.
Edith Santos Cruz, who was seen participating enthusiastically in the Galadari Run, said: "This is an amazing initiative that motivates us to be fit as well as be in it together. Although I have asthma and I cannot run for long, I managed to walk and run a little bit with the support of so many colleagues of mine. It was the motivation I got when I saw them run that helped me complete the 2km distance comfortably. I would usually walk everyday alone after work as it is important for my health but now I'm looking forward to group sessions with my colleagues."
Ahmer Abbas from Galadari Engineering said he was happy that the company had taken the fitness celebration to the next level this year. "It was such a fantastic start to the weekend with friends as I ran with over 100 people from my company, working to achieve a common target - keeping fit and getting the top spot for our company at the DFC 2019. Our managers and team leaders were cheering for us and running with us side by side. It truly has created stronger bond and positive environment for all."
Testing the agility of individuals and corporates, the Dubai 30x30 initiative aims to make Dubai the most active city in the world by simply asking them to commit 30 minutes of physical activity for 30 days - from October 18 to November 16.
saman@khaleejtimes.com