Race Report: We Run DXB 10k

I ran my first ever organized race on Friday, December 19! The Nike We Run DXB 10k!

Minimalism. (not pictured: sunglasses, bra, shorts, phone, earbuds, phone case)

I was feeling a little nervous before the race for a few reasons:

1. Prior to the race, the longest distance I had ever run was 8.4k. 
2. I didn't run very much the two weeks before the race because I felt sick and my back was so out of place that I was in constant pain with numbness/tingling. I went to the chiropractor (several times, eep!), had a brief session with a physical therapist.
3. I don't normally run in the mornings, and in the past I felt very nauseous when I did. 
4. What would it be like to run with so many other people? 8,000 runners were registered!

We so happy!

I only had two goals:

1. Don't walk!
2. Run under 1:05.00

2. Because I am still on 2 legs.

The race route was fun. It snaked around the enormous Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. It was flat except for one underground part that was about half-way through... running down was fun but I did not anticipate running up again. I was panting, but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally. Since Dubai is sooo flat, I never do hill training.

Strutting with pride

I felt pretty good, but after I passed 7.5 km my body was telling me, 'This is where we usually stop! You are forgetting what you are supposed to do! Stop!' It reminded me that much of running is about HABIT. It was hard to win the brain vs body battle, but I kept reminding myself of my goals.

The battle happened again when my running app told me that I had completed 10 kilometers, but the finish line was still 0.5k away. LONGEST HALF-A-K EVER. There were so many nice people cheering me on that I ended up sprinting the final 100 meters.

It's like Burj Khalifa inception.

So about those goals, I CRUSHED THEM! I never walked, and my time was 1:02.42! All this done before breakfast ;)

The race was super well organized. I heard that last time it... wasn't... so I'm glad that the race organizers really thought things through this time 'round. It set the bar high for my first racing experience. But by far the thing I enjoyed the most was staying positive throughout the entire race and feeling so proud of myself after I crossed the finish line.

Running to the Palm Jumeirah

Last night I decided to run to the Palm Jumeirah. The Palm is one of the famous man-made islands in Dubai.

The Palm Jumeirah when it wasn't fully developed yet. (source)

Originally, I planned to run straight along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina. It's a pretty good road to run along because if you run on the ocean-side, the only cross streets are to private residences or resorts. That means you don't have to stop for ridiculously loooong red lights.

But when I was running, I saw cars turning easily onto one of the bridges to the Palm, and I noticed that there was a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk. There are other ways to get onto the Palm that are NOT pedestrian friendly. I had a bad experience on one of the other routes, and that's why I didn't try to run there before.

Following the road from Dubai Marina

I was overwhelmed when I looked at a map, but when I was on the ground it became pretty clear which road I should take.

Use this road to access the Palm. You'll be able to see a brick sidewalk with an incline to the bridge from Al Sufouh.

After I started seeing the Shoreline Apartments on the "trunk" of the Palm, I turned left at the first crosswalk that I saw. I was able to run down into a nice landscaped park that hugs the monorail track.

The park has a brick walking trail, a rubberized running track with meter markings, small play areas for kids, adult jungle-gym exercise areas, a stream, grass, and trees. It's very quiet and peaceful. You don't hear car noises because it is surrounded by apartment buildings on both sides.

The track is lit, but there are lots of bushes and shadows that someone could hide in. I wasn't worried at all, because Dubai is very safe (for western women, anyways). I ran at about 10pm, but there were a few other runners using the track too. On my way back, I noticed a few prostitutes soliciting johns in front of the Shoreline Apartments... sketchy, but no one bothered me.

I didn't get to spend a lot of time on the track because I planned to run 4k out and then turn around for a total of 8k. Maybe next time I will take the Dubai Tram to the Palm Jumeirah stop on Al Sufouh, then from there it's about a 10 minute jog to the track.