The countdown is on for one of the biggest fitness events on Abu Dhabi’s calendar. Whether you’re planning to take part in the 2019 Adnoc Abu Dhabi marathon on Friday, December 6, or cheer on the participants, here’s everything you need to know. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council with Adnoc as the title sponsor, the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon is the capital’s biggest community sporting event. More than 10,000 people took part in the inaugural race last year and that number is expected to increase this year. The total prize fund for 2019 is $388,000 (Dh1.4 million), with the male and female winners of the full marathon each taking home $100,000. The rest of the prize fund is divvied up among the winners of other race categories, such as shorter routes or those competing in a wheelchair. Everyone taking part, meanwhile, gets a race shirt and a medal. Two medal designs were unveiled earlier this year, one for participants completing the 42.2-kilometre run and another for those finishing the 2.5km, 5km and 10km races. In order to be accessible to every fitness level, the event has four races of varying distances: - The 42.2km marathon: Serious runners can compete with talent from all over the world. Tickets to enter the longest race cost Dh350. - The 10km run: This one is for recreational runners and short-distance speedsters. Tickets cost Dh150. - The 5km run: A run that’s great for those who are beginning their fitness journeys and looking for shorter distances. Tickets cost Dh75. - The 2.5km fun run: You can get the whole family involved with this one. Tickets cost Dh50, while children under 6 can run for free. These can be collected between Monday, December 2 and Thursday, December 5 (from 3pm to 9pm) from Event Village, which is located at Adnoc HQ South Plaza. Also, those new to the event or who want more information can attend a race briefing, which will be held at the same location at 7.30pm each day. Runners for the marathon and 10km route can drop of their bags 4am on Friday, December 6; the racea then start at 6am. The cut-off for the marathon is six hours, so runners must complete their journey within that time. The 5km and 2.5km warm-up begins at 9.30am and the races start at 10am. The start line is in front of the Adnoc HQ Tower on Corniche Road. Marathon runners will head along the Corniche, pass by the Emirates Heritage Village, make their way around Marina Mall and through the Event Village located in the South Plaza of the Adnoc HQ campus. Other route highlights include Qasr Al Hosn, one of Abu Dhabi’s oldest stone buildings. Check our video above to see the full route. Corniche Road will be shut from 4am on Friday, December 6, with most of the road only re-opening at 12pm (until Nation Towers with partial road closures in place after that). Parking is limited so participants are advised to look at carpooling, or travelling via taxis, Ubers or Careems, or shuttle buses if possible. Those taking a taxi can be dropped off at designated bays close to the Event Village. Shuttle buses will be available from 4am to 2pm and operating on a loop system from Zayed Sports City – Gate 1. The buses will drop participants off at designated points near the Event Village. Marathon runners can park at the Adnoc Tower parking lot located on Al Rumouz Street (follow signs to P2). The car park will be open from 3am and race organisers recommend you arrive before 5am, leaving extra time for your journey. A sticker (labelled P2), which is available in the race pack, must be visible on the front windscreen of your car to get access to this parking. Those taking part in the other, shorter races can park in any of three locations – Marina Mall car park, Nation Towers car park or Qasr Al Watan car park, which are about a 10-minute walk from the starting point. Parking is not guaranteed, and race organisers recommend arriving at least an hour before your scheduled start time. <strong>Where can you watch the marathon?</strong> Bystanders can start their spectator journey at the Event Village, open from 4am, where there will be live coverage, family entertainment and food available from refreshment trucks. The ideal location to catch the beginning of the marathon at 6am is from the Grandstand on Abu Dhabi Corniche in front of the Radisson Blu Hotel. You can also watch the athletes from anywhere along the Corniche Road; their key turnaround points are: If you’re looking to catch the big finish, the first elite male athletes are expected to complete the race by 8:05am and the first elite females by 8:27am. The finish line is on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. <span style="font-size:18px">Whether you are a participant or spectator, you can download the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon app (available on iTunes and Google Play) for real-time tracking of participants, interactive course maps, push notifications as progress is made and other event information.</span> Want to take part? Free training sessions are taking place at various locations until Wednesday, November 27. For more information and a full timetable, visit <a href="https://www.adnocabudhabimarathon.com/">www.adnocabudhabimarathon.com/</a>
