The fourth annual Dubai Fitness Challenge will kick-off on Friday, October 30, bringing with it 30 days of action-packed events that will continue until Saturday, November 28.
The initiative, launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai in 2016, encourages residents to participate in 30 minutes of activity every day for 30 days, with the hope of creating a habit that will remain long after the challenge ends.
For those looking to participate, there will be a host of events, sports and wellness programmes available to make fitness more accessible. This year, event organisers intend to keep the city moving through a mix of physical and virtual events. Here's how you can get involved in Dubai Fitness Challenge 2020.
Start by getting the right gear at the DFC mega sale
From Thursday, October 29 to Saturday, October 31, there will be a Dubai Fitness Challenge mega sale taking place at Dubai Mall, with up to 90 per cent off on gym wear, sports equipment and wellness products across brands. Meanwhile, throughout the month of November, UAE residents can expect offers, packages and promotions both online and in-store across fitness and wellness brands, retail outlets and hotels.
Take advantage of the free virtual resources
This year, DFC will have a special focus on at-home workout sessions, with free fitness content for all ages and abilities available throughout the Dubai Fitness Challenge website.
Participants can visit the site for workout videos, 30-day exercise programmes, discipline challenges, healthy recipes, health and wellness articles, vlogs, educational videos for children and more from experts in the fitness industry.
For the first time, participants in the challenge will be able to get free 30-day access to DFC's partner apps – Fitbit Premium, NEOU, Sweat, Daily Burn, Les Mills on Demand and FIIT. Using these apps, you can explore everything from HIIT-centric programmes to body weight workouts from the comfort of your home.
Register for the Dubai Run
Last year's Dubai Run had more than 70,000 runners take over Sheikh Zayed Road. This year, the flagship event comes with a twist – to prevent overcrowding, the entire city of Dubai will turn into a running track on Friday, November 27, with the event open to all ages, ability and fitness levels.
The event is free to enter and participants will be able to choose their own track in any community or neighbourhood, as well as their pace, distance, and whether they want to run solo or with buddies (groups have to be restricted to a maximum of five).
To help runners put their best foot forward, this year Dubai Fitness Challenge is launching 28-day training programmes curated by professional coaches and athletes such as Manal Rostom, Luke Mathews, Lee Ryan and Luke Gaffney. The training programmes will be available on the Dubai Run website and will provide support and step-by-step fitness guides for all levels.
Registrations are now open at www.dubairun.com
Join in on free workout sessions across the city
This year will see the return of Dubai Fitness Challenge's City is a Gym initiative in partnership with Etisalat. Participants can access a virtual map of Dubai, with 30 locations across the city featuring workouts that have been specially curated by fitness instructors.
Individuals scanning a QR code at the location will be able to access a workout unique to that place, and there will be no equipment required to get started.
Take in the sights with Dubai running tours
New this year is a programme of running tours organised in association with Arabian Adventures and Asics Runners. Those participating will get an on-foot view of some of Dubai's famous landmarks. Choose from three different routes with varying difficulty levels - a 5 kilometre fun run around Burj Lake in Downtown Dubai; an advanced 10km beach run along Kite Beach; and a self-guided 3km treasure hunt quest in the Dubai Creek area - all of which available for free on the Questo city explorer mobile game. The tours will be available throughout the 30 days of the challenge.
Explore the Fitness Villages
Like last year, certain areas in the city will be home to fitness villages, with a number of activities taking place within.
DP World Fitness Village Kite Beach will be an open-air setting offering family-friendly activities spread across sixteen zones. Visitors can access it during the 30 days from 2pm to 11pm, Sunday to Thursday and 7am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The area will feature a beach football pitch, dedicated kids' play area, obstacles, a mirror room and more.
The Emirates NBD Fitness Village Al Khawaneej will focus on family-oriented activities in the park. Open to visitors from 4pm to 11pm Saturday to Wednesday, and 4pm to midnight on Thursdays and Fridays, the outdoor area will be transformed into five distinct zones, featuring a cycle hub, a community stage, a family box, a dedicated women’s pavilion and a kids’ play area.
The Mai Dubai Fitness Village Festival City Mall will be a new adventure spot, accessible from Friday, November 6. At its centre will be The Arch, a giant state-of-the-art multipurpose attraction that will host four activities - a climbing wall, zip line, bag jump and quick flight. There will also be four activity zones with football, basketball, pump track and a workout stage.
Aside from the Dubai Run, there will be a packed calendar of racing events and activities taking place throughout the month of November for those looking to test their limits. Currently, there are 11 Dubai Fitness Challenge events taking place, and more are likely to be added to the roster.
Here are the challenges you can sign up to:
- Dubai Sports World (Friday, October 30 to Saturday, November 28)
- Desert Palm X-country Race 1 (Friday, October 30)
- Dubai Festival City Dragon Boat Race (Saturday, October 31)
- Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic – Ladies Golf (Wednesday, November 4 to Friday, November 6)
- Super Sports Run Race 2 (Friday, November 6)
- Al Marmoom Dune Run(Friday, November 20)
- Grit + Tonic Triathlon Hatta (Friday, November 13)
- Sketchers Performance Run (Friday, November 13)
- La Mer Open Water Swim (Saturday, November 14)
- Under Armour Functional Fitness Challenge (Friday, November 20)
- Spinneys Family Fun Run 5 (Saturday, November 28)
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
Results
Stage three:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-43
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
4. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
5. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
6. Mikkel Bjerg (DEN) UAE-Team Emirates, at 24s
General Classification:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-13-02
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin Fenix, at 12s
4. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
6. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
