GETTING ACTIVE

ACTIVE MODE: ON

Lace those trainers up and get moving with Active Al Maryah Island

Active Sports Pavilion

Active Al Maryah Island is a huge sport and recreational facility, home to all things, well, active. The 3,500 square metre indoor space provides year-round comfort for athletes looking to play padel, badminton, tennis, basketball, netball, volleyball and indoor football.

The facility is split into two zones, Active Sports Pavilion – which is a state-of-the-art space providing a sublime environment from which to play sport, featuring four brand-new padel courts fitted with synthetic grass – and Active Dome, which is home to the city’s only full-size indoor football pitch. The site also has extensive outdoor facilities for teams, academies and corporate groups to enjoy.

“We are exceptionally excited to be expanding our portfolio at Active Al Maryah Island. With our existing outdoor facilities and the Active Dome, the Active Sports Pavilion will ensure that the community can stay active at any time of year,” said Khalid Al Mutawa, CEO of Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company. “We are ready to welcome guests at the new and existing venues for a high-quality sport and recreation experience.” Joining the extensive sports offering is popular Australian workout brand, F45 training. Offering 45 minutes of functional training per class, F45 has amassed a loyal base of regular fans across the globe, including here in Abu Dhabi. Active Al Maryah welcomed the new gym to its facilities at the end of 2022.

F45 IN ABU DHABI

Where to find the cult workout in the capital

Active Al Maryah Having moved from Zayed Sports City, the newest F45 in Abu Dhabi can now be found within this huge facility.

Al Raha Beach This club opened back in July 2022 and can be found on level one of Raha Mall.

COMING

Yas Island SOON

Saadiyat Marina

f45training.ae

JUST DO IT

Need extra motivation to get fit in 2023? Set yourself a goal and sign up for one of the UAE’s big sporting events. Here’s our pick of the top triathlons, marathons and swim meets that will push you to your limits this season

RUNNING

RAK Half Marathon 2023

Arguably the most popular half marathon in the UAE, RAK returns for its 16th edition where runners take to the streets of Marjan Island, passing major hotels as they head along Sheikh Mohammed bin Salem Road, and circle through Al-Amwaj avenue, before heading back to the starting point for the finish line. Run the 21.1km race solo or in a relay of two or sign up for the shorter 10km or 5km routes. Entry to the half marathon costs Dhs295, but you can pay for extras, including entry to the Friday pasta party the night before, and the celebratory post-race brunch. VIP hotel packages are also available.

February 18

therakhalfmarathon.com

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2023

After a two-year hiatus, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon returns with a whopping 30,000 runners set to pound the pavements on Sunday, February 12. The 42km marathon is one of the UAE’s most important races on the sporting calendar, and runs the length of Beach Road and back, starting and finishing on Umm Sequim Road opposite Madinat Jumeirah. It’s long and arduous, but the flat route makes it one of the fastest in the world, where elite runners look to break records. You can also sign up for the 10km and 4km races, which start at 7am and 10am respectively. Entry costs Dhs550 (42km), Dhs312 (10km) and Dhs184 (4km).

February 12

dubaimarathon.org

JOIN THE CLUB

If you’re bored of plugging in your headphones and plodding off on your own, why not meet runners who are going at your pace? Join the Abu Dhabi Running Team and meet coach Youssef Rochdi for free running training sessions every week from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm Zayed Sports City. Sessions vary but typically lead up to longer steady runs towards the end of the week. @abudhabirunningteam

TriYas

Easily the region’s most enjoyable triathlon, Abu Dhabi’s big day-to-night tri features a swim through Yas Marina, a cycle of the track at Yas Marina Circuit and a run around Yas Marina. All abilities are welcome making this a perfect entry point into the world of triathlons with the Sprint category featuring a 750m swim, a 22km cycle and a 5.5km run, while the Olympics category features a 1,500m swim, 38km ride and 10km run.

February 25

yasmarinacircuit.com

Gladiators OCR

Obstacle course racing (OCR) has boomed in recent years and every event will lay claim to being the biggest, the baddest and the best. New kid on the block Gladiators OCR in Sharjah’s gnarly XQuarry Adventure Park features 32 challenges that test strength, endurance and agility, including challenges that were built to test the toughest 4WD vehicles that frequent the park. Throughout the 6km course ‘gladiators’ must navigate a 6km gauntlet of obstacles over rocky terrain and challenging climbs. Entry costs Dhs195.

March 11

xquarry.com/gladiators

Urban-Ultra Wadi Racer

Traversing pavements in most towns and cities isn’t always inspiring stuff, so why not sign up for an off-road event instead? The Urban-Ultra Wadi Racer is a trail running adventure in Ras Al Khaimah that starts in the dark. Strap on your headlamp and race through single track trails and rocky wadi beds. The course is marked with light reflective material and there are three lengths to choose from – 10km, 20km or 30km. Races begin at 5am and entry costs Dhs310.

April 29

hopasports.com

TRAIN HARD WITH THIS KIT

GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH Google’s first watch is finally here, combining the best of Google smarts and Fitbit’s health and fitness, all in a beautiful new design. From Dhs1,579. sharafdg.com

GARMIN HRM-PRO PLUS The Plus variant of Garmin’s HRMPro heart rate monitor tracks steps, calories, and all-day heart rate as well running pace and distance stats without the need to wear a watch or have your phone. From Dhs513. garmin.ae

JBL REFLECT AERO Soundtrack your swim with the best waterproof headphones for the pool and open water. From Dhs336. amazon.ae

DESTINATIONS | STAYCATIONS

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