Ditch your car and join Abu Dhabi Week on a tour of the Capital’s best locations for running and cycling
We don’t know about you, but nothing inspires us more to leave the car at home and get our training shoes on than a crisp winter morning in the UAE. They’re so rare and so precious that they shouldn’t be wasted!
We caught up with a few of the capital’s most intrepid keep fit enthusiasts to find out where they like run or cycle to let off steam.
Steve Watson, 48, Tasmania, Australia
“I love Saturday morning runs on Yas Island. It’s a great way to start the day; just drop the car at the Viceroy and head out for a run around the marina, down to Ferrari World, cut across through Yas Links golf course and down to the public beach. There are plenty of options to create a lazy 5k or push for a 20K plus.
“Tuesday mornings I run with a group that meets up at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in Khalifa A. The session is best described as high intensity rolling hills, as we skirt the perimeter of the golf club, throwing in some cross country sand running and also the ramp at the Westin Hotel.
“Sunday nights, to get the week off to a great start, there’s nothing better than meeting up at the Hiltonia Beach Club and running on the Corniche to the fish markets and back. This is my most leisurely run given the abundance of people out and about doing the same.”
Caroline Gentles, 29, UK
“I love running around the Al Bateen palaces. There’s a lovely 20km loop there that is nice and quiet on an evening after work.
“Saadiyat Island, early in the morning on a weekend, is a great place to cycle and take advantage of the cooler temperatures and almost empty highway. You also get to enjoy beautiful views of the sea as well as the coastal breeze.
“Train Yas on Tuesdays is the perfect place to test your speed and see some serious cyclists in action.”
Barbara McElvaney, 32, Ireland
“I live in Al Bateen and I run a block in my area which takes 40 minutes. I start off by running down 28th street as far as 19th. I turn and go up 24th street until I get to 13th. I run as far as 28th street and then head home.
“There’s also a marked out, padded running track linking 15th, 28th, 17th and 26th street. This track is very popular and used for both walking and running. There is also a track around the ladies park between 24th and 15th street, which is slightly longer but the track is not as well cared for. It’s padded, but a bit worn down.”
Nick Cowell, 29, UK
“TrainYas is a great venue for cycling on a Tuesday night. A few laps of the full track is a great workout as you’re always guaranteed to be against the wind on one section of the circuit, plus there is the hill to climb each lap. Most importantly you know you are safe from cars so can push yourself as hard as you want to … 30km - 40km can easily be clocked, which is great.
“When I got into cycling, the group that leaves Spinneys at 5.30am every Friday morning ran a ‘Newbies Cycle’ on the first Friday of the month. Basically a member of the group would sit at the back of the group and explain how to safely ride on roads and how to ride in a group.
“Al Bateen is also great as there is a 10km route, which is good for a short cycle and is pretty safe from traffic.”
Stephan Vanden Auweele, 44, Belgium
“In terms of running in Abu Dhabi, there are several running groups in different parts of the city. For me, the best places to run are along the Corniche, around Zayed Sports City, around Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Khalifa City A and Yas Island. On Yas there is a similar track to the Abu Dhabi half marathon.
“If you’re cycling it gets a little more complicated and there are many safety issues to consider so quiet roads are a must! I like the Corniche (for leisure biking), Train Yas on Tuesday nights at the F1 circuit and the area behind Abu Dhabi International Airport.”
Megan Wynes, 34, UK
“In terms of cycling (safely) off the island of Abu Dhabi you can’t beat a whizz around Yas Island. All of the hotels at Yas Plaza now offer bikes for hire so if you don’t own a bike (I don’t) then you can still have a go. The cycle lanes all over the island make Yas a great option for families as well as kids don’t need to worry about traffic.
“If the mood grabs me to go for a run – which doesn’t happen often enough – then I usually head out along the back roads on to Yas Island. There’s a bridge a little further down from Yas Tunnel which brings you right out at the entrance to Gateway Park – another great spot for a run.”
Jon Muller, 36, UK
“My favourite is pounding the pavement round the circular external road of either Desert Village or Arabian Village at Al Reef - both routes are pretty much identical, very quiet as long you avoid morning rush hour and provide a decent two to three-kilometre circuit.
“If I’m feeling a little more energetic, then a more adventurous route is to jog down the main road past Downtown Al Reef, through the security gates and along the dusty track next to the Sheikh Khalifa Highway. Running as far as the workers’ camps on the left hand side and then back again is about a six-kilometre stretch and is perfect for an early morning or late evening jog.”
For more info
On biking: http://raharev.forumarabia.com
On running: www.abudhabistriders.com
On triathlon training: www.abudhabitriclub.org
On running competitions in the UAE: www.premiermarathons.com
