Always wanted to try a triathlon? With Dubai Fitness Challenge under way, women in Dubai have the perfect month to prepare for their first triathlon: the World Triathlon Women’s Cup Dubai at Al Mamzar Beach Park on Sunday 6 December, the week after the challenge ends.
Pick your race
- Super Sprint: 400m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run, designed for first-timers
- Sprint: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
- Both can be done solo or as a relay team of up to three
The race is organised by Dubai Sports Council with World Triathlon and the UAE Triathlon Federation. His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, said the most important challenge is simply taking the first step.
Four-week training tips
- Base: Dubai Fitness Challenge’s 30 minutes a day for 30 days is a good foundation
- Swim: practise in open water at lifeguarded beaches; speed doesn’t matter, and breaststroke is fine
- Bike: get comfortable on a traffic-free track and always wear a helmet
- Run: run-walking is perfectly fine; build up to 2.5km
- Transitions: lay out kit in order and buckle your helmet before touching your bike
- Brick sessions: follow a short ride with a short run
- Race day: start steady; going off too fast is the most common mistake
Where to train in Dubai
- Al Mamzar: lifeguarded swimming, ladies-only days and 5.5km+ of tracks
- Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1: lit night-swimming beaches
- Hamdan Sports Complex: public adult swim sessions
- Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park: free, floodlit 4, 6 and 8km loops with bike hire
- Al Qudra Cycle Track: 80.6km of continuous path
- Kite Beach: 7km soft running track
- Al Barsha Pond Park: 1.4km loop marked every 100m
- Dubai Run, 22 November: a free 5km on Sheikh Zayed Road, ideal as a dress rehearsal
- TriDubai: a free club welcoming complete beginners
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