Ever heard of the term ‘wellness travel’ before?
This is a concept within the fitness and wellness community to travel around the world and explore other countries while using fitness exercise as an excuse.
Typically, a person would be interested in taking part in a fitness activity like running a marathon or hiking in another country.
The fitness challenge itself would be the primary reason for travel, but why travel thousands of kilometres to a foreign country to just run?
It’s an opportunity to explore a different country. Fitness and wellness is a concept now used to sell tourism. The Dubai 30x30 Fitness Challenge is one of them: a movement by the Dubai municipality in partnership with Dubai economy and tourism which encourages everyone to take 30 minutes to exercise every day for 30 days in November.
People are encouraged to do any form of fitness and wellness exercise of their choice. It can be running, walking, yoga, cycling, or even playing padel.
If you can’t do any of these activities in the comfort of your home, they are offered for free in local gyms, parks and beaches which have been turned into fitness villages around the city.
I travelled to Dubai to participate in the challenge recently, and as soon as I landed, I was thrilled at the idea of running with thousands of people from all walks of life at the Dubai Run.
For running enthusiasts who aspire to travel to the Gulf region, the Dubai Run, although it does not offer you the 42km distance, is definitely an event to add to your bucket list.
With well over 300,000 participants taking part in either the 10km or 5km, the run is by far the biggest event of the Dubai 30x30 Fitness Challenge. More about the run later.
The fitness challenge since its inception in 2017 has seen a yearly growth, attracting visitors from all over the world participating in various challenges like yoga, mountain biking, boxing, dance classes, and running, all while experiencing the beauty in the architectural designs of the skyscrapers in Dubai.
The signature events are the Dubai Run, Dubai Ride, Dubai Stand Up Paddle and Dubai Yoga. The Dubai Fitness Challenge reports that over 2.7-million people took part in the fitness challenge in 2024.
We arrive at Zabeel Park, one of the fitness villages in the city. There is a basketball court, a padel court, cricket nets, a boxing station, a gym station, a cycling station, and a stage for a fitness instructor for dance, aerobics, or yoga classes.
I’m instantly drawn to the boxing station. I’m named after former boxing world champion Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga after all. It took me only 30 seconds of sparring with a training instructor to have newfound respect for boxers.
They must be the fittest athletes in the world, I thought to myself.
If I had continued, I would not have had the energy to try other activities, so I moved on to the dance class.
Children with their parents trying new dance moves, women in their saris bursting out in laughter as they miss a step or two trying new pop culture dance moves. I join in, and I feel comfortable because I’m known to have a step or two.
The energy is contagious, and more people join in. Contrary to popular belief, women in bikinis and topless men strut the streets along the Jumeirah Beach; the fitness village along the beach seems to be busy, with people coming in the village for fitness activities and then going out to cool off at the beach.
The temperature is 28°, and it is the start of winter in Dubai. During the summer, when temperatures can hit 45°, the mall opens its doors to runners between 7am and 10am with special dedicated lanes for them and walkers.
At least 307,000 people in blue T-shirts have lined up outside the Sheikh Zayed Road to take part in the 10km and 5km runs, the main road in Dubai which is named after its former president.
The race starts just next to the Museum of the Future, and the atmosphere is electrifying. The race starts, and a drone shot transcends the landscape into a sea of blue over kilometres.
Mbele was invited by the Dubai economy and tourism department.
Sowetan
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