We might not be able to leave our homes to exercise but that doesn’t mean we have to stop our fitness routines completely. Here’s how you can run a marathon without leaving your front door
We may be missing running outside but that doesn’t mean we should stop
Those of us who were training for races or those who had hit the ground running (excuse the pun) with our fitness goals this year are likely to be feeling the effects of being stuck at home. With a 24-hour sterilisation programme in place as of April 4th, exercising outside of the home is off the cards but that doesn’t mean we have to lose sight of our goals.
Encouraging us to keep running, Dubai Sport Council in collaboration with ASICS Middle East and 5.30 Run Club have announced the ‘Marathon at Home’. The first of its kind across the world, on Friday 10th April there will be a timed 42.195km race between 8am-6pm. If you want to enter, you need to register online by tomorrow (April 6th).
To enter you’ll need a smartwatch or smartphone with the Strava app. You will join the “Marathon at home” group on Strava which will detect your movement and distance travelled. Those who complete the race will be sent a t-shirt and medal to commemorate the race.
Design your track around your home
Participants will have to design the shape of the running course around their home – NOT using a treadmill. You can design your running track to go through your home and garden. So long as your feet are on the ground, feel free to get as creative as possible. South African couple, Collin and his wife Hilda ran a marathon in Meydan over the weekend, using their balcony as a track. They used fairy lights and chalk signs to map out their route:
If you think your home is too small for a marathon, fret not as many of Dubai’s best fitness institutes are offering free online classes that turn even the smallest of spaces into worthy gyms.
Dubai fitness brands offering free at home workouts on Instagram
F45 Training
Each of the F45 studios across Dubai have taken their workouts online to keep their community sweating. You can try their home exercise tips (which require no equipment) for free by visiting their Instagram page.
Shimis Dubai
Shimis, the new and highly coveted yoga studio on the scene in Alserkal Avenue, is uploading live yoga classes to their Instagram page daily.They are also running a 30-day posture challenge to keep your flexibility up.
Fitness First
Bringing you a jam packed schedule of live classes, Fitness First is putting on live dance classes, HIIT workouts, BodyCombat, pilates, yoga to their Instagram. Keep up to date with their class list by following their page.
If you’re missing using equipment but don’t have access to any at home, check out our suggestions for household items you can use in your workouts.