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☰
Dubai Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Dubai Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.4 
Organization 3.0 
Spectators 2.5
Number of comments: 54 [displaying comments 41 to 51]
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Paul Macpartland from Dubai
(3/23/2007)
"Wonderful Experience" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Dubai Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I thought this year's marathon course was a lot better than the previous course. More spectators for one, supporting and encouraging you on. Water and isotonic stations were adequate and the marshals were fantastic. The whole experience was wonderful and I will be returning next year. | |
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D. j. from Dubai, UAE
(3/14/2007)
"Not as bad as being painted" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Dubai Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 This year brought a new course to Dubai, up one side of Beach Road then back down the other side. Sounds boring? It is, but it's flat and, believe it or not, the support was better than on the old course. The aid stations are fine, adequately spaced with isotonic drinks every 5K and water every 2.5K. The finish was a shambles and I certainly did not enjoy finishing amongst hundreds of fun runners who had just run a staggering 3K. However the overall experience was no worse than some other marathons I have run; it's just all a bit boring and basic. To be fair, there is nowhere in Dubai that is particuarly scenic - after all, it's only half built! | |
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Hassan Jabry from Dubai
(2/4/2007)
"Don't expect anyone to help you; it's Dubai" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Dubai Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 It was my very first marathon and finished in 5 hours and 44 minutes. I think the organizers care more about those who finish within 3 hours. After that you have to know how to survive. At 25 KM, I kept asking for the first aid tent, and the school children at the water station keep saying it was at the next station, but I never saw it. Reached 35 KM and went to the underground tunnel, but at this point no one was there. At 12:00 p.m., the road was full of heavy vehicles, crowding even the lane that was reserved for the runners. At one point, cars were passing by in front of me and I almost got hit. Well I managed to finish, and when I did, only a few people were around (including my family). I could not walk after crossing the finish line. Those guys at the ambulance just sat and did not bother to help me. I walked over to them and they kept ice on my legs. Wife told me that she saw one guy drop near the finish line and no one ever bother to help or checked him, until he woke up and finished. Worse is that after all this, you have to walk a long way to collect your medal and leave the chip from your shoes. At the chip drop-off, I saw just two guys talking and sitting on top of boxes. They didn't care how you were doing, and didn't ask. I handed over my chip, and then I asked where my medal was. "Oh, here," said one. He just took it out of the box and gave it to me still in plastic. VERY SAD. Please don't claim you're the best marathon organizers. Thank you. | |
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E. L. from San Diego, California
(1/21/2007)
"Could Have Done a Lot Better" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Dubai Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 Not a "back of the packer"-friendly marathon. Though water stations stayed open, water was the only thing available for most of the marathon. At the finish I had to find a race offical to get a medal. A bottle of water at the end is all that was offered. Food was available for purchase. No GU, fruit or anything else was available to runners on the course or after. I feel sorry for the runners who paid big money to travel with Marathon Tours. You can do Dubai on your own on the cheap. Good luck to runners next year. I hope the race director takes a look at the various comments. | |
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E. R. from St. Louis, MO
(1/15/2007)
"Boring. Poor support. Little crowd turnout." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Dubai Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I ran the Dubai Marathon just a few short days ago. While I fully expected it to be "different" from what I am used to (US marathons), I was surprised by just HOW different it was. First, the course was boring to the point of tedium. While yes, it is flat and fast, there was nothing to look at save for some buildings, some more buildings and, yes, more buildings. The majority of the course runs along the coastline which was completely hidden from view. While the turn around point was at the world famous Jumeirah Hotel, it too was not visible due to other structures. Ugh! Aid stations were sparse and poorly stocked. To add insult to injury, anyone in the lower 2/3 of runners was just about out of luck if they needed water/electorlyte as most of the aid stations just started closing up early. What a way to treat to poor folks who need aid the most. While the prize pot was large and no doubt will continue to attract world-class runners, I will not be returning. | |
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N. H. from Dubai
(1/14/2007)
"Come on, Dubai, you can do better!!!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 Having completed my first Dubai Marathon, I was extremely unimpressed. There were good bits, but in order to improve, below I will list the things I think should be done btter. Dubai can hold the "classic" horse race, one of the best golf events, the best.... But this is not even close to being a half-decent marathon event. I lived in South Africa for several years and an average event is 10 times better than this. Why? - Nobody around to help guide anyone at the start of the event. - What happened to the bag drop? Good signs, but no drop. One runner I was with stuffed his bag up a traffic cone! - Novotel was instrumental in providing toilets and a warm place to gather (no tent or anything for anyone!). Not too sure if they were expecting it, but thanks to them! - Very few people watching the race, and past the 35KM mark until the finish you were on your own (just when you need help from supporters). - No bands or anyone trying to help you along the course! - The 3KM race finished at exactly the same place as the marathon, and anyone finishing after 10:30 was forgotten and absorbed into the fun event. - I think the fun run is an excellent idea, but make it fun and finish away from the main event! - The race was "unnofficially" finished at 11:00, with the 3KM fun-runners going home! - I was embarrassed that the people after 4 hours were forgotten and very few people cheered them in. - After the finish line was a "riotous assembly." Please organisers, go to a decent marathon, learn how to make it better, and let's see the Dubai Marathon be an event that we can be proud of. - an unimpressed Dubai resident | |
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W. A. from New York
(2/24/2006)
"Big, Bold & Beautiful it is not!" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Dubai Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 What comes to mind when you think of any event in Dubai? Its lavishness, extravagance, and a one-of-a-kind experience. The Dubai Marathon does not live up to its host citys reputation. That is not to say the Dubai Marathon lacks the necessary organization any marathon requires. There are adequete water stops, plenty of sponge stops -- trust me you do need those when the temperature soars past 80 F (30 C); Mile (ok, kilometer) markers are well-placed; and there is no dearth of Dubai Shurtas (police) at vital spots to divert traffic and guide the runners. But you expect more from Dubai. You expect something extraordinary that no one else offers. Unfortunately that is where Dubai does not deliver. To give you an idea, post-marathon, apart from the medal and a solitary water stand, there was absolutely no nourishment offered (at least not to those who finished past 4 hours). Forget about goodie-bag for the finishers, not even a piece of fruit is offered at the finish. Expo is non-existent. Dubai should have no problem lining up sponsors to give away items of interest to the fewer than 500 finishers of the marathon. Despite the desert heat, I would like to return to Dubai one day to better my time -- and I hope organizers would have made the Dubai Marathon a really big, bold and beautiful event by then. | |
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D. J. from Dubai, UAE
(2/20/2006)
"Flat, Fast & Boring" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Dubai Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 If you like crowd support when you run a marathon, then don't bother with this one - support is minimal, and in fact you're more likely to be the subject of abuse from irate motorists who have been stopped to let you run by. Course is flat and fast if the heat doesn't get to you. Next year the event returns to January so it should be cooler. Water stations, etc. are adequate. Expo is non-existent, after-run activities are better, though primarily set up for the 10K race, which is held at the same time. | |
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I. D. from USA
(1/1/2005)
"Would I run this marathon, maybe?" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I have run four marathons in Europe and the US, and since I come originally from the Middle East, I would like to do this in the near future. But reading the comments about important issues, such as lack of water stations, accurate measurements, the heat, etc. make me think twice. I wish the marathon organizers in the Middle East would use the experience of the other marathons, such as earlier starting time if the weather is too hot, or maybe changing it to a cooler season. | |
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Kev Fowler from Oman
(6/16/2004)
"Good course - organization is not up to scratch" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Dubai Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 The course is flat and fast, although the heat and wind were a factor this year. For a relatively small field the marshalling was excellent. However, they ran out of water at all of the latter water stations. Not acceptable in the very hot conditions. The course can be very lonely especially in the last 15k when I saw about 10 specatators before entering the finishing straight. It is now 6 months later and I have still not received any certificate or award - (I won my age group category). The web site was never finished prior to the event, and the organizers spent far too much effort looking after 15 elite runners forgetting that there is a whole field behind them - shame really, because the 'pack runners' were all really friendly. Will I go back? Probably, as it is the only one in the region. |
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