DUBAI: Early on Saturday, as temperatures soared outside, a sprawling shopping center in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined “Mallathon” — an indoor, air-conditioned race.
The government-backed initiative aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates’ hottest month, and make use of Dubai’s giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time.
Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world’s hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.
“If you run outside, it’s not healthy at all because temperatures are around 40C to 50C,” said one runner who gave his name as Rai, his platinum-blond hair pulled back with a headband.
Participants wearing “Dubai Mallathon” T-shirts and sports gear ran and walked past closed stores along vacant, marbled halls that were set to be teeming with shoppers hours later.
Throughout August, nine of the city’s shopping centers — including the cavernous Dubai Mall, one of the world’s biggest — are open daily for runners and walkers from 7am-10am.
On weekends, runners can enter organized 10km, 5km or 2.5km races at designated malls, complete with podium presentations and prizes.
During Saturday’s race at the City Center Mirdif mall, two robots buzzed around the participants, who paused to take selfies with them.
Others waited in line to use electric bikes that powered blenders to make healthy smoothies.
Mallathon is backed by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 42, whose public profile projects him as an exemplar of active living.
It is one of a number of attempts to steer Dubai’s car-loving, mall-rat population toward exercise, including the 30x30 challenge, where residents are encouraged to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month.
Obesity rates in the energy-rich Gulf country regularly top global charts.
A study published by The Lancet in March predicted a staggering 94 percent of UAE males would be overweight or obese by 2050 — the highest in the world.
Partly to blame is the furnace-like heat that ravages the region for several months a year, and is steadily growing more intense.
The UAE had its hottest April on record this year, and then breached its May high two days in a row. On August 1, temperatures reached 51.8C, just shy of the national record of 52C.
Menna, a 36-year-old Egyptian who has lived in Dubai for 15 years, said there was “no way” she would exercise outside in the summer.
But in the mall, “we have air-conditioning, first aid, water... there’s everything that you need.”
“It motivates you more when other people are doing it too,” she added.
Fouzeya Faridoon, head of social activities at Dubai Sports Council, said more than 500 people had signed up for Saturday’s event, which was free.
“The idea is to encourage people to exercise, especially walking and running, even in the summer,” she told AFP.
Children, men, women and at least one person with a disability were among the participants who collected a medal and a bag of freebies at the finish line.
Zamani, a Sri Lankan tourist, was one of the runners, along with her young children.
“I like the energy, everybody is all geared up,” the 46-year-old said.
“It’s very modern and chic.”