Witness the fitness…

No excuses, no regrets, get your trainers on, 2025 is your year for peak physical form.

We’ve put together a guide to some of the biggest fitness challenges, key tips to keep your training on track, and a nutrition plan to ensure you’ve got the right fuel in the tank to get the job done.

Head down, lock in, let’s go…

Race Calendar

The New Year is coming and so is the new you, book yourself into one of these events and commit to competition. Even if it’s only with yourself.

Dubai Marathon, Jan 12 2025

She’s back, the grande dame of scenic pavement pounding – the Dubai Marathon returns for another lap in January of 2025. The picturesque 42km run takes you along the Jumeirah coastline and landmarks like Madinat Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab. If you’re not feeling up to the full whack, there are options for a 10km competitive race and 4km fun run too.

Marathon priced at Dh550. dubaimarathon.org

Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge Build-Up Ride, Jan 26 2025

The last build-up ride before the main event on Feb 23 challenges lycra-clad pedal warriors to an 85km chase around the Al Qudra track. Entry will cost you Dhs95 and registrations are open now.

cyclechallenge.ae

Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon, Jan 26 2025

Need a bit more time to prepare? The famous Marina Home Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon hits the road at the end of January 2025, and is now available in a convenient, travel-sized 10km format as well. The run starts off at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and takes you over Maktoum Bridge into some historic parts of Old Dubai.

From Dhs185. dubaicreekstriders.com

Burj to Burj, Feb 9 2025

After a hugely popular first run in 2024, the Burj-eoning success of this urban half-marathon asks runners to complete a route between two of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Starting at the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa the temporary track passes live music stations and some (heavy) breathtaking views, before a photo finish in the shadow of the stunning Burj Al Arab.

Dhs240. burj2burj.com

The Art of Prep

The little pocketbook of preparing to win

They say that failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. And if you’ve signed yourself up for some big athletic challenges this alfresco season, whether it’s running, a triathlon, cycling or simply getting those daily steps in, it’s never too early to start the prep work. But you don’t have to do it alone, we can be your spotter, your ride-or-die fitness journey companion, and the training sequence montage to your motivational movie.

Know your enemy

To overcome fear, you must first become fear. Or at least have an anatomical understanding of it. The same is true for whatever fitness goals you’ve set yourself. You’ll need to put in the research time, plan out your pacing, look at route maps, think about what essentials you want to put in your race pack and build a training calendar with incremental goals and structured recovery days. Listen to the experts – hit the assembled podcast libraries and YouTube tutorials; bribe friends who have already completed these sorts of challenges to share their experiences. Protein bars and electrolytes are usually a good currency. Be optimistic and realistic about your milestones, don’t set yourself up for a fall – but you need to make sure you don’t undersell yourself either. Each sport has its own set of golden rules and particularities that will make their respective training programmes unique, but there are general rules that will help you.

Strategic Attack

It’s time to get techy. You don’t have to go full Marvel Iron Man to compete in an, ahem, Iron Man, but it certainly helps to suit-up with gadgetry. We’re talking fitness tracking apps and worn devices. An Apple Watch goes a long way to keeping the orthopedic doctor away, but if you really want to drill down into the nitty gritty of strain regulation, sleep cycles and peak performance indicators, a WHOOP might be the wrist-worn solution for you. Setting targets helps to gamify your experience and actively hunt down those key stage PBs. Are you training for distance, training for speed, or just trying to avoid a DNF (did not finish)? Knowing what sort of attempt you’re putting in all the effort for is a vital component in deciding which heart rate zones you need work in, and what minutes per kilometre you want to hit.

And relax…

Consistency is key, but recovery is vital. That means days where you don’t train, or engage in soft intensity active recovery (like walking). The amount of rest a person needs varies from individual to individual, but the benefits of recovery days are many, and backed by hard science. It helps you train harder, it allows muscles to develop, and it gives you the opportunity to refocus and regroup. Never skip rest day.

Engage the core

If there’s one muscle group that supports almost every exercise imaginable, it’s the core set. A strong core improves form and takes pressure off other muscle clusters. Plus, if you want that vision board six-pack, they’re kind of essential. It’s another reason to get behind the idea of cross-training in several different sports at the same time. Even if you’re training for a marathon, you can still get a lot out of playing tennis, doing a HIIT class or swimming. If you want to laser focus on those obliques, abdominals and lower back areas, the Nike Training Club (NTC) app offers free guided core workouts as part of its services. Keep yourself accountable, keep pushing, keep the focus, listen to your body and visualise the prize. You got this.

Fuel the fire

So you’ve signed up for an event, and you’re following through on your training plan – what other lockers can you search for big gains? Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. The food you put into your body in the run-up to, the night before and the morning of, a race – will likely have a huge influence on your performance. And to help make sure your tank is filled with Super on the big day, we spoke to an expert. Alex Cox is a senior boxing, HIIT, and cycle coach at The Platform Studios, and is currently in training for an upcoming IronMan event.

Planning, plates, and ideal weights

When you increase your training it takes a toll on your body, Your muscles will be demanding more attention but before you start pumping yourself full of protein shakes make sure you know your ideal and target weights. Get some alignment on your own body and see if this is an opportunity to tighten up. Of course, if you are at your goal weight then you should use it as an opportunity to improve how your body works, Small changes in your diet to fuel for your event can have strong long term affects on your body function and even your body age. It might be that you’re already getting the right amount of protein or carbs, but that by reducing fats you can shed a couple of pounds which should ultimately make your race easier. We want to maintain your strength and ensure that your muscles are fully functional and that you can stay mentally strong throughout so reducing your sugar intake, cutting out fizzy drinks, processed foods and alcohol can massively impact not only the race itself but your recovery afterwards.

The run-up: Stay consistent

The number one rule if you are considering changes to your diet before a major (or even minor) race event is to try it out BEFORE you get to race week! It’s not worth adding new things to your diet or taking some magical supplement right before race day because there is no telling that your body will react the way you want and I know plenty of people who have been caught out before (and in extreme cases during) races which has almost ruined the experience for them. You got through your training eating smart and staying hydrated so these things have to be the focus now.

The race week carb carnival

In the days leading up to your event you’ve probably reduced your training load to reduce your fatigue level and thereby minimising your risk of injury. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet of course, but see if you can add some extra protein to feed the muscles. With regards to the energy requirements for the race day itself you’re probably familiar with the idea of a “Pasta Party” to fuel up before you run and this can be a smart way to top up your carbs the night before your event. There is a REAL difference in carbs available so please choose wisely. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice along with nuts and vegetables are great, whereas simple carbohydrates can have a negative effect. Wholewheat pasta has more fibre and is lower in fat so this is a smart choice. Complex carbs are more filling and great at helping manage sugar spikes, making them the perfect fuel.

The main event

My advice on the day of the race is to eat EXACTLY what you ate every morning you got up to go training. Hydrate the same way and remember that most official race events will have specific hydration partners and sponsors so you’re likely to be quite well looked after anyway. Regular feeding will help with a regular constitution and that is REALLY important especially if you’re going for long distances where rest stops are few and far between.

Images: Unsplash/What’s On archive