Dubai Creek Striders, the prominent medium to long-distance road running club in Dubai, is gearing up for its fourth Annual Half Marathon (21.1 km) road race on December 9, supported by the UAE Athletics Federation.
Scheduled to kick off at 7 am, the race will have both its starting and finishing points at the scenic Dubai Creek Golf Club. The course, resembling a figure-eight, will traverse key landmarks around the Dubai Creek, including Garhoud Bridge, Creek Park, Maktoum Bridge, Deira, the Dhow Wharfage, Shindaga Pedestrian Tunnel, Bur Dubai Souk, and Maktoum Bridge on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek. 
Participants will vie for trophies across age categories in Open, Veterans, and Masters divisions for both male and female runners. The men’s course record stands at an impressive one hour, 16.15 minutes, while the women’s record is 1.27:20.
The top male and female finishers will receive an enticing prize—an entry to the Thailand Temple Run and accommodation at the Amari Watergate Hotel, Bangkok.
Registration fees are set at Dh100 and cover drink stations along the route, a souvenir tee-shirt, cap, goody bag, a finisher’s medal, a full breakfast, and a chance to win lucky draw prizes, including a return air ticket to Johannesburg donated by South African Airways. Pre-registration is mandatory and can be completed on the official website, www.dubaicreekstriders.com, before December 8.
Organizers anticipate over 300 participants, largely owing to the support received from the UAE Athletics Federation. Siemens and Johnson Arabia are the primary sponsors of the half marathon, with additional support from Coca-Cola, Pocari, and Masafi.
Established around a decade ago, Dubai Creek Striders attract over 50 runners every Friday morning, starting from the World Trade Centre Exhibition Halls car park on Sheikh Zayed Road. The race, originally scheduled to begin and end at the Dubai Creek Golf Club, will now commence at 7 pm.