DUBAI: It is 4.20am on a Friday. The sun is yet to emerge but a group of enthusiastic runners are up and ready for a trail run at the Showka region in the Hajar mountains.
Trail running is a sport which consists of running and hiking over trails. At the helm is Lee Harris, founder of the Dubai Trail Runners, guiding and inspiring a dedicated bunch of runners who trek through the UAE’s mountains every week.
“I started the group a few years ago as I am passionate about running. I realised it’s a good way to keep fit,” he said.
Lee, who works in the oil and gas industry, said his Facebook page, Dubai Trail Runners, has over 500 members. “People come from all over the UAE to run with us. Recently, we had a bunch of runners from Abu Dhabi too. All of us have our own individual professional lives and do the run just out of passion,” he said.
Here’s how a trail run takes place: The runners gather at a meeting point – the Emarat Petrol Station on the Sharjah-Kalba Road on this occasion. Lee runs through his checklist to make sure everything is in order.
“I always carry a small first aid kit with me. I also advise people to carry three litres of water and some sports gels and energy bars. The longer the trail route the more supplies and water people need to bring along. Equipment-wise, I suggest a sturdy pair of trail runners as the rocky terrain will tear your normal road runners apart,” Lee said.
Ready, get set, run
The runners finally hit a single track trail leading up to the hills around the Showka region. The rocky landscape ahead is a test of the runners’ concentration as they have to snake their way along the gravel and loose rock trails to enter the gullies and wadis (dried river beds caused by water run-off from the mountains).
“This terrain is ever changing in elevation. The wadis, being made up of rock, boulders and sand, present a challenge too in them selves. Eventually we will arrive at a dam where the scenery is absolutely breathtaking,” said Lee.
“For safety reasons, I make sure that whoever comes with us can actually run. Beginners can do the trails on Friday as it is a fairly easy run. Runners can run at their own pace and turn back whenever they want to. The group stops every 5km to make sure everyone is fine on the trail. The run on Saturday, which is for the more experienced runners, is continuous without any breaks in between.”
Great landscape
He added the trails are flexible and depending on skills and abilities, participants can do either a 20km or a 42km run.
Jeremy Grigg, English teacher at the Dubai English Speaking School (DESS) and a regular trail runner, said the beautiful landscape along the trail route is a great escape from the city. “As much as I take part in the trail run to keep myself fit, the pristine locations and the camaraderie of the trail runners motivates me every week to go for the run.”
For Mona Lemp, a Dubai-based corporate lawyer, the regular trail runs have helped her gain confidence to take part in marathons.
“On July 26 I took part in the Swiss Alpine Marathon and I was able to confidently take part in it only after my trail runs here,” she said.
As for Lee, he is preparing for a 300km non-stop self-supported race in Jordan this November.
