Abu Dhabi
Egyptian triathlete Omar Nour is no stranger to these parts, spending half the year training or taking part in events across the UAE. Fresh from taking second position at last weekend’s TriYAS, the Daman Activelife ambassador is encouraging people of all ages to now set their sights on the more light-hearted challenge of The Color Run presented by Activelife.
Taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on March 29, The Color Run provides a fun-filled alternative to the UAE’s gruelling fitness event calendar, and is the perfect way for children and adults alike to celebrate the start of spring break. With no winners or official times, the five kilometre event is a unique celebration of health, happiness, individuality and giving back to the community.
Speaking to XPRESS ahead of his participation in the Abu Dhabi International triathlon this weekend, the 35-year-old said: “The Color Run is a great way to get people to be active. I myself was 105 kg six years ago and have lost over 30 kg since then. There’s no such thing as impossible. This event is actually a reminder of why I am here in the first place. There’s a lot of energy in this event, a celebration of life, happiness and health.”
The successful Dubai edition saw Color Runners aged from as young as one through to 73 years old being doused from head to toe in vibrant coloured powder as they jogged, walked and danced their way round the course in December 2013.
Nour is just back after a fine runners-up finish at the Arab Championship in his home country on Monday in what was a sprint triathlon event comprising 750m swim, 20k bike and 5k run. His ultimate goal is to take part in the Rio Olympics in 2016, the qualification events for which begin in May. “The Olympics will be an altogether different ball game. For starters, it will be 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run. My Achilles heel is the swim and I really have to bring my time down. But I really hope to make it to Rio,” he said.
Up next for Nour is the Abu Dhabi International trial this weekend, which will again feature a different distance format with 1.5k swim, 100k bike and 10k run. “I am so very excited to take part in this event. It’s one of the best triathlon events of the world with several Olympians taking part. It will be a good place to test myself,” he said.
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Participants for The Color Run can sign up at www.thecolorrun.ae/abu-dhabi. Entries will close at 5pm on Saturday March 22.
Entries cost Dh140 and include a gift pack, an event t-shirt, sweatband and color pack. In keeping with The Color Run’s tenet of giving back to the community, $1 from every registration will be donated to charity through Just Giving.
