More than 2,000 runners from all walks of life descended on Yas Marina Circuit to take part in the Zayed Marathon yesterday.

– #Quiz360: WIN a group paintball session at Zayed Sports City
– Zayed Marathon returns to Yas Marina Circuit
– GCC Olympic Committees commit to regional Sport Day

The race, held in memory of the UAE’s founding president Sheikh Zayed to raise money for the Healthy Kidney Foundation, saw a range of runners putting their trainers to the Formula One track.

The 10-kilometre, the longest of the three distances offered, was won by Ashenafi Moges for the men in a time of 00:28:46, while Denininet Demsew placed first for the women in 00:33:28.

For Moges, it was his first time taking part in the Zayed Marathon, as well a 10k race, but he enjoyed taking on the challenge.

“It was very difficult because the course is up and down,” said Moges, who typically runs 5k. Earlier in the day, the 5k was paced by Yahya Ben Youssef for the men with a time of 00:15:04 and Belainesh Yami Gurmu for the women in 00:17:37.

The victory was satisfying for Gurmu after she came up just short of the highest spot on the podium in last year’s event, when the Ethiopian finished third.

“This year is different because I won. Last year, I didn’t win, but this year I was ready because I knew it already,” Gurmu said.

The top athletes weren’t the only ones enjoying the race and atmosphere, as plenty of moms, dads, students and youngsters came out to test themselves.

American David Lyons, who’s in his mid 30s and ran in high school and college in the US, was drawn to the Zayed Marathon to start running again.

“I haven’t run a race in a while so I’m pretty happy with the results,” said Lyons, who finished the 10k in 00:47:23. “I’ve been playing a lot of football at Zayed Sports City, but I haven’t raced in a couple of years.

“My friend motivated me to get back into it. She kind of tricked me and I assumed it was a 5k. Then I found out at the last minute it was a 10k. So I was counting on a 20-minute run, nice and easy. When I found out I was going to run for almost an hour, it kind of ruined my day.”

 

Peter Stanfield of Great Britain was on the older end of the runner spectrum, taking part in the 5k at 60 years of age. But for Stanfield, who runs 5k every two or three days, as well as cycles, swims and kayaks, age is no barrier.

“They say ‘we don’t stop because we get old, we get old if we stop running’. So it’s a healthy thing and this is what it’s about I think,” said Stanfield.

“It’s just an amazing thing to be able to run around a Formula One track. I have young children, so it’s a good day out for the children as well. It’s a whole social event.”