Destinations Marathons

Next Marathon!

I am constantly looking for opportunities to use points or different airlines to be able to review for you all and show how you can use the points you earn for different awards to different places. If there is a marathon in one of those locations, all the better! I love being able to go to different places for free or next to it and it always fun to experience a new city by running 26.2 miles around it.

Anyway, there is a marathon that I had always wanted to do but had never really able to swing for schedule’s sake. This year, I will be doing it! I am headed to the UAE for the Dubai marathon next month! I will not be looking to set any new PRs since I am just throwing it in there, but I had the opportunity to try some new (to me) airlines and their first and business class cabins so I thought I would combine it by running Dubai while I was there and reviewing it when I get back. I have heard great things about it – the big thing is that it is known to be the world’s richest running event with a prize purse of $1,00,000! That includes $100,000 for men and women for setting a world record there. The rest is distributed to the first 10 men and first 10 women. Not too bad! Now I’m wishing I was in better shape for this one! 🙂

a tall building with a curved roof with Burj Al Arab in the background

The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai – mana.ustad @ flickr

Of course, in addition to those prizes, Dubai also boasts as having the world’s tallest building in which the start/finish line is in the shadow of. Also, it has the largest mall in the Middle East (for those of you guys who need help convincing your wives that this would make a nice trip:) ). In addition to all of that, the second fastest man in the history of the marathon will be competing there this year – Moses Mosop. He was the second place finisher at Boston in 2011 running a 2:03:06.

Anyway, I am looking forward to it. My itinerary is a little crammed since I will be flying with six airlines in the space of 5 days (4 1/2 days really). I will actually be on the ground in Dubai for less than 24 hours. But it should be ok, because I have never been able to be picked up at the finish line by a chauffeured Mercedes to be taken to the airport and then shower from the race while flying at 38,000 feet! I hope you look forward to the reviews!

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About the author

Charlie

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points.
Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

2 Comments

  • Wow that’s a great plan. I never thought to take a shower during the flight, but i would guess that there are very few destinations where the A380 would fly to.

    • They actually have quite a few cities on their A380 route:
      DXB-London
      DXB-Sydney
      DXB-Auckland
      DXB-Bangkok
      DXB-Toronto
      DXB-Paris
      DXB-Seoul
      DXB-Jeddah
      DXB-Beijing
      DXB-Manchester
      DXB-Hong Kong
      DXB-JFK
      DXB-Shanghai
      DXB-Kualua Lumpor
      DXB-Munich
      DXB-Tokyo
      DXB-Melbourne
      Melbourne-Auckland
      DXB-Amsterdam
      DXB-Moscow
      DXB-Singapore
      Unfortunately, if you are in Business or Economy, you wouldn’t have access to the showers 🙁 Don’t worry, I will show you how you can try how the showers after I get back 🙂