This one is a bit different. Adam is training for a 100 mile run across the Sahara Desert in January, and that means learning to run on sand.
Al Qudra is somewhere a lot of people in Dubai have heard of but never actually been to. So while Adam was out there getting his first proper session in, he filmed exactly what is there, what it costs, and what nobody tells you about running on loose sand.
What is Al Qudra?
Al Qudra is a dedicated cycle track out in the desert. The key thing, and the reason cyclists love it, is that there are no cars on it. It is a track built for bikes, so you can actually get up to speed without worrying about traffic.
Arriving at 6:40 in the morning, the first thing you see is the bike rental service by the car park.
Bike hire prices
- Child: 50 dirhams for two hours
- Adult: 99 dirhams for two hours
There is also a breakfast spot there, which is very welcome afterwards. The pistachio smoothie gets a personal recommendation.
The routes
There is a 50km loop for cyclists. At the end of the road there is an 18km straight that opens you up to that loop, and then an 18km stretch back.
Why Adam was running, not cycling
"I hired a coach, a guy called Blair. He told me two things. One, I need to get more volume in. Two, I need to start running on sand, because this run I am doing is across the Sahara Desert."
Small Dubai moment: Adam walked into the Adidas store in Dubai Mall a few days later and there was Blair. Not in person, on a poster.
So the goal of the session was simple. Get out on sand, fully loaded with a running vest and a two litre water reservoir, and find out what it actually feels like.
What running on sand is actually like
Honestly? Brutal.
"Whenever I go back to the UK and run, it feels like easy mode, because out here your heart rate is always jacked from the temperature. Now I have a new easy mode. Running on concrete or paving. It hits different running on sand."
The surface is fairly compact in most places, but it gets loose in others, and that is where it takes it out of you. Two and a half kilometres in, Adam's knees and ankles felt like they had already done fifteen.
The kit lessons
| The mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Trainers branded "desert runners" that were not comfortable | Test your shoes properly before a long session. A name on the box means nothing. |
| No gaiters, so sand filled the trainers | Get gaiters. Within a few hundred metres your big toe is being compressed by sand. |
| No sun cream | Poor form, especially running in the desert. Adam ended up stopping at a petrol station 5km in to buy some. |
The session
25.21km in 2 hours 30 minutes.
The plan had been 25km in two and a half hours, so that landed almost exactly on target. Worth remembering the coach's advice though, which applies whether you are training for an ultra or just building a habit:
"It is about volume, time on feet, not distance. If in doubt, slow down."
Should you go?
If you cycle, absolutely. A car free 50km loop is a rare thing and the hire prices are reasonable enough to bring the whole family for a couple of hours.
If you run, go in knowing the sand is the point. It is not a scenic jog, it is proper work. But there is something about being out there at sunrise with no headphones on that is hard to get anywhere else.
This is one of the things we did not expect about life here. The cost of living conversation usually focuses on rent and school fees, but the active lifestyle you get access to, and how much of it is free or nearly free, ends up being a genuine part of the value.
Thinking about a move? Take our neighbourhood quiz to work out which part of Dubai suits your family, or have a look at the relocation package if you would like proper help with schools, housing and the whole process. You can also read our full guide to moving to Dubai with family.