Running 26.2 miles at speeds most people cannot hold for a single mile requires years of targeted preparation. The men and women finishing major marathons in times under 2 hours and 10 minutes follow training systems built on exercise physiology research, altitude manipulation, and precise intensity control. Their weekly routines look nothing like recreational running programs, and the reasoning behind each session comes from decades of scientific study into human endurance limits.

The Numbers That Separate Elite Runners

A laboratory measurement called VO2 max tells researchers how much oxygen an athlete can use during intense exercise. Average adults test between 30 and 45 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes score between 65 and 80 ml/kg/min. This gap explains why a professional marathoner can hold a pace that would leave an untrained person gasping within minutes.

Another marker called lactate threshold determines how fast someone can run before acid accumulates in working muscles. In untrained people, this point arrives at roughly 76.6% of their VO2 max. Elite runners push that boundary to about 82%. The practical result shows up on the track: professional marathon runners maintain lactate threshold speeds of 18 to 21 km/h, and they can hold that output for hours.

These numbers do not arrive by accident. Targeted training over many years shifts both measurements upward.

Fueling During Long Runs

Marathon training sessions that extend beyond 90 minutes require athletes to consume carbohydrates mid-run. The body stores roughly 2,000 calories of glycogen in muscles and liver, and prolonged efforts deplete these reserves at a steady rate. Runners practicing race-day nutrition strategies learn to time their intake and test products like sports drinks, bananas, and energy gels to find what their stomachs tolerate at pace.

Elite programs treat fueling as a trainable skill. Athletes experiment with different carbohydrate sources during weekly long runs, aiming to consume 60 to 90 grams per hour during competition without gastrointestinal distress.

The 80/20 Rule in Weekly Training

Dr. Stephen Seiler studied training logs from world-class endurance athletes across multiple sports. His research found a consistent pattern: these athletes spent approximately 80% of their training time at low intensity and 20% at high intensity. They did not arrive at this ratio through instruction. They gravitated toward it naturally over years of competition and trial.

The logic makes sense when you consider recovery. Hard sessions break down muscle fibers and stress the cardiovascular system. Easy sessions allow repair while still accumulating mileage. Professional marathoners log between 110 and 140 miles per week during peak training blocks. John Korir, winner of both Chicago and Boston marathons, has reported peak weeks exceeding 160 miles.

Running that volume with too many hard days leads to injury and burnout. The 80/20 split lets athletes absorb the workload.

Why East African Runners Dominate

Of the 100 fastest marathon times ever recorded, 89 belong to Kenyan or Ethiopian runners. Part of this comes from cultural factors: running represents a pathway to financial success, and communities identify talented youth early. Part of it comes from geography.

Kenya’s Iten and Kaptagat training areas sit at 2,500 meters above sea level. Ethiopian elites train at elevations between 2,355 and 2,890 meters in places like Addis Ababa and Entoto. At these altitudes, the body produces more red blood cells to compensate for thinner air. When these athletes descend to race at lower elevations, they carry that extra oxygen-carrying capacity with them.

Western runners often travel to these locations for training camps or use altitude tents to simulate the effect at home. The adaptation takes weeks to develop and fades within a similar timeframe after returning to sea level.

Periodization and Training Phases

Elite programs divide the year into blocks with distinct goals. A base phase focuses on building aerobic capacity through high mileage at comfortable paces. A sharpening phase introduces faster workouts that simulate race conditions. A taper phase reduces volume before competition so the body can absorb previous training and arrive at the start line fresh.

Each block might last 4 to 8 weeks depending on the athlete’s race schedule. Coaches adjust based on how the runner responds, using blood tests, heart rate data, and subjective feedback to modify plans.

Recovery as Training

What happens between runs matters as much as the runs themselves. Sleep research shows that endurance athletes need 8 to 10 hours nightly to support muscle repair and hormonal balance. Many professionals nap during the day, particularly after morning sessions.

Massage, ice baths, compression garments, and stretching routines fill the hours when athletes are not running. Some of these methods have strong research support; others work primarily through placebo or relaxation effects. Either way, the time spent on recovery allows for the high training loads that produce results.

The Mental Component

Running at lactate threshold pace for over 2 hours requires mental discipline that cannot be measured in a laboratory. Elite marathoners develop this through years of hard training and racing. They learn to tolerate discomfort, to break races into smaller segments, and to maintain focus when fatigue accumulates.

Coaches incorporate specific mental training techniques, including visualization of race scenarios and practice at running even splits when the body wants to slow down. These skills take repetition, and they separate runners with similar physical abilities.

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Runners at the Dubai Marathon will have a rare chance to enter the Guinness World Records archive this year, as the global record-keeping authority partners with the marathon to mark the race’s 25th anniversary.

Announced on January 12, 2026, the collaboration invites participants in the February 1 Dubai Marathon to attempt officially recognized world records under the banner “Be Part Of It.” The initiative merges one of the Middle East’s most established distance-running events with the world’s leading authority on record-breaking achievements.

Related: 10 best marathons in the Middle East 

Rather than focusing only on finishing times, the partnership opens the door to a wide range of creative, endurance-based, and community-driven record attempts. Runners can apply for approved Guinness World Records titles across distance categories, or propose new ones through the official Guinness World Records platform.

Among the record categories available are:

– Fastest marathon completed by a father and son together
– Fastest marathon completed by a mother and daughter together

Additional opportunities include records involving sporting equipment, blindfolded running, roller skating, professional attire, novelty endurance challenges, and visually distinctive running formats.

The aim is to expand how athletic achievement is measured — moving beyond pure speed to include connection, creativity, and participation.

All Guinness World Records applications submitted specifically for the Dubai Marathon will be processed free of charge. Participants will also benefit from fast-tracked application reviews and immediate eligibility assessments, making the process more accessible than traditional record attempts.

Fundraising-related record attempts must receive written approval from an officially authorised UAE charitable entity, in line with national regulations.

The initiative also places strong emphasis on inclusion. People with disabilities are encouraged to apply through Guinness World Records’ dedicated Impairment Classification categories, ensuring fair and consistent assessment across all abilities.

Participants can explore record titles or submit proposals in Arabic or English through the Guinness World Records registration page, and can register for the marathon itself via the official Dubai Marathon website.

Now in its 25th year, the Dubai Marathon has established itself as one of the region’s most respected long-distance running events, attracting elite athletes and community runners from around the world. The Guinness World Records collaboration adds a new dimension to the race, turning it into both a competitive sporting event and a platform for storytelling, legacy, and shared achievement.

The post Runners Can Break Guinness World Records at the Dubai Marathon in 2026 appeared first on Green Prophet.

There is something disarming about a company that publishes what didn’t work. I first came across this approach at startup events called FailCon, where high-tech founders would bare all and tell people about the mistakes of their lives — money they lost, lives they crushed. And we loved them more for it. Because for every company that works, there are probably a thousand that don’t.

Vivobarefoot, the shoe company taking on Nike and Adidas by turning technology inward — into the people who wear their shoes rather than external gels, soles, and supports — has made failure part of its annual reporting. You can find it laid out plainly in the Unfinished Business Report 2025, an integrated annual report that reads more like a working notebook.

Vivobarefoot is not a public company. There are no quarterly earnings calls to perform for, so they don’t need to do this. The business remains majority owned by the Clark family, with founders Galahad Clark and Asher Clark retaining control. A minority investment from Sofina Group provides patient capital, alongside a long-standing manufacturing partner and a small group of Crowdcube investors. That structure matters. It explains why this report can afford to be honest.

The report is clear about where things fell short. A strong women’s campaign delivered more than 11% growth but left men’s sales down 1% year-on-year, a reminder that focus can also create imbalance. VivoBiome, the much-celebrated scan-to-print footwear initiative, generated awards and media attention, but scanning and production bottlenecks limited volumes and sales.

There were also product issues, including waterproofing and bonding failures in the Tracker Low and High boots, now fixed, and persistent stock availability problems that meant customers often couldn’t get the styles they wanted. None of this is dramatized. It’s presented as information — signals from the system.

What sits alongside these limitations is slower, less flashy progress. ReVivo, Vivobarefoot’s resale and repair platform, now accounts for up to 15% of sales. More than 63,000 pairs were repaired or refurbished this year. During Repair Week, demand overwhelmed expectations — queues outside stores, thousands of repairs booked in days.

Financially, the company grew to £91.4 million in revenue, sold 1.2 million pairs, and maintained a B Corp score of 119.3. But the report resists the idea that regeneration can ever be “done.” Growth is treated as something fragile — easily undone by logistics, incentives, or execution. The company has also published reports by human resources which show a 7.5 happiness rating for employees.

I’ll add a small personal note. Early this year, Vivobarefoot sent us a pair of wool barefoot shoes. I didn’t love them at first. They felt less stable than the ones I’ve bought over the years with laces. (I run in barefoot shoes too). The soles, padded with a rubber/cork composite, irritated my feet in a way that felt like a warm tingling. Then, gradually when I was in Berlin in the fall, I started wearing them as an every day shoe. Somewhere along the way, they became the shoes I reach for every morning. The weather has something to do with it.

Vivobarefoot doesn’t promise instant transformation — of bodies, businesses, or systems. They even suggest that when you buy their shoes wear them at increments until you get used to them. Your better posture should come from within, not given to you by an inflexible sole and the security of a cushioned heel.

Unfinished Business 2025 offers a blueprint for companies people want to support and work for: a company willing to stay with discomfort, to publish what didn’t work and what does.

The post Vivobarefoot reports on its unfinished business, and failures appeared first on Green Prophet.

A new prospective study from the Inova Schar Cancer Institute is prompting both curiosity and caution—suggesting that very high-volume endurance running might be linked to an increased risk of precancerous colon lesions. Dr. Timothy Cannon, co-director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at Inova, noticed an unusual trend: ultramarathon runners under age 40 were presenting with advanced-stage colorectal cancer.

Troubled by this pattern, he initiated a clinical study to investigate if prolonged endurance running could be a factor. “These were otherwise healthy athletes with no known genetic predisposition or inflammatory conditions,” Dr. Cannon said. “Given that many runners describe bleeding after running … the intense physical stress of endurance training could be contributing to a higher likelihood of mutagenesis causing precancerous polyps,” he said.

Related: The 10 best desert marathons

Between October 2022 and December 2024, the study recruited 100 runners aged 35–50—individuals free of hereditary cancer syndromes or inflammatory bowel disease—who had completed at least five marathons or two ultramarathons. Each underwent a screening colonoscopy, with findings carefully evaluated by a panel of experts. The results were striking:

• 15% had advanced adenomas—precancerous lesions that are significantly higher than the typical 1–2% expected in average-risk individuals of the same age.
• A larger group—41%—had at least one adenoma.

“It was a surprise to me—it was that many,” Cannon added, referencing the unusually high prevalence of adenomas in the cohort.”

Experts stress that this initial study is not definitive for various reasons:

• The study was small, lacked a control group of non-runners, and remains unpublished in a peer-reviewed journal
• Dr. Cathy Eng noted uncertainty: “Would [those polyps] have already been present regardless of their athletic status?”
• Dr. Christina Dieli-Conwright emphasized, “I would hate to deter people from running … That would be unfair to running.” She described the findings as “thought-provoking” but in need of further research.

Until more research is done on non-runners, researchers propose a plausible—but unproven—mechanism: during prolonged intense exercise, blood is diverted away from the gastrointestinal tract, potentially leading to repeated intestinal ischemia (low blood flow), injury, and inflammation, which may foster precancerous changes.

Dr. Cannon underscores the importance of not discouraging exercise: “The bigger problem with our health is we don’t exercise enough. People should keep exercising, for sure.”

Yet he also urges vigilance: “I feel strongly that young runners who have blood in their stool after long runs … should receive screening. The good news is that screening can prevent advanced cancers.”

The post Extreme marathon running may carry colon cancer risk appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Middle East hosts some of the best marathons in the world, and there also some runs where you can do social good for being involved. Get the list of the best Middle East marathons here.

All marathons count on sponsors for prize money and fiscal support. The Dubai Marathon will be supported by Xiaomi, an official partner for the 2025 event. Xiaomi is a Chinese designer and manufacturer of consumer electronics and related software, home appliances, automobiles and household hardware.

The collaboration brings together a global leader in smart technology and one of the most prestigious marathons in the world, which will be staged for the 24th time on Sunday, January One of the Middle East’s most recognised events and an iconic race attracting participants from around the world, the Dubai Marathon offers a unique platform for athletes, enthusiasts, and spectators.

Dubai Marathon Event Director Peter Connerton says, “This collaboration combines the spirit of athleticism with Xiaomi’s passion for innovation, perfectly complementing our goal to inspire and motivate runners of all levels.”

The partnership is expected to further elevate the event’s status as one of the region’s premier marathon races and the fastest race of its kind in the Middle East. With Xiaomi’s support, the marathon is set to deliver an engaging, memorable experience for participants and fans across the Middle East and around the world.

Registration for the Dubai Marathon, the 10km Road Race and the 4km Fun Run can still be made online at dubaimarathon.org.

The 2025 Dubai Marathon is supported by the Dubai Sports Council, adidas, the Channel 4 Radio Network, Xiaomi, ITP Media Group, Bisleri Water, Dubai RTA, Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality.

Related: Is Tel Aviv’s marathon really green?

The post Will you run the Dubai Marathon? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Tel Aviv’s seaside marathon set for February 28, 2025

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality announced that the Tel Aviv Marathon, Israel’s largest sporting event, will take place for the 16th time on February 2025. Early registration at a discounted rate is now open for all runners—both amateur and professional—across various race categories until December 1, 2024. Marathons in the Middle East are best enjoyed in the winter when the weather is cool. Get our best marathons guide here.

Over 40,000 runners are expected to participate in one of the five scenic urban routes throughout the city, including along the iconic coastline: Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21 km), 10K Race, 5K Race, and a Kids’ Mini Marathon on February 26, 2025 (800 meters and 1.2 km).

“The 2025 Tel Aviv Marathon will return with full force in February 2025,” says the city’s mayor Run Huldai. “This marathon is an important event for our city, a city that breathes and lives sports. In these times, we need to remind ourselves that sport is not only for physical health but also as a remedy for the soul. Through sports, we allow ourselves to both feel pain and find comfort, and we remember that both body and spirit have enabled us to overcome many challenges before.

“This time too, we will succeed and rebuild, and we are proud to continue hosting this unique marathon that unites the entire nation. I invite everyone to join us, and I hope we will soon see our hostages back with us, together.”

How the Tel Aviv Marathon will be Sustainable

• Reducing bottle usage by over 60% by using of biodegradable cups at water stations along the course, The empty 1.5-liter bottles used for refilling will be collected and recycled after the race.
• Recycled non-woven fabric bags will be used for race kits. During registration, participants will have the option to either purchase an official running shirt from a leading brand or receive a discount on the registration fee, thereby reducing demand on the global textile industry. If the plastic non-woven bags are the ones they are mentioning, note that these bags are not green at all and usually take more plastic with them to landfill.
• “Pay It Forward” a social green project will also take place as part of the marathon, inviting all participants to bring sports clothing (excluding shoes) for donation on race day. The donated items will be laundered, folded, and given to charities for distribution to those in need
• Reducing print as part of its green initiative, runners will receive the marathon guide in digital format, and all promotional signage along the course will be recycled at the end of the event.

There are so many ways to do sustainable tourism in the Middle East. Get our Middle East marathon guide here.

The post Is the Tel Aviv Marathon the greenest in the world? appeared first on Green Prophet.

The summers seem to be getting hotter every year and if you spend too much time in over 100 degree F heat there will be physiological consequences. Temperatures have soared this year especially in the Middle East. Temperatures in Dubai can exceed 109 degrees in July and August and states like Florida, Hawaii and Arizona are starting to sweat more than ever.  But as Olympians land in Paris, we wonder, is it safe to work out in the heat?

Look to countries like Saudi Arabia more than 1300 people in Mecca in the scorching heat this past June during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

So what’s in store for this summer? Scientists predict that 2024 may outrank last year as the hottest year on record. As Americans, Europeans and Middle Easterners continue to grapple with the summer heat, many are wondering, “Should I be exercising outside?”

Well the answer is, you can. But a New York Institute of Technology expert explains why safely acclimating to exercising in hotter environments has its benefits.

Alexander Rothstein instructor and coordinator for New York Tech’s exercise science program, discusses the safest times to exercise outside, the importance of staying hydrated, and how the body acclimates to the heat.

He notes that, by safely performing outdoor exercise in hotter months, athletes can increase beneficial proteins found in many tissues, including the heart, lungs, and skeletal muscles.

“Work your way up or spend certain amounts of time maybe increasing the duration over a training period to get used to the hot weather. That’s very important,” says Rothstein, a certified strength and conditioning coach. “Our bodies develop something called ‘heat shock proteins,’ which literally help us handle the shock of the heat.”

He also discusses why athletes training for summer races or other outdoor athletic events can benefit from training in conditions that mimic competition settings, as well as how heat can increase workout intensity.

“When performed in hotter settings the same amount of exercise may require more energy expended, so you can get more bang for your buck.

“The stress is also greater. Therefore, your body is going to spend more time adapting or will need to adapt to a greater extent for training in the heat compared to a temperature-controlled environment.”

There are also smart choices one can make when exercising in the summer and hot climates:

Choose your workouts in the morning or later in the day when the sun is less intense: hours before 10am and after 3PM . Stay hydrated, and where sun-protective clothing and hats. If you can, choose running by the seaside to get a cool, ionizing breeze, and like the expert said, work your way up to it.

Exercising in the heat, like hot yoga, has benefits, but it needs to be done in a safe and smart way — not all at once.

We have an expert guide on running marathons in deserts and hot climates. Get our top marathon guide for the Middle East and North Africa too. Our favorite running shoes are barefoot shoes.

The post Should you work out in the summer? appeared first on Green Prophet.

The best marathon in the world? Ones where women are allowed to run? This is a hard question to answer and you will get answers as varied as the people you ask. There are the well known marathons, like the New York Marathon in November, the London Marathon in April and the Berlin Marathon in September. Chicago, Boston, Stockholm and Paris follow suit.

What about the best marathons in the Middle East? Now you are in for an adventure. 

Adventurous, sustainable travel that’s good for you, and a marathon rolled into one? That’s a marathon in the Middle East. A marathon to support women runners? Maybe you have an eye on the prize or want to run around holy sites, the land of the cedars, or through grueling but expansive deserts in the Sahara Desert?

Maybe you are a global nomad who’s looking for the next location for roaming and running for the next few months. Nothing like training in situ like a local. Nothing like running for cardio health. And nothing like the Mediterranean Diet for heart health. We are Green Prophet so we’ve got your Middle East marathon bases covered. For this purpose locations in North Africa, the Arab parts of it, are lumped into what we call The Middle East. 

From starts in capital cities to desolate deserts or a run to help save refugees, here is a list of the best runs, the month they run, with varying degrees of atmosphere, speed, beauty and even prize money. Want us to consider adding another to this list? Drop us a line to run@greenprophet.com or a message via Instagram. 

The 10 best marathons in the Middle East

Marathon des Sables, Ouarzazate, Morocco – April

The Marathon des Sables is iconic and profits go to charity. It’s the marathon that might change your life or your status as an athlete. This marathon is more adventure and eco-tourism than any marathon you’ve ever met. “Sables” means sand in French, a second language of Morocco – after Arabic – and it’s in sand you will run. Sand will fill every crack of your soul.

It’s considered the world’s toughest footrace which combines 5 and a half marathons in one, spanning about 200 miles (251km) over five to six days. Everything you will need to eat is carried on your back, except water, as you run through the tops of the Sahara Desert in Morocco, in the heat of the sun, making it a coveted event for top athletes. Proceeds to this event go to a charity that help support desert dwellers. Funds go to solar energy systems and schools. 

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, Dubai, UAE – February

The Dubai Marathon is the largest mass sporting event in the Middle East, according to event organizers. It’s an annual road-based marathon hosted by Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since 1998. The marathon is categorized as a Gold Label Road Race by World Athletics. In 2007, it was announced that the 2008 marathon would become the world’s richest long distance running event in history, with one million dollars offered as a prize for a world record and $250,000 for first place for both men and women. 

Top cash prizes still attract the world’s best runners. Participants from the past claimed that while the architecture is beautiful, and the weather is great for Europeans looking for a bit more heat in the winter, most of the race takes place through flat and boring scenery. 

But if you’ve come for the prize month or the ecological attractions before and after, and you are in the trance of running, who cares?

Bahrain International Marathon, Bahrain- February

The Bahrain Marathon is older than you’d think. It was This race was inaugurated in 1979 to coincide with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, where 15 participants ran. In 1983 Mustafa Fulad became the first Bahraini to complete a full marathon but more and more locals participate in it every year as sports, and the joy of running, catches on in the Middle East.

Today this marathon is known for crossing both desert and mountains on Amwaj Island in Bahrain. Definitely not boring. As per Middle East style, the purse money is about $100,000 every year for top winners in male and female categories.

ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, Abu Dhabi, UAE – December

Enjoy running with marathon elites in the heart of Abu Dhabi, while taking in iconic landmarks, stunning scenery and cheering crowds as you stride in style to finish line success. Run past the Zayed Sports Center, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. People come for the biggest prize money at this race, totalling about $300,000 USD dollars every year.

Sahara Marathon, Algeria – February

This intense course, a humanitarian and activist race at its core, starts in the Sahara, and you have to fly in to reach it at Al Ayoun, Algeria. Aid stations are set up throughout as you run in the world’s largest desert.  This marathon event has brought together thousands of runners for a few decades to the Saharawi refugee camps of Tindouf in Algeria. 

The Sahara Marathon is an international sport event to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people with the aim of promoting sport among Saharawi young men and women and financing and developing humanitarian programs to help these people overcome conflict in the region.

Who are the Saharawi people?

The Sahrawi, or Saharawi people, are an ethnic group and nation native to the western part of the Sahara desert, which includes the Western Sahara, southern Morocco, much of Mauritania, and along the southwestern border of Algeria. They are of mixed Berber, Arab and Black African descent. Systematic human rights abuses, police brutality, violations of international law and fundamental rights, the Sahrawi people of Africa’s last colony, Western Sahara, have endured decades of repression at the hands of Moroccan occupying forces. Since replacing Spain as coloniser, Morocco has attempted to control a territory about the size of the UK, using military force to suppress free speech and pro-independence protests. 

Jerusalem Marathon, Jerusalem, Israel – March

Going for a Holy Run? The Jerusalem Marathon is an annual marathon running event held in Jerusalem during the month of March when the weather is pleasant and warm in this Israeli city, also known as The City of David. 

The course begins at Israel’s parliament, passes through Mount Scopus and the Old City, and finishes at Sacher Park. Prize money for winners is only a few thousand dollars, so this is a run you do for your soul. 

Jerusalem’s big brother marathon is the Tel Aviv Marathon, which happens in February attracts more runners and prizes (about $7,000 USD for winners, $40,000 for record breakers) and this year about 40,000 runners made it to the event. Our advice? Stay for a month and come for both marathons.

Update 2024: It’s not announced if the Jerusalem Marathon will go ahead this year but the Tel Aviv Marathon will be in March. 

Antalya Marathon, Anatolia, Turkey – March

The Antalya Marathon, officially International Öger Antalya Marathon, and for a short time known as Runtalya, is an international athletic event that takes place in Antalya, Turkey since 2006. It is one of the best marathons of the Middle East. Run along the sea, a most refreshing course that winds along one of the prettiest parts of the Mediterranean Sea. After the flat course race, rip off your shoes and head to the beach. A most sporting holiday with up to 10,000 others.

Antalya is a Turkish resort city with a yacht-filled Old Harbor and beaches with plenty of boutique hotels. It’s a gateway to Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region, known as the Turquoise Coast for its blue waters. And it’s a great destination for stargazing or launching a yacht to cruise along the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

Remnants remain from Antalya’s time in the past as a major Roman port. These include Hadrian’s Gate, built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 A.D and 2nd-century Hidirlik Tower, with stunning views of the harbor.

The Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, Ein Bokek, Israel – February

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth and one of the world’s wonders. Also known for Spencer Tunick’s naked Dead Sea. Cleopatra’s beauty secret too. The highlight of the race, then, is a run towards the sea on the border embankment of the Dead Sea Works that surrounds the southern part of the Dead Sea. It happens only once a year, in marathon and ultra marathon distances, and just for this race, that security forces allow this scenic route to be open along the dikes, giving runners breathtaking views that have so far been observed by employees of the Dead Sea factories. The Dead Sea is dying. Run this race to draw awareness to the devastation caused to it from water overuse and the Dead Sea factories on other side of the sea.

The dike serves as the border area between the Israeli side of the Dead Sea and the Jordanian Dead Sea and they serve as a barrier without a fence between the two countries that maintain a peaceful relationship. So straddle both sides on this once of a lifetime run. 

“Amazing location,” says one runner who ran the Dead Sea, “I think you’d struggle to find a cooler place to run! Not crowded, fantastic photos and drone photos included, plentiful aid stations. But the main plus is definitely the awe inspiring location.”

BDL Beirut International Marathon, Beirut, Lebanon – November

Hosted in Lebanon’s capital city, the Beirut Marathon offers both wheelchair and running races, hoping to inspire health and fitness in the Land of God’s Cedars. 

Beirut is considered the cool kid on the block in the Middle East. It’s a modern city, with modern free thinkers, like the kids nearby in Tel Aviv. Although the two can never meet as conflict with Hezbollah terror groups keeps the borders closed. 

Beirut has suffered some terrible setbacks from corruption, explosions and terrorism.  Running around this Mediterranean Sea city is a powerful way to bring life back to Beirut after devastating losses in the past couple of years. After the run there are plenty of hikes and eco-tourism options to follow around Lebanon. 

Istanbul Eurasia Marathon, Istanbul, Turkey – November

Crossing from Asia into Europe, this full marathon The Istanbul Eurasia Marathon race spans two continents and you cross a bridge to connect them. The Istanbul Marathon starts 300m behind the Bosphorus Bridge; the race course divides in Besiktas turnoff after passing the bridge, then goes down from Barbaros Boulevard to Besiktas, and follows the coastal road to reach Karakoy.

Founded in 1979 in an effort to host a marathon for visiting German tourists, it is one of the oldest races in the region and certainly a foundation for one of the best marathons in the Middle East. And no doubt, visiting Istanbul is an experience you will never forget. The prize money is pretty good, about $50,000 USD every year for the winners.

Lesser known marathons in the Middle East

Already tried these 10 best marathons of the Middle East? Don’t forget there are some other new and noteworthy marathons in the Middle East region: Cairo hosts a stunning race but you need to run 4 times in a loop, the Erbil marathon for peace in Iraqi-held Kurdistan in November.

Amman, Jordan hosts a marathon every year but I don’t love the city. It’s polluted and not walkable. If you want to visit Jordan, try the Petra Marathon in the south and which runs around antiquities; or the Dead Sea Marathon you access from the Israeli side, via Jerusalem. The run starts in Israel and then head over to Aqaba and Petra for tourism before going to Bir Sweir in Sinai, Egypt for a week. 

If you are near Jordan, you can also try the Riyadh Road Runners, a marathon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia meant for social and professional runners. Women are allowed to run in regular running gear but adapted hijabs make it possible to run covered. There will be a women’s only group running starting in 2022. So join the race and when you run, run in solidarity with the women too. And remember, at ultra-long distances women can outrun men.

Want us to consider adding another to this list of the Best Marathons in the Middle East? Have a sporting event for us to cover, an event which makes sustainable travel even better? Drop us a line  run@greenprophet.com or a message us via Instagram. 

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Hamas in Gaza does not want pretty women running in the streets. UN cancels the marathon that had almost 400 women registered for participation.

While Israel gears up for its 42k marathon next week, the United Nations cancels Gaza marathon after Hamas rulers ban women from participating. The ban is the latest attempt by the Palestinian political party to impose its ideology inside the crowded Gaza Strip. Gaza women athletes accepted the news, noting that even before the ban societal pressures made training problematic.

Islam has no specific ban on women running.  Green Prophet has reported extensively on difficulties faced by Islamic women athletes during last summer’s London Olympics.  The majority of Gaza women wear hijab and many also wear abaya.  Unlike Formula One racers “The Speed Sisters“, many Palestinian sportswomen tend to limit their exercise to indoor gyms. So why the ban?

According to National Public Radio, Gaza’s Cabinet secretary, Abdul-Salam Siam, said women running in public violated Palestinian custom,”We don’t want any woman running uncovered.” Siam said only adult women were banned: girls could participate in the April 10 race.  He wouldn’t say why Hamas didn’t ban women from the previous two races.

Over 800 runners had registered, including 266 Palestinian and 119 foreign women, according to UN spokesman Sami Mshasha.  Organizers have always been careful to encourage modest dress: runners typically wore full-length running pants and long-sleeved shirts.

Gaza rights groups urged the UN to hold the marathon, arguing that Hamas has no right to discriminate against women.

Runner Nader Masri, who represented Palestine in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 5k race, said Gaza’s conservative culture makes it impossible for women to run in public. “Who would allow his daughter or sister to run in the street?” Masri asked. “When a girl of 16 or 17 is running in the street, that’s not acceptable.”

Woroud Sawalha represented Palestine in the 2012 London Olympics in the 800 meters. “It means a lot for me that I am female and representing Palestine,” she told CNN’s Aiming For Gold.

The UN does not recognize a Palestinian state but the International Olympic Committee has permitted athletes to compete under a Palestinian flag since 1996.

“My dad told me that I’m a pretty woman now, and not a girl anymore, so I can’t run in the streets. It will be a headache for him because people will gossip,” said Noura Shukri, a high school student who ran in the 2011 and 2012 marathons.

Critics suggest that the cancellation shows a shift in political power.  “The decision highlights the influence of the hard-liners in the Gaza government,”  Gaza political analyst Mukheimar Abu Sada told NPR.

“We did not tell UN Relief and Works Agency to cancel the marathon and we haven’t prevented it, but we laid down some conditions: We don’t want women and men mixing in the same place,” Abdessalam Siyyam, cabinet secretary of the Hamas government, told AFP.

The race would have been the third annual  UNRWA Gaza Marathon, raising funds for the agency’s summer program for Gazan children.  The news comes days before the Tel Aviv Gillette Marathon, Israel’s largest sporting event held on held on March 15, attracting over 35,000 runners.

Update: Due to a heat wave the Tel Aviv marathon will be postponed by a week.

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