The Dubai Run on November 24, 2024. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

The Dubai Run drew a record-breaking crowd on the iconic Sheikh Zayed Road for the world’s largest fun run on Sunday (November 24). Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, led 278,000 runners in this year' edition, a 23 percent increase from last year's number of participants. A portion of the UAE’s longest highway turned into a giant race track as it closed to traffic to make way for the sea of green runners, walkers and joggers. This year’s Dubai Run gave away prizes to participants who were among the earliest to arrive at the starting line. The Dubai Media Office called the Dubai Run as a “reflection of Dubai’s status as one of the most active and dynamic cities worldwide.” Open to fitness enthusiasts of all levels, the Dubai Run featured the 5km run and the 10km run, which both started near the Museum of the Future. The 5km run passed through Sheikh Zayed Road, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Opera and ended near the Dubai Mall while the 10km run stretched across the Dubai Canal Bridge and ended at Dubai International Financial Centre Gate Building. The Dubai Run, which began in 2019, has become of the most widely participated yearly events in Dubai, drawing in more and more people with each edition. Last year, the Dubai Ran drew more than 226,000 participants, hitting a new record. It is one of the highlights of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, a 30-day initiative by the Dubai Government to encourage residents and tourists to develop and adopt a healthy lifestyle. ICA/Expat Media