RIYADH: AlUla Desert Blaze, an annual race, kicked off again this year on Friday with over 500 runners from various countries taking up the challenge.
The event is held over two days and is open to all levels of runners, from professionals to amateurs. Four race distances — 5 km, 10 km, 21.1 km (half marathon), and 42.2 km (full marathon) — take the competitors through AlUla’s dramatic landscapes, from sand dunes to historical landmarks.
For 42-year-old Mohammed Dakhil, AlUla holds a special place in his heart as it is where he had his first 50 km ultramarathon trail run in 2023.
“That was the first time I ever got to experience running in the landscape of AlUla and just seeing the natural beauty of it. Any opportunity I get to come and run is something that I always look forward to, because for some reason, it’s the one place that really allows me to disconnect and feel like I can really connect with myself and be present when I’m running,” he told Arab News.
Dakhil will take part in the race on Saturday. The courses begin at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while the full marathon route passes near the Maraya building and other prominent AlUla sites.
