With daytime temperatures reaching a broiling 42C (108F) or
more, Qatar does not appear to be a premier location
for outdoor physical activity. However, there are many brave
souls who run regardless.
In Doha, Qatar's capital, there is a group of
twenty-some people who sacrifice physical comfort (and their
weekends) to run the Corniche, Doha's shoreline. The Doha
Bay Running Club was
established in October 2010 and is an open for anyone hoping
to get into running or train for the many races in and
around the Middle East. They meet every Friday morning at as
early as 5:30am, where they proceed to run against the clock
to beat the heat. They also host training and social events
several times throughout the month. The club is very
informal and is great for those hoping to stay in shape
whilst living in Doha.
The Qatar West Coast Hash House
Harriers, like their other
hash running counterparts (e.g., in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia) organize running
trips into the desert and social events at home. This
athletic club is the perfect place to meet people since the
club is formed entirely of expatriates. The club is not
based in Doha, but its headquarters in Dukhan are only 60 km
(37 miles) away from the capital, Doha.
For the more serious runner, there are many marathons which
occur in nearby countries to Qatar, from the Amman
International Marathon in
Jordan to the Dubai
Marathon in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE). Some runners even claim it is more than
economically feasible to travel to marathons as far as Nepal
or Greece. You can also measure yourself up to Ancient
Egyptian warriors by completing the grueling 100 km
Pharaonic Race through the Egyptian desert in under eight hours (the
time it took King Taharka's army in 690 BCE).
For the less serious runner, there are still many attractive
options just outside of Qatar. You may run the Ras Al
Khaiman (RAK) Half Marathon in
the UAE, and also in the UAE, or the picturesque
Wadi Bih Run near the UAE — Oman
border. Casual runners also have the excuse to travel to
exotic locations for marathons to cheer their friends on.
Joining a running organization offers a
tremendous opportunity to stay in shape and meet friends at
the same time. Furthermore, running opens the opportunity
for travel outside of Qatar since many of the events are in
far-flung locations. The geographic proximity of Doha means
many countries, previously inaccessible, become available at
your fingertips, and running is the perfect and healthiest
way to see them.
Read the story of a fellow runner's experience in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s:
