MUSCAT: The wait for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon is nearly over, with just less than a  month to go. Over the weekend of 11-12 February 2022, the runners will take their place on the starting line at Al Mouj Muscat and test their endurance. 

Sabco Sports have teamed up with UFC Gym Oman to offer free public training sessions every Friday morning in the build up to the race and runners of all ages have taken this opportunity to learn from professionals and improve their fitness. Taking place from 8am-9am at ABQ Seeb International School, coaches have given hundreds of runners help with training, nutrition and diet, and tips on how to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. 

“Excitement is building for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon 2022 and we are delighted with the number of people across the world that have taken up the challenge to compete this year. The entire weekend will be a fun-filled festival of running which brings together communities from across the country, local schools and colleges, businesses and teams to support each other from start to finish,” says Nic Cartwright, Managing Director of Sabco Sports, organizers of the event. 

He added, “Al Mouj Muscat, Oman’s premier lifestyle destination, is the perfect venue for the race and we have several surprises in store to delight spectators, visitors and guests throughout the weekend as we celebrate the dedication of the athletes and welcome the return of Oman’s most popular sporting event.”

The forthcoming event at Al Mouj Muscat features five different race distances to cater to a variety of fitness levels and experience and each category has received a very good turnout in terms of registrations. The 42km marathon and 21.2km half-marathon and 10km runs are certified by world-running organisation AIMS, aligning the event with International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) standards and adding to competitive runners’ rankings. Participants in all races will receive a commemorative t-shirt and a finisher’s medal to mark their achievement.