Dubai Run 2025: Indian Expat Completes 23km Solo Challenge Before Joining Main Event
<p>Dubai’s roads came alive before sunrise as thousands gathered for <strong>Dubai Run 2025</strong>, but for one participant, the event began long before the official start time. While over <strong>300,000 runners</strong> filled Sheikh Zayed Road for the city’s largest annual fitness celebration, Indian expatriate <strong>Nasar Husain</strong> had already been running for hours—completing a <strong>23km solo journey</strong> from his home in <strong>Al Qusais</strong> to <strong>Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)</strong> before merging with the crowd for the final stretch.</p><h3><strong>A Solo Dawn Run Before the Main Event</strong></h3><p>Rather than travelling to the starting line like everyone else, Husain laced up his shoes outside his residence near <strong>DAFZA Metro Station</strong> at dawn. In quiet streets, long before traffic closure and spectator cheers, he set out on a route that crossed major Dubai landmarks, including <strong>Maktoum Bridge, Zabeel Park, and Dubai World Trade Centre</strong>, before reaching DIFC.</p><p>“<strong>I felt like I had the whole city to myself. Running through Dubai before sunrise is a feeling difficult to describe—peaceful and powerful at the same time,</strong>” he said.</p><p>Husain’s early-morning run wasn’t a spontaneous decision, but part of a far bigger personal commitment connected to the <strong>Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC)</strong> — a promise to run a <strong>half marathon (21km) every day for 30 days</strong>.</p><h3><strong>Pushing Limits: 30 Half Marathons in 30 Days</strong></h3><p>“<strong>Thirty half marathons in 30 days — that was my target for Dubai Fitness Challenge,</strong>” Husain explained. With just a few days remaining in the challenge, he has already logged <strong>over 500 kilometres</strong>, on pace to finish close to <strong>700 kilometres</strong> by the end of the month. That amount of distance is more than many professional endurance runners complete in a season.</p><p>For Husain, the reason behind his extreme goals is simple: pushing boundaries.</p><p>“<strong>I do this because I want to improve myself. Everyone has more potential than they believe. The only way to discover it is by stepping outside your comfort zone,</strong>” he said.</p><h3><strong>More Than a Runner: A Mountaineer and Community Coach</strong></h3><p>By profession, Husain is a <strong>mountaineer, Operations Manager, and Expedition Leader</strong> at <strong>Greenway Adventures</strong>, where he leads trekking expeditions and outdoor adventure programmes. Beyond mountain trails, he trains hundreds of residents in Dubai through the <strong>Active Fitness Community (AFC)</strong> — a volunteer group of more than <strong>800 members</strong>.</p><p>The group meets regularly at parks and beaches across Dubai, offering free coaching in running, strength training, calisthenics, slacklining, badminton and other activities. “<strong>We have people from teenagers to seniors joining. Fitness connects us — it builds community, not competition,</strong>” he said.</p><p>Husain’s passion for adventure began in his hometown of <strong>Malappuram in Kerala</strong>, near the <strong>Western Ghats</strong>, where he spent time trekking as a young boy. His formal mountaineering training later continued at the <strong>Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports</strong> in Jammu & Kashmir.</p><h3><strong>Finding His Path in a New City</strong></h3><p>When he first arrived in Dubai in 2014, the transition was overwhelming.</p><p>“<strong>I came from green mountains to tall skyscrapers. It felt unfamiliar. Running helped me feel connected to the city, and slowly it became part of my identity,</strong>” Husain said.</p><p>He believes consistency is the key to fitness. “<strong>No secret formula — just show up. Even 20 minutes a day is enough to start. And when you train with others, the motivation becomes stronger.</strong>”</p><h3><strong>Past Challenges and Record Feats</strong></h3><p>This isn’t Husain’s first endurance achievement.<br>Some of his notable past challenges include:</p><p><strong>30 consecutive half marathons during Ramadan in 2023</strong>, all while fasting</p><p>A place in the <strong>India Book of Records</strong> for completing a <strong>66km ultra-hike in 24 hours</strong>, covering three major peaks including the UAE’s highest summit</p><p>Running a <strong>full marathon up Jebel Jais</strong> during COVID-19 to raise funds for <strong>Al Jalila Foundation</strong></p><p>A <strong>35km run from Deira Clock Tower to Burj Al Arab</strong> in 2022, marking one of his longest urban journeys</p><h3><strong>Dubai Run: “One Big Family”</strong></h3><p>Husain has been participating since the earliest <strong>“We Run DXB”</strong> events, long before Dubai Run grew into an iconic global fitness festival.</p><p>“<strong>The energy this year was magical — paragliders overhead, smiling faces everywhere. Dubai feels like one family during Dubai Run,</strong>” he said.</p><p>Members of his AFC group participate not only as runners but also as volunteers at community events and blood donation drives.</p><h3><strong>What’s Next for Husain?</strong></h3><p>Although his daily half-marathon challenge continues, Husain hasn’t yet decided on his next goal.</p><p>“<strong>Some of our AFC runners are preparing for the ADNOC Marathon, and I’m helping them train. For myself, I’m still thinking. Whatever challenge comes next, it will be even tougher,</strong>” he said.</p><p>He hopes his journey inspires everyday people to push their limits.<br>“<strong>I don’t have any special talent. I simply show up every day, and anyone can do the same.</strong>”</p>