From Couch to 5K in Dubai's Heat: Sarah's First Year

Sarah J. is 44, a mother of two, and never ran a step in her life until October 2024. "My oldest joined a school cross-country team. I realized I was tired walking up the stairs and I didn't want her to see me like that."

She started with a walk-jog protocol on a treadmill — 30 seconds running, 90 seconds walking, eight rounds. "That first session I genuinely thought I might pass out."

The First 90 Days

• October–November — Treadmill only, 3x per week, slowly stretching the run intervals.
• Late November — First outdoor jog at dawn with the temperature finally below 25°C.
• December — Joined IDIGOV Runners on the 5K group — "I cried at the finish. Slow tears. Happy tears."

What She Wishes She'd Known

• Heat is a real coach. "Running outdoors in October–March in Dubai builds your aerobic base faster than I expected. You can't go too hard because the climate won't let you."
• Form matters more than speed. "I wasted weeks trying to run faster. Once a coach watched me for two minutes and fixed my cadence, everything got easier."
• Community is the only sustainable motivation. "My phone alarm wasn't enough. Forty people texting 'see you Sunday' was enough."

The Dubai Run 2025

Sarah finished the 30K Dubai Run in November 2025 in 3:47. She walked four times, cried twice, and said it was the best decision she'd made in five years. Her 2026 goal is the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon — and bringing one new runner per month into the group.