Burj2Burj Half-Marathon returns on Sunday

The Burj2Burj Half-Marathon is set to take place in Dubai on Sunday morning with a sold out crowd of runners ready to take on the event.

The Burj2Burj Half-Marathon is a modern road-running event designed to showcase the city’s skyline while promoting fitness and community participation. The race gets its name from its defining feature: a point-to-point course that connects two of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa.

The event was founded in January 2024, with its inaugural edition branded as the Emirates NBD Burj2Burj Half-Marathon. The event attracted significant attention, drawing both local runners and international participants and positioning itself as a premium race despite being a newcomer to the running calendar in the region.

The race distance is the standard 21.1 kilometres, run on a fast, largely flat and officially measured course. The design makes it appealing to elite athletes chasing fast times as well as recreational runners seeking a scenic and well-supported race.

The Burj2Burj will start at 06:30 (GST) on Sunday 8^th February with the start line based at Jumeirah Emirates Towers before heading along major city roads including stretches near Sheikh Zayed Road and surrounding financial district streets.

Runners then pass through central urban areas and cross the Dubai Water Canal bridge, one of the few gentle inclines on an otherwise fast and flat course. From there, the route continues westward through parts of Al Wasl Road, and Jumeirah. The final kilometers are ran along Jumeirah Beach Road, culminating in a scenic finish with a spectacular view of the Burj Al Arab.

In addition to the recreational runners, this year’s Burj2Burj Half-Marathon will also feature a number of elite athletes competing at the highest level.

A notable confirmed entrant for the race is Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei of Uganda, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the world’s premier long-distance athletes. He has publicly confirmed that Dubai’s Burj2Burj Half-Marathon will open his competitive season for 2026 as he continues his transition from track to road running.

The event offers a variety of prizes to reward top performances across several categories. Elite athletes, both male and female, will compete for significant prize money, with the top 10 finishers receiving cash rewards. The first-place finisher will earn AED 40,000, followed by AED 20,000 for second place and AED 16,000 for third place. The prize money continues to decrease down to the tenth-place finisher, who will receive AED 800.

In addition to these main prizes, the race offers a performance-based bonus to encourage exceptional times. Specifically, the first male athlete to break 60 minutes will earn an additional AED 12,000, and the first female to break the current course record of 67:09 minutes will receive the same bonus.

For Emirati runners, the event shows its commitment to supporting local talent by offering separate prizes. The top three Emirati men and women will be awarded cash prizes, with the first-place finishers receiving AED 5,000, second-place winners getting AED 2,500, and third-place finishers awarded AED 1,000.

Burj2Burj also recognises the competitive age-group community by awarding the top overall male and female performers across all age categories (rather than within specific age groups). These overall age-group winners will be rewarded with AED 5,000 for first place, AED 2,500 for second place, and AED 1,000 for third place. These prizes highlight the event’s dedication to both elite and amateur runners, ensuring that a wide range of participants is celebrated for their performances.

The event will cause early morning road disruptions on some of Dubai’s busiest roads.

Organisers have revealed that Al Mustaqbal Street, Financial Centre Road, Al Safa Street, Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah Beach Road and part of 2nd December Street will all be closed in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The full details of road closures can be found here: BURJ2BURJ