Have you been feeling sluggish lately? Have you been feeling like you and your family could engage in healthier activities to keep your bond strong, while improving your physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing? Why not kill two birds with one stone and participate in a family-friendly event, targeting all 642 muscles in the human body at the same time?
That’s right, dear readers. The outdoor activity season has begun once again! Dust off your trainers and workout gear, because we have a great marathon for you to participate on November 18th, courtesy of Gulf Bank! The best thing about the event, other than the exercise you’ll be getting, putting a glowing smile on your faces? It’s all for charity.
Each year, the Gulf Bank 642 Marathon partners with a leading charity to raise awareness for an important cause or issue. This year, it reaffirms its support for UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency, campaign #Voices4Refugees. This campaign asks for you to give your voice to refugees so that in turn, their own voices will be heard worldwide. By doing this, you will be calling for immediate and practical steps that can improve humanitarian access and the delivery of aid to those in in need inside Syria. Your voice will show that you stand with Syrian refugees and can bring hope back to the men, women, and children who have lost everything.
On top of its charitable ethos, the Marathon adds feel-good value with its beautiful scenery. Don’t you find that you’re almost never taking the time to tour Kuwait’s most prized monuments and landscapes? Participating in the Gulf Bank 642 Marathon will have you taking advantage of the beauty in your own backyard by leading you on a trail along Gulf Road, starting and ending at Souq Sharq, passing by Souk Al Mubarakiya, the Gulf Bank head office, the Grand Mosque, Al Seif Palace, the National Assembly and Kuwait Towers along the way. And not to worry! The organizers will be coordinating with relevant authorities to close the roads to ensure the safety of the walkers and runners.
“But I don’t want to run! I’m so unfit! Mali khilg running” yes, we know. But the great thing about this event is that it’s a walk/run, meaning you can adjust your speed to the level you’re at. In short, it doesn’t matter if you’re sprinting across the entirety of Gulf Road with ease, or if it takes you 20 minutes to walk three meters. The marathon caters to all levels, from challenging athletes to beginners and families who are in it for a leisurely stroll. All you have to do, is upon registration, be mindful of the categories out of the four allotted distances you qualify for: Family Fun Walk/Run (5KM); Souq Run for regular runners (10KM); Half Marathon for more advanced runners (21KM); and Kuwait’s only Full Marathon (42KM). Pro tip for those running the 21-42K: The marathon is holding weekly practice runs in cooperation with various local running clubs in convenient locations. The weekly training program locations and partnership are announced regularly on their Instagram account.
The Gulf Bank 642 Marathon has put Kuwait on the marathon map, making it a world-class sporting event with a local touch. It was voted Best Half Marathon of the Year by the “The 100 Half Marathons” and is considered one of the top three marathons in the GCC. It is also recognized as the first full road race in Kuwait to have three of its distance categories accredited by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF Athletics). Once a course is AIMS certified, only then is the IAAF able to recognize any world records that might take place on the course. So get training, runners! You might be able to achieve something great when you participate. And at the very least, you’ll get out, get some fresh air, fun and exercise – all for a good cause.
The Gulf Bank 642 Marathon is scheduled to take place on November 18 2017 at Souq Sharq. Register for the marathon today by visiting the dedicated website www.gulfbank642marathon.com. Add your voice and donate at https://voices.unhcr.org. Follow Gulf Bank on Facebook: Gulf Bank, Twitter and Instagram @Gulf_Bank, and Snapchat: Gulf-Bank.
