ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon 2025: New route, race village and how to get ready

Abu Dhabi Sports Council has unveiled a refreshed route for the 7th ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, which takes place on 13 December 2025.

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For the first time, the full marathon will:

• Start and finish at Zayed Sports City
  
  

• Head toward Arab Gulf Street, passing the iconic Capital Gate
  
  

• Continue to ADNOC Headquarters
  
  

• Run along the Abu Dhabi Corniche towards Qasr Al Hosn
  
  

• Extend along Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) toward the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
  
  

• Loop back to Zayed Sports City for the finish line
  
  

The result is a route that showcases Abu Dhabi’s major landmarks while keeping the course fast, varied and visually motivating for runners over 42.2 km.

Race categories for every ability

The 2025 edition is built to be a full community running festival, not just a race for elite marathoners. The event will feature:

• Full marathon – 42.2 km
  
  

• Two-person relay marathon
  
  

• 10 km race
  
  

• 5 km race
  
  

• 2.5 km race
  
  

• A dedicated race for People of Determination
  
  

The total prize purse exceeds US$305,000, reinforcing the marathon’s status as one of the UAE’s leading road races and a serious target for elite international athletes.

For everyday runners in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE, the shorter distances make it easy to set a realistic goal, whether it is your first 5K or your first relay marathon.

If you are building up to any of these distances, a structured plan that mixes road running with strength training in a supportive environment, like gyms in Abu Dhabi, will help you stay consistent and injury-resilient.

Marathon Village: more than just bib collection

From 8 to 12 December, the Marathon Village at Zayed Sports City becomes the social heart of race week. It will be open:

• 8–12 December: 3 pm to 10 pm
  
  

• Race day (13 December): 5 am to 1 pm
  
  

The village will include:

• Sponsor and partner pavilions
  
  

• Fitness and yoga sessions
  
  

• Children’s entertainment zones
  
  

• Musical performances and artistic shows
  
  

Abu Dhabi Sports Council has also revealed:

• An official Nike race jersey for 2025, provided free to all registered runners
  
  

• Specially designed finisher medals featuring the marathon route
  
  

So runners leave not just with a medal, but with a piece of the course they conquered.

A pre-race press conference featuring elite international athletes will be held at the Marathon Village on Thursday, 11 December at 4 pm, giving fans and media a closer look at the world-class field.

Community first: 40,000 runners and year-round training

This year’s marathon is expected to welcome more than 40,000 participants, up over 20 percent from last year’s 33,000 runners across all age groups and categories.

To build momentum, Abu Dhabi Sports Council has already:

• Organised a 10 km race in Al Dhannah (Al Dhafra)
  
  

• Hosted a half marathon in Al Ain
  
  

• Launched free, year-round training sessions led by the Abu Dhabi Running Team, serving communities across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra
  
  

General Secretary Aref Hamad Al Awani describes the updated route as part of a wider push to deliver a marathon that combines challenge with community engagement, reflecting the UAE’s growing interest in health and fitness.

For runners, that means this is much more than a one-day race. It is a full season of events and structured support designed to help people stay active all year.

How to use this route to shape your training

Whether you are targeting the full marathon or a shorter distance, the new route gives useful clues for how to train.

1. Build stamina for long, flat stretches

Much of the course runs along broad, flat city roads and the Corniche, which favours:

• Even pacing
  
  

• Strong aerobic endurance
  
  

• The ability to hold form over long, uninterrupted segments
  
  

Your training should include:

• Progressive long runs
  
  

• Tempo efforts at or just below goal race pace
  
  

• Easy recovery runs to back up the harder sessions
  
  

2. Prepare mentally for landmark checkpoints

Running past Capital Gate, ADNOC HQ, the Corniche, Qasr Al Hosn and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque creates natural mental checkpoints. Use them in your planning:

• Break the marathon into sections between landmarks
  
  

• Set mini-goals for each part (pace, nutrition, focus)
  
  

• Practice fuelling on long runs so race-day nutrition feels automatic
  
  

3. Don’t skip strength and mobility

To stay resilient over 42.2 km (or even 10 km), you need more than just miles:

• 2–3 weekly strength sessions for legs, core and hips
  
  

• Mobility work for ankles, hips and thoracic spine
  
  

• Light plyometrics or drills to improve running mechanics
  
  

You can cover all these elements efficiently in a full-service environment like gyms in the UAE, where treadmills, strength machines, free weights and stretching areas are in one place.

How beginners can plug into the event

If you are new to running, ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon 2025 is an ideal first goal because it offers:

• A 2.5 km race suitable for families and newer runners
  
  

• 5 km and 10 km options that fit a 10–16 week beginner programme
  
  

• Community training sessions from Abu Dhabi Sports Council and local clubs
  
  

A simple approach if you are starting from low mileage:

1. Pick a realistic distance for this year (for example, 5 km).
   
   

2. Train 3 days per week (run–walk at first), plus 1–2 short strength sessions.
   
   

3. Use a treadmill when the weather is challenging, then do one session a week outdoors on conditions similar to race day.
   
   

4. Once you complete your first race, you can extend your plan toward 10 km or the relay in 2026.

Source: wam.ae

The opinions shared in the blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.