Oman Desert Marathon attracts 120 runners

Muscat: Around 120 runners from 23 countries will take part in the Oman Desert Marathon, an unique desert adventure that is scheduled to be organised from November 4 to 12.
The marathon will be hosted by ‘Adventure’, organisers of various adventure sports events, in cooperation with Omran Tourism Development and Oman Sail.
According to a statement issued by the organisers, the marathon will take place over 165 kilometers of diverse terrain, and over its course, the participants will pass by a variety of historical forts and castles, palm oasises, sand dunes and Bedouin settlements, as well as taking in the desert wildlife. The marathon will end near the white beaches of the Arabian Sea.
“The goal of the marathon is to provide participants with an experience of the Omani desert, which is considered to be among the world’s most beautiful,” the statement added.
The Oman Desert Marathon will comprises six categories. Based on their ability the participants can compete in 20km, 28km, 26km, 24km, 42km and 24km events.
“The participants are required to bring their own supplies, such as sleeping bags and other essentials, to last for the duration of the trip. This is to ensure that the participants are able to enjoy the most realistic experience of desert life,” the statement said.
Contestants are required to undergo a medical test prior to the marathon, which is to be performed by a team of sports science specialists. Medical professionals will be present throughout the marathon to ensure that medical treatment is available to participants at all times.
The organisers will be taking care to ensure that contestants are provided with the maximum amount of safety possible, by closely monitoring the race so that any neccesary action, such as stopping the marathon due to poor weather conditions or emergency situations, can be taken immediately.
Clear information is to be displayed every 500 metres along the marathon path. In addition, there will be mandatory checkpoints every 10 kilometres, which will be used to record competitors’ arrival times.
The daily rankings of the race will be calculated on the basis of the times recorded at all of the checkpoints, while the overall rankings will be determined by adding together the times recorded at each stage of the marathon in the individual standings. Team standings will be calculated by adding together the overall standings with the times obtained by the teams at each phase. Should there remain less than two competitors in any one team, then the team’s results will not be recorded.