Abu Dhabi announces road closures for marathon

Several roads will be closed in Abu Dhabi from midnight until 2pm on Saturday for the Adnoc marathon.

The closures begin on King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street at midnight and continue until 2pm on Corniche Street.

Parts of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street will be closed from midnight until 7.30am, while Corniche Street will be off limits from 2am until 2pm, the Integrated Transport Centre said.

Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street will close from 3am until 9am, before the marathon route moves to Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street, which will close in phases between 4am and noon.

“The ITC urges road users to drive cautiously and abide by traffic rules and regulations,” the agency said in a post on social media.

Road closures for the marathon are divided into eight phases, depending on the section of the race route.

Runners will begin at different locations near the Adnoc headquarters on Corniche Road and finish at the Adnoc Campus, near Bainuna Public Park, organisers told The National in October.

Registration is free for people with disabilities and Paralympic athletes, underlining the organisers’ continued commitment to inclusivity within the UAE.

The event is open to the community, including families and children.

Applicants can register for the marathon, marathon relay (teams of two), 10km, 5km and 2.5km distances.

The event is expected to welcome a record 23,000 participants, including some of the world’s elite runners, organisers said. This year’s marathon is offering a prize pool of more than $300,000 for professional competitors.