A new fitness initiative has been launched for Dubai residents who want to get their steps in while beating the heat. Sheikh Hamdan launched the ‘Dubai Mallathon’ on Thursday, July 24, which transforms malls into sports pathways.
A part of the Dubai Social Agenda’s 33 targets, the initiative has been introduced for the month of August, where residents can hit the mall from 7am to 10am daily.
Fully equipped pathways for walking and running will be allocated for residents across seven major commercial centers — Dubai Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina Mall, and The Springs Souk.
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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, urged everyone to “adopt a healthy and active lifestyle with ease and safety during the morning period throughout the month of August”.
This targets people from all walks of life, including the youth, senior citizens, residents, children, and shopping mall employees.
Designed to foster an active lifestyle in a supportive setting, the initiative incorporates motivational tools such as fitness-tracking systems, health awareness stations, dedicated children’s areas, and guided stretching exercises.
“Today, we launched the ‘Dubai Mallathon’ — an initiative that transforms shopping malls across the city into indoor fitness tracks, encouraging the Dubai community to stay active comfortably and safely during morning hours throughout August.
“As a new community initiative launched from Dubai’s malls, it’s a simple idea with a powerful goal: bringing healthy, active living into familiar everyday spaces,” he said.
Today, we launched the âDubai Mallathonâ â an initiative that transforms shopping malls across the city into indoor fitness tracks, encouraging the Dubai community to stay active comfortably and safely during morning hours throughout August. Aligned with the Dubai Social Agenda⦠pic.twitter.com/EPMDwYsKc1
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) July 24, 2025
He encouraged the public to take part in the Dubai Mallathon, describing it as a simple and accessible way to embrace healthier habits and engage with the community. “We want everyone in Dubai to feel they can stay active and energised in welcoming spaces built with their needs in mind. This reflects our broader commitment to placing people and families at the heart of our development plans.”
“Every step you take moves us closer towards a healthier Dubai,” he said. “This is a shared journey. We are all partners in transforming our city into the world’s best place to live, work, and visit.”
How to participate
Participation in Dubai Mallathon is free of charge and can be completed by registering through the official website: www.dubaimallathon.ae. Upon registration, participants will receive a digital card confirming their enrolment in the initiative.
The initiative also features collaborations with restaurants and retail outlets, which will offer special deals that align with the initiative’s goals of promoting a balanced and active lifestyle, encouraging better nutritional choices and supporting individuals in adopting long-term, sustainable healthy habits.
Dubai Mallathon seeks to make the most of the vast, underutilised indoor spaces in major malls by transforming them into safe and dynamic sporting environments. This approach offers a practical solution to the challenges of summer heat.
With air-conditioned spaces and advanced infrastructure, shopping malls provide an ideal setting for exercise, removing the barrier of extreme heat and encouraging residents to maintain their physical fitness year-round.
The Dubai Crown Prince is known for his fitness initiatives like the Dubai Run, which is held every year, in addition to the Dubai Fitness Challenge, which sees the city transform into an open-air gym annually as residents partake in 30 minutes of physical activity daily for 30 days.
Laraib Anwer is a Digital Journalist who loves the thrill of breaking headlines almost as much as she does unapologetically using GenZ slang. She dreams of a world free of animal cruelty and hopes to tell community stories that make a difference.