Aug 31

Aug 31 Running Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah – Dubai, UAE

Running the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

I was in Dubai for the week on business, based closer to the airport at first. Later, with meetings shifting west, I moved to the Marriott at the base of the Palm Jumeirah. From there, I dedicated a morning to exploring the Palm by running—three outings that together offered a perspective few visitors get.

For context: the Palm Jumeirah is one of Dubai’s most recognizable landmarks, a massive man-made island built in the shape of a palm tree. At its center is the trunk, a straight causeway lined with shops, hotels, and apartments. Branching from it are 16 fronds, home mostly to private villas. Encircling it all is the crescent, a curved 6 mile (11 km) breakwater that acts as a seawall while also hosting a string of luxury resorts. The entire structure is linked by the Palm Monorail, which runs along the trunk and out to Atlantis at the top of the crescent.

Run 1 – Up the Trunk

I started on the trunk, the central spine that runs from the mainland north toward the fronds. The road is long and straight, flanked by towers and traffic, and I ran as far as I could until the public roadway ended. Beyond that point, the monorail is the only way to continue toward the crescent. On the way back, I tried the opposite side of the trunk but ended up in a dead end. My workaround was to slip through a parking garage that spilled into Nakheel Mall. From there, I bought a ticket and boarded the monorail to set up the next leg.

Run 2 – The Crescent Boardwalk

The monorail ends at Atlantis, The Palm, which sits at the center of the crescent. After grabbing water there, I took a short cab ride to the far edge and then ran back along the crescent’s boardwalk. The crescent itself is the Palm’s curved breakwater, wrapping around the entire development and protecting the inner lagoon. Running here means a boardwalk, uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf, and sightlines back toward Dubai’s skyline. The iconic Burj Al Arab stood out in the distance, and aside from a few walkers, the route was quiet in the weekday heat. The mix of resorts along the way broke up the long stretches, but it was the water on both sides that made this run memorable.

Run 3 – Back Toward the Base

After another ride back on the monorail, I stopped at a mid-station and found a small jogging loop nearby. From there, I followed the waterfront promenade south along the trunk, which gave me a direct, easy path back toward the base of the Palm and my hotel at the Marriott.

Conclusion

Running the Palm Jumeirah is more about novelty and scenery than difficulty. The trunk provides an urban stretch, the crescent offers a long boardwalk with views on both sides, and the base connects it all together. For those wanting more distance, the pieces can be strung into an ultra: the trunk, the crescent, and the bridge back to the mainland combine for 50 km or more. The terrain is flat and forgiving, but the desert heat and exposure are the true test.

As with every trip, running gave me a different perspective on the city—one step at a time, through the spaces in between the landmarks.