DUBAI: As temperatures soared outside early on Saturday, a sprawling shopping centre in Dubai echoed to the squeak of sneakers as hundreds of people joined “Malla­th­­on” — an indoor, air-conditioned race.

The government-back­­ed initiative aims to encourage exercise during August, often the United Arab Emirates’ hottest month, and make use of Dubai’s giant malls which are otherwise empty at that time.

Running outside during summer in the Gulf, one of the world’s hottest regions where temperatures sometimes top 50C, is unpleasant and even unsafe for many.

“If you run outside, it’s not healthy at all because temperatures are around 40C to 50C,” said one runner who gave his name as Rai, his platinum-blond hair pulled back with a headband.

Turkiye reports hottest July in 55 years

Participants wearing “Dubai Mallathon” T-shirts and sports gear ran and walked past closed stores along vacant, marbled halls that were set to be teeming with shoppers hours later.

Throughout August, nine of the city’s shopping centres — including the cavernous Dubai Mall, one of the world’s biggest -- are open daily for runners and walkers from 7am-10am.

On weekends, runners can enter organised 10km, 5km or 2.5km races at designated malls, complete with podium presentations and prizes.

During Saturday’s race at the City Centre Mirdif mall, two robots buzzed around the participants, who paused to take selfies with them.

Others waited in line to use electric bikes that powered blenders to make healthy smoothies.

Mall rats

Mallathon is backed by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 42, whose public profile projects him as an exemplar of active living.

It is one of a number of attempts to steer Dubai’s car-loving, mall-rat population towards exercise, including the 30x30 challenge, where residents are encouraged to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month.

Obesity rates in the energy-rich Gulf country regularly top global charts.

A recent study predicted a staggering 94 per cent of UAE males would be overweight or obese by 2050.

Hottest July

Meanwhile, Turkiye recorded its hottest July in 55 years, the environment ministry said Saturday.

Temperatures recorded in 66 of the country’s 220 weather stations showed an average rise of 1.9 degrees over the preceding years, the ministry said on X.

The highest-ever recorded temperature of 50.5 C was also set near the end of July in Silopi, southeast Turkiye.

Silopi, a city in the Sirnak province, is located around 10 kilometres from the Iraq and Syrian borders.

It shattered the previous national high of 49.5 C recorded in August 2023 in the western province of Eskisehir.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2025