New Course Welcomes Deep Field for RAK Half Marathon

By Adam Kopet

The 2019 edition of the RAK Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, will be run on a new course Friday morning (Thursday evening in the U.S.).

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The RAK Half Marathon has been one of the faster half marathons in the world in recent years. Last year saw Fancy Chemutai of Kenya finished only one second off the world record, running 1:04:52. In the men's race, Bedan Karoki, also of Kenya, won for the second straight year, breaking the course record with a time of 58:42.

This year's race, as already reported, welcomes another stellar field, including 14 men who have run under 60 minutes for the half marathon before. Abadi Hadis of Ethiopia holds the fastest personal best in the field at 58:44 from Valencia last year. The men's race also features 2018 New York City Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa, also of Ethiopia.

The women's race does not have the same depth that it did last year when Chemutai and Mary Keitany, the 2018 New York City Marathon winner from Kenya, dueled to the finish and both broke 1:05:00. However, former world record holder Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya is entered holding a 1:05:07 personal best.

This year's course will start and finish on Al Marjan Island on the south end of Ras Al Khaimah. The route will take athletes onto the mainland for the first half of the race and then out across several of the Al Majan Islands, which were man-made.

The new race course has been certified to IAAF standards. Additionally, the course measurer will ride in the lead vehicle to make sure the course is properly followed. If a record is broken, the course will be measured again for verification. The Abu Dhabi Marathon in December did not follow the prescribed course and results were invalidated for official purposes.

Winners of the RAK Half Marathon receive the equivalent of about $13,500. A course record is worth an extra $4,000 and a world record is worth almost $100,000. Prize money will be awarded to the top 10 finishers.