Aakash Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December.
Aakash Nambiar, a 34-year-old ultra-marathoner from Bengaluru, took to the streets of Dubai barefoot, covering a staggering 104Km in just over 17 hours and 20 minutes. Known as ‘Barefoot Mallu’ on Instagram, Nambiar’s feat was not just a test of physical stamina but also a call to action against climate change.
Starting his journey at the break of dawn from Love Lake in Al Qudra, Nambiar traversed some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, including the Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer Beach, Etihad Museum, and the Museum of the Future. His final destination was the towering Burj Khalifa, which he reached by midnight. Throughout this extraordinary marathon, Nambiar ran without shoes, braving the hot Middle Eastern terrain, save for the last few stretches at night.
Nambiar’s initiative was inspired by the momentum generated by COP28, the climate change conference held earlier in December. Through his run, he aimed to engage with community members, discussing the collective effort needed to combat climate change. His message was clear: “WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME” to act on this global issue.
“A 100KM inside Dubai, the city of skyscrapers!! The run started after the sun rise from Love, Lake to finish at the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa covering Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer beach, Etihad museum and Museum of future with a total of ~ 104KMs,” Nambiar wrote.
As reported by Khaleej Times, Nambiar expressed that running through the streets and meeting people made him feel alive and provided a powerful platform to spread his message on environmental conservation.
source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)