Historic Tropic of Cancer marathon in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Marathon begins on October 29, 2016 in Al Qua'a desert in Abu Dhabi

Posted on 2016-10-17 by TOCM in Travel // 0 Comments

First time in history that marathon is being held on 37,000km Tropic of Cancer line

Little known that Tropic of Cancer passes through Al Qua’a desert in Abu Dhabi

Event includes ultramarathon, marathon, half-marathon and 10km Fun Run

Hosted by world renowned desert adventurer and explorer Max Calderan

Unusual lifestyle/health/fitness/sport/human endurance event

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 2016-Oct-17 — /EPR Network/ — History will be made on Saturday, October 29, 2016, when the first ever Tropic of Cancer Marathon is held in the rugged sand dunes and salt flats of Al Qua’a desert in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Al Qua’a is a UAE border town with Oman, 130km from Al Ain.

Hosted by the legendary desert explorer and adventurer, Max Calderan, also known as the ‘Son of the Desert’, the upcoming event is an informal, non-competitive and self-timed run/jog/walk in desert terrain along the little known Tropic of Cancer line that crosses Abu Dhabi emirate.

Dubai-based Max Calderan conceived TOCM 2016 to motivate people to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle, as also to give one’s family members, friends and work colleagues the unique opportunity to sample and appreciate the beautiful Arabian desert first-hand in a fun, non-competitive and safe manner while also having the rare privilege of being able to cross the Tropic of Cancer line that passes through Abu Dhabi emirate. Think selfies!

The Tropic of Cancer passes through only 17 countries, including the Bahamas, Mexico, Mauritania, Mali, Western Sahara, Algeria, Niger, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Oman, Bangladesh, Burma and Taiwan.

TOCM 2016 comprises 4 distinct categories: ultramarathon (50km), marathon (42km, 195m), half-marathon (21km, 097m) and Fun Run (10km).

The event begins at 6:30am (UAE time) on October 29, 2016 and is open to the public, all ages on prior registration via a dedicated website (www.tropicofcancermarathon.com). Although scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 29, TOCM 2016 participants also have the opportunity to camp overnight in Al Qua’a desert on Friday, October 28 where they will get to enjoy a BBQ and meet fellow participants in a friendly and family oriented manner. All TOCM 2016 participants will receive a certificate commemorating their participation in the historic event.

The Tropic of Cancer is one of the five major degree measures or circles of latitude that divide the Earth (the others are the Tropic of Capricorn, the equator, the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle). The Tropic of Cancer is a line of latitude that circles the planet at approximately 23.5° north of the equator. It is also the northernmost point on Earth where the sun’s rays can appear directly overhead at local noon time.

The Tropic of Cancer position is not fixed, but varies in a complicated manner over time. It drifts south almost half an arc second (0.47″) of latitude per year (it was at exactly 23° 27′ in the year 1917 and will be at 23° 26′ in the year 2045).

At the June or summer solstice (around June 21) when the Tropic of Cancer was named some 2,000 years ago, the sun was pointed in the direction of the constellation Cancer, thus giving the then new line of latitude the name the Tropic of Cancer.

TOCM 2016 promises to be a historic event as this is the first time ever in history that a marathon event is being held along the Tropic of Cancer line that circumnavigates the globe for approximately 37,000km.

Official Partners of TOCM 2016 include NatGene, MonViso, Montura, Royal Aesthetics Polyclinic, Dubai Offroaders, Weekends with Albert, TAG Heuer.

Max Calderan, 48, has numerous solo odyssey desert and wilderness world records to his credit. Among other feats of extraordinary human endurance, he has walked solo for 90 hours non-stop along the Tropic of Cancer line in Oman for 437km and in early 2016 he again walked solo for 340km non-stop along the Tropic of Cancer from the border of Saudi Arabia, through the UAE (Abu Dhabi) and up to the Oman border in 4 days.

Matched content

Editor’s pick