The women’s race is set to be the highlight of the 18th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Saturday morning (February 1), with both race favorites, Ethiopians Girmawit Gebrzihair and Ejgayehu Taye, expressing their ambitions of breaking the world record. Meanwhile, Kenya’s Isaia Lasoi, the fastest man in the field, has also hinted at his own pursuit of a record-breaking performance.
It promises to be an exciting showdown between the Ethiopian women, as they share identical personal bests of 1:04:14. Speaking at the press conference this morning, Girmawit admitted she surprised herself when she set that time while winning this race three years ago—a mark that still stands as the course record. However, after recently clocking a sub-30-minute 10K in Valencia, she suggested that Letesenbet Gidey’s world record of 1:02:52 is well within her reach.
Ejgayehu, on the other hand, ran her personal best in her half marathon debut in Valencia just three months ago. So confident is she in her ability to run fast that she is bringing her own pacemaker to ensure she delivers on her promise. Her agent, Yonas Mekonnen, stated:
“She decided to go for the world record based on her recent training. She ran just over 64 minutes in Valencia without sufficient mileage. She had trained for no more than six weeks after the track season, with her longest session being just 25 kilometers. However, this time, she has been regularly covering over 28 kilometers at 3:30/km pace at altitude. Her goal in this race is the world record.”
The women’s field has certainly made history in nearly two decades of this event. While Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya set a men’s world record in the inaugural RAK Half Marathon in 2007, the women have since taken center stage, with three world records set by Kenya’s Mary Keitany and Peres Jepchirchir, as well as Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh.
Among the men, Lasoi stands out with his 58:10 performance in Copenhagen last autumn—making him by far the fastest in the field. Now looking to follow in the footsteps of past champions, he is eager to capitalize on his experience after finishing third last year. Speaking at the press conference, he stated:
“I’ve been running 175–190 kilometers per week in training. I’ve prepared really well and I’m ready to win. Also, some changes have been made to the course to make it faster, so I believe I can go under 58 minutes. Maybe even the world record is possible.”
Last year’s final stages were affected by wind and thick mist rolling in from the sea, but conditions are expected to be ideal this Saturday. The forecast for the 6:40 AM elite start predicts temperatures of 15–16°C (60°F).
Now in their second year of managing the RAK Half Marathon, long-time Dubai Marathon organizers, Pace Events, have significantly increased participation in the accompanying 2K, 5K, and 10K races, bringing total registrations close to 10,000. Iyad Rasbey, Vice President of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, remarked:
“When the event began in 2007, we aimed for 2,500–3,000 participants. To now be approaching 10,000 is truly extraordinary.”
With world records potentially on the line and a stellar elite field, the 2025 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is set to be an unforgettable race.
The live stream with English commentary will be available on Saturday from 6:20 AM local time. For more live stream and event details see our page here.