Riding at the F1 track

The Yas Marina Circuit is one of the world’s most advanced Grand Prix venues, with the ultramodern Formula 1® track, and the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix every year in November. It's the Middle East’s biggest event and the standout sporting event of the year.
We are hoping to go this year obviously, it's bound to be an amazing experience.

But every Tuesday evening they open up the track for people to come working out, to run, walk or cycle around it. It's the TrainYas by Activelife that are the organizers, and what a unique happening!
Whether you're a serious runner, a keen cyclist, or simply want to take a sunset stroll, participants of all fitness levels and speeds are welcome on the track - for free!

On Wednesday nights, only women are welcomed to walk, run or cycle on the track or take part in a lot of different group fitness activities happening including boot camp, pilates, boxing and yoga. This is a ladies-only initiative, closed to the general public and with all staff strictly female.

Last night we decided to pack us all up and go and see what this was all about! Nathan's new Swedish Thule bike rack can take four bikes. Strangely the kids' bikes were too small to fit over it, so they had to travel in the boot, lucky we have a big car!

This is a big weekly event, so many people come here every week to exercise. You can hire bikes and helmets there if you don't have your own, but I also saw people in non-workout gear, walking the track with their cameras just to get the F1 experience.

Here we are, ready to set off!

All the cyclists go anti-clockwise, and the runners go clockwise. There are a lot of volunteers in place to guide you, big signs with rules for the track and clear markings so you know where to go.

When you pass any of the grandstands, you can hear the music blaring out from the big speakers. The North Grandstand on the right:

Linnea and Daddy coming in for a quick pit stop to get some water, just next to the Viceroy hotel!

Here we are passing through the Main Grand Stand area, where they start, and also receive their trophies - you can spot the podium up to the right:

We were there from 6.30pm onwards, so it got darker and darker as we went around. It was still about 36 degrees, but you couldn't really feel that on the track.

The Viceroy hotel changed colours throughout the evening, it went from blue to purple and later on more pink!

We did two laps, each lap is 5,5k long. There was only one little hill, just before we hit the finish line.

 
Two laps! Well done kids!

I hope we will manage to convince the kids to come along many more times. It was so lovely to do something together all of us, and to be outside even though we are going into the hot season. Great fun!