Event Overview
| Date | Jan 9-13, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bidiyah, Ash Sharqiyah, Oman |
| Format | Stage Race |
| Terrain | Desert |
| Region | Asia |
| Distance / duration | 165 km over 5 stages |
| Course model | Point-to-point |
| Field size | The organizer limits places but does not publish a cap, and it only enrolls runners whose paperwork is complete. Forty multi-stage runners and hikers started in 2026. Thirty-two finished Stage 1 of the 165 km and 28 completed all five stages, while 7 hikers finished the 100 km. In 2025, 29 runners finished the 165 km, and in 2023, 37 of 42 starters finished. The single-day races around the stage race are far bigger: the Oman News Agency put entries across all distances at more than 1,200 from over 35 nations before the 2026 start. |
| Highlights | Five Desert Stages, Self-Sufficient |
Oman Desert Marathon stages
Stage distances from the organizer’s current 165 km Classic and 100 km Hike pages, start times from its event program, and the fastest 165 km stage times from the 2026 race, which used the same 40 km and 29 km opening stages.
| Stage | 165 km Classic | Organizer’s stage title | 100 km Hike | Start time | Fastest 2026 time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 40 km | The historic fort of Al Wasil and ancient oases | 20 km | 7:30 AM, after a bus to the start at Al Wasil | 3:16:11, Mohamed El Morabity |
| Stage 2 | 29 km | The desert forest | 20 km | 6:00 AM | 2:43:15, Mohamed El Morabity |
| Stage 3 | 30 km | Into the heart of the wilderness | 20 km | 6:30 AM | 2:58:53, Mohamed El Morabity |
| Stage 4 | 45 km | The night stage | 19 km | Waves at 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00 PM, slowest runners first | 4:28:54, Rachid El Morabity |
| Stage 5 | 21 km | Finish at the Arabian Sea | 21 km | 8:00 AM, with the finish celebration around 1:00 PM | 2:10:54, Mohamed El Morabity |
In 2026 the night-stage waves actually started at 12:00, 1:00 and 4:00 PM, and Rachid El Morabity beat his brother by one second. The organizer’s About page gives a different split of 42, 32, 40, 30 and 21 km, which matches the 2025 course. Earlier editions used four stages: 47, 55, 42 and 21 km in 2023.
Sources: Official 165 km ODM Classic page; Official 100 km ODM Hike page; Official event program; Official 2026 results (RaceResult); Road Race Management: 2026 Stage 4 release.
Recent Oman Desert Marathon 165 km winners
Overall men’s and women’s winners and 165 km finisher counts for the four editions since the race moved to January, from the official RaceResult results and the Oman Observer.
| Year | Edition and dates | Men | Women | 165 km finishers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11th, Jan 10–14, five stages | Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco), 15:38:10 | Aziza El Amrany (Morocco), 22:18:33 | 28 |
| 2025 | 10th, Jan 18–22, five stages | Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco), 15:44:25 | Aziza Raji (Morocco), 22:39:17 | 29 |
| 2024 | 9th, Jan 20–23, four stages | Rachid El Morabity (Morocco), 16:06:49 | Aziza Raji (Morocco), 23:13:32 | 29 |
| 2023 | 8th, Jan 21–24, four stages | Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco), 14:13:15 | Corina Sommer (Switzerland), 19:39:28 | 37 of 42 starters |
Times are totals over all stages, and the course changes every year, so winning times are not directly comparable. Saleh Al Saidi of Oman made the men’s podium in all four years: third in 2023, second in 2024 and third in 2025 and 2026. In 2026 Rachid El Morabity (16:11:42) was second; Aziza Raji (23:05:47) and Natalie Taylor of Britain (23:49:35) completed the women’s podium.
Sources: Official 2026 results (RaceResult); Official 2025 results (RaceResult); Official 2024 results (RaceResult); Oman Observer: Mohammed El Morabity clinches ODM honours (2023); Oman Observer: 10th edition flagged off (2025).
Course & Terrain
Five marked desert stages through the Al Sharqiyah sands, with tented camps and water checkpoints roughly every 10 km.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Wahiba Sands
- Remote dune camps
- Start at the historic fort and oasis of Al Wasil
- Night stage across dunes lit by solar lamps every 50 m
- Finish on the shore of the Arabian Sea
Mostly soft sand with no established trails, from flat desert plains to high dunes in the Sharqiyah (Wahiba) Sands. Flags mark the course about every 500 m, and runners must stay within 5 m of them. On the night stage, solar lamps every 50 m form a chain of lights across the dunes. In 2026, Stage 1 opened with 10 km of runnable soft sand, climbed steadily through the middle 20 km and finished with 10 km of steep dunes after checkpoint 3. Desert sand gaiters are mandatory. The organizer says mountain gaiters do not work here and recommends sewing gaiters to the shoes or fixing them with Velcro, because glue tends to fail in the heat. It also suggests poles for steep dune climbs.
The organizer’s rules give January averages of about 30°C by day and 13°C at night, with rare midday spikes toward 40°C. Its FAQ tells runners to expect 12 to 15°C at night and warns that tired, underfed runners feel the cold more. At midday on Stage 1 the temperature reached 32°C in 2026 but only 24°C in 2025. In 2024, thick morning fog delayed a stage start by an hour because runners could not see the flags. The organizer notes that rain is rare and firms up the sand.
Entry & Logistics
| Registration and fees | Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms. |
|---|---|
| Qualification | No qualifying race is needed. Entrants must be 18 or older on race day and must have assistance and repatriation insurance. By December 10, 2026, upload a medical certificate signed by a GP, a passport image, the insurance certificate and your flight times. The organizer asks that the doctor be told about the distance, the heat and the 10 to 15 kg pack. You also need an ECG taken within 30 days of the start, uploaded by January 8, 2027 or brought as a signed original to registration. Without both medical documents you are withdrawn and lose the entry fee. In October 2026 the 165 km Classic cost $1,680 at the regular rate, $1,470 for returning runners and $1,380 per runner for groups. The $1,575 early-bird rate ended July 31. Cancellations made by September 9 get a full refund minus bank fees, then 75% by October 9 and 50% by November 10, with nothing back after that. If circumstances beyond your control stop you from racing, you can ask at any point up to race day to defer to 2028 or transfer your entry to another runner, and the organizer decides each request individually. |
| Support model | Checkpoints come about every 10 km. They are mandatory passage points that record each runner’s arrival and hand out bottled mineral water, which is also available at camp. Bottles are numbered, and discarding one in the desert costs anywhere from 3 hours to disqualification. Sports-medicine doctors in medical vehicles wait at the checkpoints and the finish each day. They can withdraw a runner or send one to a government hospital by ambulance. Physiotherapists and a podiatrist work in camp. A boiler supplies hot water in the morning and evening, but the generator may be off right after a stage, so the organizer advises planning post-stage meals that do not depend on it. Quick showers are offered most days when well water allows. There is no GPS tracking: the race relies on patrols, drones and checkpoint logs, and staff walk in with the last runners. |
| Crew / pacers | No crew and no pacers. Food, water or help from anyone outside the organization costs a 3-hour penalty, and an IV drip draws a penalty at the medical team’s discretion. Families can stay at Bediya Green Homes at discounted rates, and the organizer offers supporters round-trip transport from Muscat airport for 100 OMR, either to the hotel before the race or to race locations on race days. Family members and coaches need the organizers’ permission to film or photograph the race. |
| Logistics note | Fly into Muscat International Airport. Staff meet runners in the arrivals hall from 9:00 to 11:00 AM on arrival day, and a shuttle leaves at about 11:00 AM for Bediya Green Homes in Al Wasil, roughly 190 km away, where check-in and lunch are at 1:00 PM. The shuttle is included for 165 km and 100 km entrants; anyone else pays 10 OMR in cash. Entry covers the hotel or desert camp before and after the race, meals on those days, open-sided group tents with carpets during the race, transfers, a medal and a T-shirt. Flights are extra. The race finishes on the Arabian Sea coast, at Qahid village in Ja’alan Bani Bu Hasan in 2026. In the organizer’s program, the departure-day bus leaves at 6:30 AM and reaches the airport at 8:00 AM. Runners can instead stay on for stops at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Muttrah Souq, with a final airport drop at 11:30 AM; anyone who stays longer at the mosque takes a taxi, paid in rials. The rules put the five stages on January 9–13, 2027, but the event program still lists January 9 as arrival day, so confirm the schedule before booking flights. Pack 35 OMR (about US$91) in cash, which is on the mandatory kit list. |
Why This Race Matters
Said Al Hajri, a former senior Air Force officer who founded the Bidiya Off-Road Club in 1998, started the Oman Desert Marathon in 2013, and his company Omania Adventure still runs it. Seven editions ran in Bidiyah through 2019. After a break, the race returned in January 2023, moved from its old November date, and the 2026 race was the 11th. The 165 km ODM Classic is a self-sufficient stage race from the Al Wasil oasis to the Arabian Sea, with a night stage lit by solar lamps. Moroccan brothers Mohamed and Rachid El Morabity have won every men’s title since 2023, and Oman’s Saleh Al Saidi has made the podium each year. The organizer calls it the first event in the Middle East with SheRACES accreditation for women’s inclusion.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- 2026 winners (11th edition): Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco), 15:38:10, and Aziza El Amrany (Morocco), 22:18:33.
- 2023 winners (8th edition, four stages over 165 km): Mohamed El Morabity, 14:13:15, and Corina Sommer (Switzerland), 19:39:28.
- In 2024 Pol Makuri of Spain, running with teammate Albert Jorquera, finished in 35:10:07 and became the first runner with cerebral palsy to complete the race, according to the organizer.
Preparing for a Race Like Oman Desert Marathon
The stage race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Stage race packing list: Mandatory kit, daily carry, camp bags, food and foot care.
- Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
- Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
- Blister prevention: Socks, taping, lubrication, shoe fit and hot spots.
Best Fit
- Runners who want a first self-sufficient desert stage race with a small field and cutoffs that flex with the heat
- Fast desert specialists, since the men’s and women’s winners each take 800 OMR
- Runners who want the 165 km Classic as the centerpiece of a trip to Oman, with a Muscat mosque-and-souq stop on the way home
Planning Notes
- Study the mandatory gear list early and rehearse carrying the exact pack weight you expect to use on race day.
- Heat, sun, and dry air require event-specific preparation. Test sun protection and cooling, drink in response to thirst, and remember that sodium cannot make overdrinking safe.
- The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
- Soft sand all week: gaiters are mandatory, and sand inside your shoes for hours means blisters
- Pack weight: five days of food (at least 15,000 kcal) plus kit, which the organizer puts at 10 to 15 kg
- The long night stage (45 km on the current course page), which starts in waves in the afternoon and finishes in the dark
- Paperwork and kit checks: no medical certificate or ECG means no start and no refund, and each missing kit item costs 30 minutes
Event FAQs
When is the Oman Desert Marathon in 2027?
The organizer’s race rules set the five stages for January 9–13, 2027, in Wilayat Bidiyah in Oman’s Al Sharqiyah region. Its 165 km page lists January 8 as arrival day and January 14 for the transfer home. The event program and the 100 km Hike page still show arrival on January 9 and the stages on January 10–14, so confirm with the organizer before booking flights. Kit and medical checks take place at camp the day before Stage 1.
What do you have to carry in the Oman Desert Marathon?
Everything except water and a tent. Runners carry at least 3,000 kcal of food per day (15,000 kcal in total), a sleeping bag, sand gaiters and a mandatory kit that includes an anti-venom pump, metal knife, signaling mirror, whistle, space blanket, headlamp with spare batteries, salt tablets, first-aid kit and 35 OMR in cash. The rules also list a sleeping pad, although the FAQ calls one optional on the carpeted tent floors. Bottled water comes at checkpoints about every 10 km, and each missing kit item costs a 30-minute penalty.
What are the cutoffs in the Oman Desert Marathon?
There is no fixed time limit. The organizer sets each stage’s cutoff before the start, based on the temperature and how fast runners moved the previous day, and the limits leave room to hike. Finishing outside a cutoff means disqualification under the rules, but the organizer’s FAQ says nobody has yet been excluded for missing one. On the night stage, slower runners start first in waves so the field finishes at a similar time.
How hard is the Oman Desert Marathon?
It is a true desert stage race: 165 km over five days on mostly soft sand, with a long night stage, daytime highs around 30°C and a pack of 10 to 15 kg. Even so, most starters finish. In 2023, 37 of 42 starters finished, and in 2026, 28 of the 32 runners who completed Stage 1 reached the Arabian Sea. Winning times run between about 14 and 16 hours, and the last finishers took over 50 hours in 2026.
How much does the Oman Desert Marathon cost?
For 2027 the 165 km Classic costs $1,680 at the regular rate, $1,470 for returning runners and $1,380 per runner for groups; the $1,575 early-bird rate ended July 31, 2026. Entry includes the airport shuttle, accommodation and meals before and after the race, tents and water during it, medical support, a medal and a T-shirt. Flights and the required repatriation insurance are extra.
Related Preparation
- Browse the multiday stage-race calendar
- Open the Stage Race format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
- Estimate race calories and plan fueling
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 25, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Official Oman Desert Marathon site — https://omandesertmarathon.com/
- Official 2027 race rules — https://omandesertmarathon.com/165km-100km-race-rules/
- Official 165 km ODM Classic page — https://omandesertmarathon.com/165km-odm-classic/
- Official 100 km ODM Hike page — https://omandesertmarathon.com/100km-odm-hike/
- Official event program — https://omandesertmarathon.com/event-program/
- Official FAQ — https://omandesertmarathon.com/faqs/
- Official About ODM page — https://omandesertmarathon.com/about-odm/
- Official accommodation and family transport page — https://omandesertmarathon.com/accommodation/
- Official ODM Women’s Hub — https://omandesertmarathon.com/odm-womens-hub/
- Official desert running tips — https://omandesertmarathon.com/desert-running-tips/
- Official 2026 Stage 1 report — https://omandesertmarathon.com/2026/01/day-1-the-desert-awakens-first-blood-in-the-sands/
- Official 2025 Stage 1 report — https://omandesertmarathon.com/2025/01/epic-start-to-the-2025-oman-desert-marathon-with-42km-first-stage/
- Official 2024 Stage 2 report — https://omandesertmarathon.com/2023/10/stage-2-55-km-the-longest-and-hardest-but-also-the-most-beautiful/
- Official 2024 night-stage report — https://omandesertmarathon.com/2023/10/stage-three-the-stars/
- Official 2026 results (RaceResult) — https://my.raceresult.com/378212/results
- Official 2025 results (RaceResult) — https://my.raceresult.com/323810/results
- Official 2024 results (RaceResult) — https://my.raceresult.com/274879/results
- Oman Observer: 165 km race moves to January, held since 2013 (2022) — https://www.omanobserver.om/ampArticle/1122850
- Oman Observer: Mohammed El Morabity clinches ODM honours (2023) — https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1131775/sports/mohammed-el-morabity-clinch-odm-honours
- Oman Observer: 10th edition flagged off (2025) — https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1165026/sports/athletics/oman-desert-marathons-10th-edition-flagged-off
- Oman News Agency: 11th edition and SheRACES accreditation (December 2025) — https://omannews.gov.om/topics/en/135/show/126221
- Oman News Agency: more than 1,200 competitors, finish at Qahid (January 2026) — https://omannews.gov.om/topics/en/135/show/126426
- Road Race Management: 2026 Stage 4 release — https://rrm.com/2026/news/icarussports-oman-desert-marathon-stage-4-dramatic-finishes-define-the-penultimate-stage/
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 25, 2026.