WEP 2025- Stride to Success: A Running Clinic for the KAUST Community

In collaboration with WEP, Campus and Community are offering a running clinic to the KAUST community! 

It will be led by Mr. Abdullah Aljoud, a former Olympic professional runner and the half-marathon national record holder in Saudi Arabia, Miznah Alnassar and Abdullah Dehwah.  The speakers will introduce running as an exercise method that can positively impact personal health and lifestyle when done correctly. They will guide participants, including amateurs and beginners, on the proper running techniques to avoid injuries. Additionally, this session will help runners understand how to safely push their boundaries and limits in all types of sports.

Event details:

• Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025
• Venue: Harbor Sports Center and track
• Time: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Program overview

The program will consist of two parts:

1. Theoretical part (45 min): This will be conducted through in-class presentations covering topics such as how to start running, appropriate running attire, selecting running shoes, choosing running surfaces, proper running form, injury prevention, and when to run through pain.
2. Practical session (45 min): Participants will apply what they’ve learned in class. A typical session will include a proper warm-up, stretching, speed workouts, running form practice, and a cool-down. This part is held on the field, with practice taking place on the track immediately after class for a hands-on experience.

All levels of runners, including beginners, amateurs, and advanced runners, are welcome to join. Note: This does not count as part of WEP hours. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.  To maintain the quality of the workshop, we can only have 20 participants. 

About the speakers

Mr Abdullah Al Joud

Abdullah Aljoud is an inspirational figure. A Saudi Arabian long-distance runner. He is holding the national record for the half marathon and placed no. 48 over the world for the half-marathon distance. Abdullah was a contracted consultant that conducts a Children Run for Health program at Johns’ Hopkins hospital in Saudi Aramco. This is a unique program targeted for a specific age population and its the first in the region. The success of the program so far has shown that children can lead their own health.

He competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games for the Men’s 5000 M and also qualified for the world championships. He has been coached by Ian Wilson since he started running at the age of 27. By the age of 37 he was able to make it to the Olympics and he set most of his personal records after the age of 35. He is a running coach for professional and Olympic level athletes of the Saudi national team. He also mentors and trains with his own team in Aramco campus; Joud Running Club. Parts of his achievements are as follow:

• 3000m in 7:49.04 minutes, 2010, Morocco)
• 5000m in 13:11.61 minutes, (2012, Morocco)
• 10,000m in 28:47 minutes, (2014, UAE)
• 21km in 01:02.57 hours, (2014, Copenhagen)

Ms Miznah Alnassar

Ms Miznah Alnassar is an Aramco employee who currently joined the Saudi Athlete National Team as 800m runner. She had broken the Saudi record in the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku 2017. She also carries the Saudi Female Records, for 3km, 5km and 10km. Miznah started her running career in 2013 in Saudi Aramco Camp and since then she was improving with Coach Abdullah Al-Joud. She is the fastest lady in Saudi Aramco Camp winning the first overall female in all the races she participated in. She also aims to be the official coach for the Saudi Arabian women’s track and field club. Miznah currently runs for the Joud Running group, Al-Safa club and Saudi Federation. Since 2014, she has been leading the female team in an international event in Bahrain and managed with the Joud team to finish 1st overall at 48 km distance relay race (Bahrain Marathon Relay).

Dr. Abdullah Dehwah

Dr. Abdullah Dehwah is a KAUST graduate and currently an employee with Air products who has running as a passion. Abdullah has experience participating in different races from 100 meters up to 12 hours relay races. Abdullah managed to compete in many local competitions as well as international competitions in Bahrain, always managing to finish in the top ten. Abdullah is the founder of Red Sea Runners group at KAUST, and he helped conducting more than 100 training running sessions in the Red Sea Runners group.

About WEP

WEP is an annual two-week program that creates a lively and engaging atmosphere, taking us away from our regular activities and bringing together students, the KAUST community, national and international visitors, and eminent speakers from Saudi Arabia and around the world. WEP’s success, as always, depends on the creativity of everyone here at KAUST and will evolve from your proposal ideas selected by the WEP Committee, comprising faculty, staff and community.

Health and Wellness

This program is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which focuses on promoting good health and well-being, and the Saudi Vision 2030 objective to increase public participation in sports and athletic activities.

Contact us

For more information, please contact community.events@kaust.edu.sa

CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY