More than 400 UAE residents today convened at Al Ittihad Park on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai for the third edition of the Cigna Park Run, the monthly community outreach event aimed at promoting an active lifestyle, in addition to driving home the importance of heart health.

Taking place as part of the ongoing Dubai Fitness Challenge 2018 that seeks to motivate the city’s residents to committing to 30 minutes of physical activity every day for a month, the event featured a timed 2.5 km or 5 km run and upbeat exercise sessions.

The Cigna Park Run is an ongoing series of sporting events hosted by Cigna Insurance Middle East, a global health services provider, in partnership with race specialist Race.ME. The run aims to inspire people of all ages and fitness levels to prioritize their physical well-being and enjoy a community day out at their local neighborhood park.

Arthur Cozad, CEO of Cigna Insurance Middle East, said: “The Cigna Park Run has gradually become a highly anticipated staple event on the UAE calendar. It is extremely encouraging to see people of all ages and abilities, including children and families, participate in the run. This month, we are proud to align with the Dubai Fitness Challenge that motivates residents to incorporate fitness into their daily routine and take control of their health. Our aim is to create a platform that prioritizes active fun, and we are happy to see local communities embracing the Cigna Park Run each month.”

He added: “In enabling citizens to lead a healthier lifestyle, the Cigna Park Run reinforces Cigna’s mission and highlights our efforts in our Heart Your Heart campaign that emphasizes the importance of preventative healthcare measures in reducing the prevalence of heart disease in the local population.”

On the sidelines of the run, Cigna offered complimentary blood pressure screenings as part of its community awareness initiative Cigna Heart Your Heart, while qualified personal trainers dispensed health advice and demonstrated pre-run warm-up techniques. In addition, visitors got to try the Cigna Wellbeing™ app that, among other functions, carries out general health assessments to generate personalized health management plans.

The event included several competitions that offered contestants the chance to take home fitness-themed prizes for performing tasked exercises. Participants of the run who completed the Dubai Fitness Challenge were also in the running to win the latest Apple Watch Series 4 as part of a social media competition, announced on the Cigna Park Run Facebook page.

The Cigna Park Run is open to all at a one-time registration fee of AED100 for the year. The next run will take place on December 1, 2018.

To register for future events or view images from the third run, please visit www.cignaparkrun.com