British dad Dubai runner Evren Ozka has completed one of the toughest self-set ultra-endurance challenges in the Gulf, breaking three national running records across Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE in just one month. The Dubai-based entrepreneur and father of two, now a Puma athlete, dedicated the feat to raising funds for Dubai Cares to support children’s education worldwide.
From overweight smoker to record-breaking ultra runner
Ozka’s journey is a dramatic transformation story. Once an overweight smoker and drinker who struggled to finish a single kilometre, he has reinvented himself as a record-breaking endurance athlete. Last year, he set a Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of the UAE on foot. In this new challenge, he broke his own UAE national record by running about 630 km in five days, 11 hours, and 19 minutes — an improvement of 11 hours and 39 minutes over his previous time.
Across the region, he also set new marks by running around 192 km in 26 hours and 30 minutes in Qatar, and approximately 68.5 km in 11 hours and 26 minutes in Bahrain. In total, he covered nearly 900 km within a month, battling extreme fatigue, changing conditions, and long stretches of isolation while wearing the newly launched Puma MAGMAX 2.
Community support across three countries
Although the challenge was individual in nature, Ozka’s efforts became a shared journey. In Qatar, fellow Puma athlete and coach Biha joined parts of his route. In Bahrain, runners from the Bahrain Warriors community rotated alongside him. In the UAE, members of the Lift Focus Grind (LFG) running community, other athletes, and Puma Middle East teammates supported key sections, including the opening kilometres. His core crew followed him through all three countries, providing logistical and emotional support that turned a solo test into a collective story of resilience and trust.
The UAE leg, which finished on UAE National Day, carried special meaning for Ozka, who has made the country his home in recent years. “For me, this wasn’t just about running across countries or breaking records,” he said. “It was about proving who I’ve become. A few years ago, I couldn’t run a kilometre. To finish almost 900 km in one month across three nations and to do it for a cause like Dubai Cares, means more than a record.”
“Anyone can rewrite their life”
Ozka’s mindset is shaped as much by past setbacks as by his victories. Last year, he attempted to break the record for the greatest distance covered on a treadmill in one week, but an injury forced him to abandon the effort. Rather than quitting, he returned stronger to set three new records on the road.
“It’s proof that anyone can rewrite their life if they start and push,” he said. He credits not only his own determination but also the people who joined him for a few kilometres and his team who stayed with him across borders. “I kept the mentality that every step, every doubt, and every wall I faced was mine to overcome, and I never stopped pushing forward until I made it.”
His story stands as a powerful example for anyone looking to transform their health, habits, or mindset: change is possible, but it starts with a single step and a refusal to give up.
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