2014 - 7 teams with 7 runners

7EmiratesRun, in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation, is back! 7 teams of 7 runners will run 575
kilometers across the UAE in 12 days [from 21 November 2014 to 2 December 2014] to raise funds to
help children back on their feet.

Wendelin Lauxen

Germany

7ER ultra marathon will be lead by Wendelin Lauxen, 52 years young German, who is based in Dubai as the Managing Director of German Limbtech, clinic for prosthetic, orthotic and compression therapy in DHCC.

He´s the founder of the 7 Emirates Run in 2010, finished the 7EmiratesRun, 575 km, in 12 days and wants to share the run this year with others again for a good cause.

Wendelin is the Guinness World Record Holder of the World Record „Fastest time to complete a marathon on each of the 7 continents“ and he broke this record twice in 2012. www.wendelinlauxen.com

He dedicated the World Record as a gift to the UAE and the DHCC Community.

His mission is to „Run to Help children back on their feet“ and he enjoys to combine his runs and his work as healthcare professional with charity activities.

Aida Othman

New Zealand

A Kuala Lumpur born, with permanent residence of New Zealand and now making Dubai her homebase for the past 3 half years. Enjoyed running as favourite past time, till date with achievement of completing 4 marathons.

Her aim this  year is to run her first ultra marathon.

A qualified accountant and experience in banking, currently as Head of Business Finance in Emirates NBD. She loves food, culture, travel, and hopes to inspire others to involve in running and fitness

Clemens Kastner

Germany

He has done a number of different sports from growing up all the way through University, however when he decided to start his career and his family pretty much at the same time, sport was not in his focus for a number of years.

At the new millennium he got back into running and soon after into triathlon. Clemens has done a number of Ironman, Marathon and recently started to venture into the world of Ultras with finishing the Comrades Marathon.

He is married and has two teenage kids who are runners themselves, are considerably more talented than their father and are regulars with the local running races in Dubai. The family spent the first years enjoying the nature in Southern Germany before moving to Australia, where the ocean and kids motocross parks were added to the list of weekend venues.

Since moving  to Dubai in 2008 the family enjoys the multi-cultural lifestyle of the UAE and proximity to the ocean as well as the desert and the mountains

Deirdre O`Leary

Canada

Dee is a Canadian from Nova Scotia, who came to Dubai with a career in the petroleum industry. With young twin boys and a cricket-obsessed English husband, taking up distance running seemed a great idea!

Apart from wonderful runs with the Dubai Creek Striders, Dee has recently started trail running in the Northern Emirates.

She enjoyed it so much, she jumped at the opportunity to run them all for good causes. A music lover, she had to be convinced to leave her bagpipes at home (this time!)

Doris Matlok

Australia

Doris is a 44 year old UAE resident and Australian citizen who has lived and worked in Dubai since 2007. She has been active in various sports such as running, crossfit, triathlon, scuba diving, stand up paddleboard, golf, and yoga.

Doris has completed numerous triathlons (including 2 Ironman distance triathlons) as well as several half marathons and full marathons. She was the 2011-2012 age group champion at the Super Sports sprint triathlon series.

In October 2012 she crossed 250km of the Sahara Desert in Egypt (on foot and self supported) to raise awareness about, and funds for, depression and bipolar disorder. Doris placed 3rd in her age group in that race.  She completed a similar 250km race in the Gobi Desert in China in June 2013.

Doris also plans to compete in a number of ultra-marathons in 2013 and 2014, including the 7EmiratesRun in the UAE, the Transomania Race in January 2014 (300km in the mountains and deserts of Oman) and Racing the Planet’s Last Desert race in November 2014 (250km across various locations in Antarctica).

Servee Palman

Netherlands

Servee is a 46-year old Dutch national from Maastricht with international hospitality and most recent operational educational experience. A globetrotter and expatriate since 1991. He has lived in Bahrain, UK, UAE, Egypt, and is since 2001 back in Dubai. 

He enjoys endurance running & cycling, with the occasional triathlon. Servee has completed an ironman 70.3, 4 marathons, and a dozen half-marathons, and of course the 7ER in 2013. He actively runs with the Dubai Road Runners and cycles with Cycle Safe Dubai. 

His wife Helle and teenage daughter Anne are swim-fanatics, while his teenage son Max enjoys a combination of swimming, running, and soccer.

Ekhman Mahmud

Malaysia

The Malay born runner came to Dubai after spending more than a decade in New Zealand and 2.5 years in Australia. A qualified chartered accountant with vast commercial experience in travel and FMCG. Currently working in Business Strategy for Travelport Intl.

He enjoys the passion of long distance running, with few marathons run under his belt and recent achievement of 50km Annapurna Trail run in Nepal.

Happily married, an All Black loyal supporter and love for travel and to see the world.