[slideshow][Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-1.jpg);[Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-2.jpg);[Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-3.jpg);[Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-4.jpg);[Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-5.jpg);[Photo by Koh Terai/The Gazelle](https://cdn.thegazelle.org/gazelle/2013/10/WADIBIH-6.jpg)[/slideshow]

Fifty-eight NYU Abu Dhabi students and twenty-four staff members participated in the 22nd annual Salomon Wadi Bih run that took place on Feb. 8 in Dibba, an exclave of Oman. The race consisted of 72 kilometers split between four or five team members in predetermined legs. Each team must consist of at least one female participant. This is the third year NYUAD has participated in the event.

The two buses transporting students reached the UAE-Oman border at 9:00 p.m., where they were delayed for five hours. For reasons that were never clarified, dozens of cars were not being let through into Oman, resulting in long waits, some over eight hours. Many runners did not reaching the Golden Tulip Hotel, the start and end of the race, until 5:00 a.m., just one hour before the official start of the race.

The course starts at sea level and peaks at 1000 meters, with its track consisting of both asphalt and gravel. While one runner ran his or her section, teammates would wait at the following checkpoint. Teams traveled by cars which were driven by volunteer faculty members.

"It was painful and at several points I was about to give up,” said Omar. “But the experience itself was self-fulfilling. When looking at how far I had climbed up in the end, I felt a true sense of achievement.”

Although most runners choose to run in teams, the race can also be run individually. At different points of the race, there are stations in which solo runners are provided with food and drink. These individual runners start hours before the teams and can opt to run a shorter version of the race consisting of 50 kilometers, also known as the Solo Canyon.

Awards are given to best times in both categories as well for the best dressed team. NYUAD’s Bumble Bihs won the the prize for best costume. NYUAD’s fastest team was the Tough Cookies, with a cumulative time of 05:29:37.

Associate Director of Athletics, Intramurals & Recreation Wayne Young said that the event was more about forming connections than results per se.

“We had 24 staff members participate, some who do not usually have any contact with students so that's a success for us … building relationships through sports,” he said.

Omer shared a similar sentiment, “None of us are competitive runners, so we went in with the motto Complete, not compete.”

This year’s cohort was the second largest group of NYUAD students to travel officially for any event.