Behind the Scenes: How the Adizero House of Fast Took Over Dubai’s Running Scene
See how the adidas team in Dubai went back to the drawing board when they found themselves without a presence at two of the city's biggest races.
"We needed to look at this from a different angle," reflected Eugene Karasev, Senior Director Brand adidas Emerging Markets. With Dubai's running scene continuously evolving, the team made a decisive shift, away from solely focusing on adidas-branded runs and communities, and toward something bigger: a 'community of communities'. As a brand, adidas didn't want to compete with existing running communities. Instead, the goal was to become a platform for all of them, a space where every crew, regardless of pace, background or training style, could come together.
The concept that brought this vision to life? ADIZERO House of Fast, a running hub planted right on Kite Beach, one of Dubai's most popular and iconic coastal locations. A space where Dubai's diverse running crews could come together under one roof. Not just to run, but to connect, fuel up, gear up, and feel part of something bigger.
After months of design, novelty product samples, permits and contractor delays, ADIZERO House of Fast opened its doors in early January. For Eugene, the moment it all came together was unforgettable: "You always wonder about expectation vs. reality, how it will look in real life compared to the mockup. And you know what? It looked even better. When you see the sunset reflecting off the pop-up, it's magical!"
OWNING THE RACE WEEKENDS
Weeks after opening, with the running season in full swing and consecutive marathon weekends fast approaching, the team had one question on their minds. "We needed to become the talk of the town. How can we become the center of magnetism during race weekends?" reflects Eugene.
This was how the creative ideas of the ADIZERO Pasta Party and Racing Bandanas were born.
The time-honored ritual of carb-loading before race day turned into ADIZERO Pasta, a limited-edition ravioli in the shape of the EVO SL shoe, crafted in partnership with local artisan Sagra. Registered runners came together at ADIZERO House of Fast for a pre-race fueling moment, aka the Pasta Party. By showing up where runners didn't expect them, the team created a genuinely meaningful moment that resonated deeply with the Dubai running community, with many runners still reaching out long after race day to share just how memorable the experience was.
But the team didn't stop there. A partnership with popular local delivery app 'Careem' made the pasta available to all Dubai residents.
Racing Bandanas were distributed to all registered runners as a way to spot their crew and keep the brand visible on race day. And adidas took over the race route itself, with the media team buying out ad space along the runners' path, displaying motivational messages like "YOU GOT THIS" and "THIS STREET KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF."
LEAVING THEM WANTING MORE
ADIZERO House of Fast closed its doors in April, but the story doesn't end there. The concept has already begun inspiring similar activations across the region, with the team looking to bring the same energy, community spirit and creative ambition to new markets.
A permanent return to Kite Beach? Don't count on it. "We'd rather come back next season with a new concept. If it becomes permanent it loses its oomph and moment. You must leave them wanting more," Eugene explains with a smile.
