From London to Toronto, here's how Arab run clubs are connecting communities along the way

It’s no secret by now that running has become a very on-trend fitness exercise, and with it, a sudden surge in run clubs popping up in countless major cities around the world.

While the boom in run clubs shows no signs of abating, a new trend has started to emerge: weekly run clubs initiated and led by Arabs in the diaspora for Arab runners.

Perhaps the first to have started the trend is the Arab Run Club, based in Toronto. Established in the summer of 2024, the club has, since its first run on August 21, garnered over 45,300 followers on Instagram and established chapters in numerous cities across North America and Europe.

Inspired by their success, as well as that of other Arab-run clubs popping up globally, the London Arab Running Club in the UK was founded in November. It now has over 11,000 followers on Instagram and well over 2,000 members on WhatsApp.

Both clubs attract large numbers of runners per week, sometimes exceeding 200 people, depending on the weather. But anyone can step out of their front door and go for a run on their own accord, so why exactly are Arabs joining run clubs specific to their culture?

“I used to run with another big running club and they consistently had 150-200 people attending, [but] I was the only person of colour,” Keenan Saleh, co-founder of the London Arab Running Club, tells The New Arab.

“Everyone was with all the other runners, and there were a particular clique. It certainly wasn't something we wanted to do when we created this club. We wanted to make a space for people like us, people who represent the diversity of Arabs here in London.”

Tamer Shaheen, the co-founder of the Arab Run Club in Toronto, had similar reasons.

“There was a rise in summer of 2023 and in summer of 2024 of run clubs all over like Canada and the US,” he tells The New Arab.

“I joined a few and got to run with a few run clubs. I noticed that there wasn't a run club that was predominantly of Arab descent. As an Arab, growing up within that culture, I've come to realise that there are specific things we tend to do that aren’t common among the mainstream population in Canada and the US. So I was like, it would be amazing to have something for the community,” he adds.  

Real sense of community 

In many ways, the rise (and rise) of Arab run clubs is in line with Strava's annual Year In Sport: Trend Report for 2024, which showed a 59 percent increase in running club participation. The report, which examined data from more than 135 million people across over 190 countries, also found a 59 percent increase in running club membership.

According to Strava, one of the main reasons running has become an increasingly popular form of exercise is that it is no longer exclusively a solo pursuit, but also a communal experience.

Social run clubs also don’t discriminate against fitness, something both the Arab Run Club and the London Arab Running Club make clear in their respective marketing campaigns. In addition, if one were to compare it to cycling, which can be pricey, running is comparatively far more accessible.

These elements naturally complement the common trait of Arab culture being very community-centric. The sense of belonging it provides to runners, allowing them to connect with like-minded people, is perhaps the main reason why many return to the Arab Run Club’s and London Arab Running Club’s weekly runs.

“We have so many similarities on how we grew up, on what we believe from a political perspective, religious perspective, things that really are close to our heart,” Tamer tells The New Arab.

“It is such a beautiful opportunity when you get to see all these people that honestly would have never otherwise met, but they were able to meet through our organisation, and have slowly been forming lifelong friendships. To us, that's super beautiful to see and to witness," he adds. 

Keenan says: “There's a real sense of community from what we've built. There's nothing like it at the moment in London. That's why it has drawn such a huge following. Within a few weeks, people have been telling me that they've made lifelong friendships and connections. People are describing this club as a family, and, you know, it's just so touching to hear that.”

Unity in motion

The diversity of these clubs’ members represents the full spectrum of the MENA region. They are a mixture of those born and raised in the diaspora, to those who migrated as adults or split their time between the two regions.

Additionally, women make up a significant proportion of the membership. The co-founders of both clubs even believe they comprise the majority of their weekly runs.

“When I joined, I would call myself a diversity hire on the female side,” jokes Nur Tawfeeq, also co-founder of the Arab Run Club.

“Running wouldn't always seem like a girl thing… but when I saw Arab Run Club, I was like, this looks like something we could do. I would tell my friends, and they're like, 'I would never run,' but I'm like, 'Come on, let's go.'

“I posted on my story, and people slowly started to come out. And then when we started shooting content and posting, and people started recognising other people, or their friends, and they saw me, as a like, a female representation there, they were like, 'Oh, wait, maybe I can come,'” Nur continues.

“A lot of the comments from girls specifically would be like, ‘Well, I don't run’. I'm like, it's okay. I don't run either. We can start jogging, then walk, and then continue running.

“Slowly, we can see people feeling more empowered and encouraged to come out… I spoke with many girls who came to the Arab Run Club alone, or didn't know anyone after moving to the city. But after joining our club, they now have many friends.”

Running together and giving together

Both clubs also hold regular social events – from dinners, ice skating to post-run brunches – to help build that sense of community.

Sometimes, their social events also double up as fundraisers for charities working on the ground across the MENA region, especially in Gaza. In one dinner event during Ramadan this year, the London Arab Running Club raised over £2,000 for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

“It helps when people are encouraged to come out knowing that they're socialising, they're being part of their community, but then they're also sort of giving back at the same time, which I think is really amazing,” says Eldiin Fahmy, another co-founder of the Arab Run Club.

But what of the stereotypes associated with Arabs and their sporting prowess, or the prevalence of smoking in our culture, whether it be cigarettes or shisha? Both clubs believe they are just that: stereotypes.

“Nowadays, there's a big movement in terms of focusing on our health and our fitness, thinking about our longevity, thinking about self-improvement,” Keenan says, pointing to the many other sub-fitness groups that London Arab Running Club has established under its branding, such as hiking, cycling and even padel.

Arab Run Club members have also enjoyed taking part in other exercises that don’t just involve running, especially in the freezing cold winters of Toronto, such as Pilates and workouts.

“There is clearly, especially this newer generation of Arabs that want to get together in a way that is healthy and good for them… we really are very health conscious,” Tamer says.