Dear Swaras,

Sometimes one of those runs comes around that just has everyone talking. Well, this was one of them, dear Swaras. This was a pet project of our very own Chairman, Ajaa, who scouted and marked the route himself. In case you missed, it, it turns out the distances weren’t quite as announced, and so I apologise on behalf of the club, and on behalf of your weary legs! However, everyone finished with a smile, stories to tell, and photos a-plenty! See the photo highlights of the hills of Kaguku/Kawethei/Muranga below, and next time a run like this comes around, don’t miss it! Link to photos in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/OcviDDTRBhwCWF3V?ref=Link

This Saturday is the long-awaited Nairobi to Naivasha relay. We have 30 runners split across three teams representing the club. They will be running alongside teams from the Hash House Harriers, Swedish School, Safaricom, Braeburn School, Wakimbizi, and various other clubs, companies, and groupings.

Be sure to follow the action and see how wins! I can already guarantee that everyone will feel like a winner after the 80+kilometre relay between here and the great Hell’s Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha.

Also, remember we are also on Instagram, so follow us there and tag us on your runs!

https://www.instagram.com/urbanswarasrunningclub

Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon2021 – deadline 30th September, it’s almost here!

We’re still taking Swara applications to the in-person Nairobi Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon, which this year is limited to only 2,500 runners on Sunday 31st October. A number of spaces have been committed to the running clubs, and your Swara officials and CRE have been busy preparing everything to get as many Swaras participating as possible!

The qualification times for the in-person run are as follows:

Full marathon

Men – 4hours Women: 4hours30mins

Half Marathon

Men – 2hours Women – 2hours15mins

Wheelchair Race

Men – 3hours Women – 3hours15mins

10km

Men – 57mins Women – 1hrs4mins

There will also be a virtual run open to everyone, for which you can register here:https://www.nairobimarathon.com/

If you want to take part in the in-person run, you will need to submit a qualifying run within the times detailed above. Fill in this form (https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9) by the 30th September, to be in with a chance of running the 31st October marathon. NEW ROUTE ALERT —> with the ongoing roadworks on the 7th circle of hell aka Mombasa Road, the run will take part along Southern Bypass, starting from Carnivore, Langata, with some gentle downhill for the first 10km, and then around 20km of gradual climb before finishing on some more gentle downhill. The 21km will follow a similar pattern of down-up-down. Start training now and submit your run to qualify for the in-person! More information on the virtual run registration to come. Registration link: https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9

Full info on all the above, as always, in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/OcviDDTRBhwCWF3V?ref=Link

#RunFarRunTogether

A fantastic turnout we had at the Bavaria Gardens run in Westlands! Apologies for those who had trouble finding the location. If in doubt, please click on the pin that is shared here, (don’t search for your own pin in Google Maps), and also use the directions. Some venues have misleading pins on Google Maps. Also feel free to post on the Whatsapp group if you are lost and need assistance! We heated up the tarmac with our running feet, and found some lovely little corners of Westlands. Well done to everyone who ran! Some photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/KkKF7hz2oDyKJVhS?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we are heading to Ngatho Primary School, at Kaguku Market, a most phenomenal Swara trail, that will take your breath away, this is not to be missed! A number of Swaras were involved in the scouting and testing of this route and can attest to it being an unmissable trail. Find full details in the Starting Line (https://sway.office.com/KkKF7hz2oDyKJVhS?ref=Link). Masks MUST be worn at all times when not running, and COVID protocols observed (see below).

Also, remember we are also on Instagram, so follow us there and tag us on your runs!

https://www.instagram.com/urbanswarasrunningclub

Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon2021 – deadline 30th September

In other news, we’re also taking Swara applications to the in-person Nairobi Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon, which this year is limited to only 2,500 runners on Sunday 31st October. A number of spaces have been committed to the running clubs, and your Swara officials and CRE have been busy preparing everything to get as many Swaras participating as possible!

The qualification times for the in-person run are as follows:

Full marathon

Men – 4hours Women: 4hours30mins

Half Marathon

Men – 2hours Women – 2hours15mins

Wheelchair Race

Men – 3hours Women – 3hours15mins

10km

Men – 57mins Women – 1hrs4mins

There will also be a virtual run open to everyone, for which you can register here:https://www.nairobimarathon.com/

If you want to take part in the in-person run, you will need to submit a qualifying run within the times detailed above. Fill in this form (https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9) by the 30th September, to be in with a chance of running the 31st October marathon. NEW ROUTE ALERT —> with the ongoing roadworks on the 7th circle of hell aka Mombasa Road, the run will take part along Southern Bypass, starting from Carnivore, Langata, with some gentle downhill for the first 10km, and then around 20km of gradual climb before finishing on some more gentle downhill. The 21km will follow a similar pattern of down-up-down. Start training now and submit your run to qualify for the in-person! More information on the virtual run registration to come. Registration link: https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9

Find all of this and more here: https://sway.office.com/KkKF7hz2oDyKJVhS?ref=Link

#NewTrail

The ooooohs and aaaaahs flowing from the mouths of runners this Saturday were enough to make the hills alive with the sound of pleasure (and a small dose of good pain). The hills were sublime, the weather was perfect, the breakfast was copious and tasty, the distances were generous (hands up who got a bonus on their distance)! Our Trail Queen and Trail Fox outdid themselves, and I’m happy to say that it is those same caterers that will be keeping our bellies full for Naivasha Relay (which reminds me, you need to register by Wednesday to be in one of the Swara teams for the relay or you will literally miss the bus: https://forms.gle/1BRvMLQzT4o3oWUh8). Check out the photos from Saturday’s run, and relive some of the best views and moments. Also a big congratulations to our very own Swara elite runner, Dennis Lopua, who was pacing some of the world’s top runners at the Vienna City Marathon. He is heading back to Kenya as we speak so we will be seeing him soon at Run2Gether for our annual run there! See the Starting Line for some photo higlights: https://sway.office.com/7PWkpMhOOOEMeoKk?ref=LinkThis coming Saturday we are heading to Bavaria Gardens, in Westlands, for some tarmac pounding and urban hills. Masks MUST be worn at all times when not running, and COVID protocols observed. See Starting Line for full details: https://sway.office.com/7PWkpMhOOOEMeoKk?ref=LinkNaivasha Relay 2021 registrationNaivasha Relay registration is now open, so we are inviting all Swaras who want to be a part of one of the Swara teams for this event to register. See the poster below. In short, it’s a 9-person relay comprising of 89km, on Saturday 2nd October, with each runner running an average of two stages of less than 10km each over the whole of Saturday . The fun is that all teams run together, so each leg is flagged off at the same time, and the teams go ahead of the runners by vehicle to cheer them on at each finish line. This is an event with a legendary legacy; the Nairobi Hash House Harriers have been hosting this run since 1982! Please be aware that there is a 2,500ksh registration fee payable to the organisers, and a Swara fee to cover food, logistics and transport. The total fee, excluding accommodation In Naivasha on the Saturday night, will be between 5,000ksh and 6,000ksh (to be confirmed), though we are doing everything possible to keep costs down, including a subsidy from the club. To sign up to be in one of the Swara teams, fill in this form by this Wednesday 15th September – that’s only 2 days away!!! : https://forms.gle/1BRvMLQzT4o3oWUh8Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon2021In other news, we’re also taking Swara applications to the in-person Nairobi Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon, which this year is limited to only 2,500 runners on Sunday 31st October. A number of spaces have been committed to the running clubs, and your Swara officials and CRE have been busy preparing everything to get as many Swaras participating as possible!The qualification times for the in-person run are as follows:Full marathonMen – 4:00 Women: 4:30Half MarathonMen – 2:00 Women – 2:15Wheelchair RaceMen – 3:00 Women – 3:1510kmMen – 0:57 Women – 1:04There will also be a virtual run open to everyone:If you want to take part in the in-person run, you will need to submit a qualifying run within the times detailed above. Fill in this form (https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9) by the 1st October, to be in with a chance of running the 31st October marathon. NEW ROUTE ALERT —> with the ongoing roadworks on the 7th circle of hell aka Mombasa Road, the run will take part along Southern Bypass, starting from Carnivore, Langata, with some gentle downhill for the first 10km, and then around 20km of gradual climb before finishing on some more gentle downhill. The 21km will follow a similar pattern of down-up-down. Start training now and submit your run to qualify for the in-person! More information on the virtual run registration to come. Registration link: https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9

#GoWestToWestlands

Dear Swaras (take a deep breath, this is a long one)!

Those of you who joined us for the first time on Saturday, lucky you! The Trail Fox went pretty easy on the hills (comparatively) and treated us to a drop dead gorgeous trail and perfect weather (though maybe the weather wasn’t all down to him)! We hope to see you regularly at Swara runs, you can ALWAYS expect quality trails, guaranteed good company, and USUALLY at least a few hills! In other news, one of our very own CRE members, Eddah Gichangi, celebrated her marriage to her running beau, Francis, this weekend, congratulations to the happy couple on behalf of the whole club! Find many photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/7PWkpMhOOOEMeoKk?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we are heading to to Githunguchu primary School in Ndeiya, to run alongside the magnificent Rift Valley escarpment! If you can make it, DO, you do not want to miss this trail! Find full details of the run below, and register by Thursday! Please note that we are returning to the old format of runs, where the flagging off will occur at 7.30am, so please come a few minutes before 7.30am to allow time to register and be ready to run at 7.30am! Masks MUST be worn at all times when not running, and COVID protocols observed (see below). Full details and registration in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/7PWkpMhOOOEMeoKk?ref=Link

Naivasha Relay 2021 registration

Some exciting big run news: Naivasha Relay registration is now open, so we are inviting all Swaras who want to be a part of one of the Swara teams for this event to register. See the poster below. In short, it’s a 9-person relay comprising of 89km, on Saturday 2nd October, with each runner running an average of two stages of less than 10km each over the whole of Saturday . The fun is that all teams run together, so each leg is flagged off at the same time, and the teams go ahead of the runners by vehicle to cheer them on at each finish line. This is an event with a legendary legacy; the Nairobi Hash House Harriers have been hosting this run since 1982! Please be aware that there is a 2,500ksh registration fee payable to the organisers, and a Swara fee to cover food, logistics and transport. The total fee, excluding accommodation In Naivasha on the Saturday night, will be between 5,000ksh and 6,000ksh (to be confirmed), though we are doing everything possible to keep costs down, including a subsidy from the club. To sign up to be in one of the Swara teams, fill in this form by 15th September: https://forms.gle/1BRvMLQzT4o3oWUh8

Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon2021

In other news, we’re also taking Swara applications to the in-person Nairobi Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon, which this year is limited to only 2,500 runners on Sunday 31st October. A number of spaces have been committed to the running clubs, and your Swara officials and CRE have been busy preparing everything to get as many Swaras participating as possible!

The qualification times for the in-person run are as follows:

Full marathon

Men – 4:00 Women: 4:30

Half Marathon

Men – 2:00 Women – 2:15

Wheelchair Race

Men – 3:00 Women – 3:15

10km

Men – 0:57 Women – 1:04

There will also be a virtual run open to everyone:

If you want to take part in the in-person run, you will need to submit a qualifying run within the times detailed above. Fill in this form (https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9) by the 1st October, to be in with a chance of running the 31st October marathon. NEW ROUTE ALERT —> with the ongoing roadworks on the 7th circle of hell aka Mombasa Road, the run will take part along Southern Bypass, starting from Carnivore, Langata, with some gentle downhill for the first 10km, and then around 20km of gradual climb before finishing on some more gentle downhill. The 21km will follow a similar pattern of down-up-down. Start training now and submit your run to qualify for the in-person! More information on the virtual run registration to come. Registration link: https://forms.gle/gjgYWKX65e1CkDGb9

Be sure to read through the Starting Line so you don’t miss the chance to take part in any of these runs! https://sway.office.com/7PWkpMhOOOEMeoKk?ref=Link

#SoManyRuns

We went back to our roots this last Saturday, as we did an urban run as the Urban Swaras! You think you know your city, until you take an Urban Swara run around a familiar neighbourhood and discover all sorts of back roads, trails, and hidden nooks and crannies you had no idea existed. The beauty of discovering new trails with a club, every week! Remember, the Urban Swaras are an open, inclusive club, and all are welcome to run together every Saturday. Feel free to bring a friend, recommend the club to a colleague, or return after a long absence, all are welcomed with open arms and a fully marked trail 🙂

See the Starting Line for some photo highlights: https://sway.office.com/zA2aFlt45Txm608n?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we are heading to Kiambu County, more specifically to ACK St Paul’s Church, Kiambu Town. This is such a beautiful area to run in, with gentle hills, cool breezes, and fantastic trails. Find full details of the run below, and register by Thursday! Please note that we are returning to the old format of runs, where the flagging off will occur at 7am, so please come a few minutes before 7am to allow time to register and be ready to run at 7! Find full details in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/zA2aFlt45Txm608n?ref=Link

Please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

It’s just over one month until Naivasha Relay 2021, organised by the Nairobi Hash House Harriers, which the Urban Swaras will of course be sending several teams to! Watch out for details on that, including how to register for a team, and costs involved. If you want to get involved with coordinating the Urban Swaras teams for the relay, or having your own team, get in touch with your MC, Claire, Whatsapp +33615209676.

#BabyGot(b)ACK

Dear Swaras,
And just like that Voi Ultra Run 2021 has been and gone! And what a weekend it was. We had so many Swaras doing their longest distances ever, pushing themselves, or just enjoying the beautiful sights and the sweltering heat. Thank you to all who attended, and those who organised, for putting on a great event that was enjoyed by all! Below you’ll find a few short accounts of how it was: (and photos in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/k5HJgDGHCLKW5vAX?ref=Link)

“Did anyone notice signs “yesu anwaweza” and “Canaan”? These were signs of hope for some of us mortal beings. If you missed these signs, you were too fast?. I can tick this run as one of the toughest runs in the Swara calendar. If you are among the many who completed the run either by walking or crawling give yourself a pat on the back. To all those who participated in this run, the camaraderie and your cheers kept me going even when my mind was telling me I’m not making any progress. THANK YOU!! To the team that scouted the route, your time and effort in putting together a well-coordinated and scenic route are invaluable. Benja, continue with the good work, keep feeding us with the well-prepared meals in form of hills -“What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger”. Claire Baker and Ranu Waweru we appreciate the communication and timely feedback on the event. The info shared was professional and well-executed. Thank you James Wahome and the entire team at Afrika lodges for hosting us. I appreciate the hospitality accorded. Matters support, this is not easy, for those who have not tried it, I challenge you to do it. I call it “giving back” to what you receive while running. Supporting the many of us who ran over the long-distance must have been challenging. We had some lapses, however, I try to view it positively. As a runner, the human body quickly learns to adapt and look for ways to survive. I recall at one point I needed water so badly only for hope to come in form of a church where there were these huge tanks with plenty of rainwater. The most memorable support episode was the heavenly melons and mandazi that arrived in the nick of time. To all those who played a role in support Ranu Waweru Loice Mbogo and Ajaa Olubayi and all those I’ve not mentioned, Asante Sana!! Thank you all for those have shared the lovely pics. Looking forward to another great outing.” Davis Munene

“Thank you CRE n the entire team for making my weekend at Voi ultra run memorable…I had never done over 30kms at swara…but this ultra made me physically and mentally fit.i couldn’t believe I will finish the run.Thank you Ranu for encouraging me along the route.” Gilbert Asamba

This coming Saturday we are giving our poor hill legs a break, and having a mostly urban run from Impala Club, on Ngong Road. Find full details of the run in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/k5HJgDGHCLKW5vAX?ref=Link

Please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

We’re also looking for new newsletter contributions for the upcoming issue! Reach out to the editor if you have any ideas: usrc.editor@gmail.com

#UrbanImpalas

Swaras ain’t afraid o’ no cold! Right?? No matter the weather, we are up on a Saturday morning, rocking it Swara style on the trails. Some of you may have also been virtually taking part in the Nairobi Run, or in one of the physical events hosted across the city, congratulations to you all. See some photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/DG67BLeiqFcpFUvL?ref=Link

The time is finally here…the Voi Ultra Run 2021 is upon us. You have two more days to register or be left behind as we head down Mombasa Road, towards the Taita Hills, the red soil, the heat of the east of the country, and the trails to die for that this part of the country has to offer and that our Trail Queen, Trail Fox, and Patron have prepared for us. Please note that accommodation and/or meals to be paid directly to Afrika Lodges, but the 1,500ksh run support fee is to be paid to the club. Full details in the Starting Line and on the registration form.

The link to register is here: https://forms.gle/A6323DRxSQCSqVJj9 and the full details on the run and accommodation options are here with a summary in the Starting Line. Register by 5pm Wednesday 18th August. This is to allow the club to plan logistics. Late registrations will not be accepted so be quick! Full details, as always, in the Starting Line, or feel free to message me if you have any questions: https://sway.office.com/DG67BLeiqFcpFUvL?ref=Link

For those of you that can’t make it, we encourage you to meet at Karura Forest and follow the marked trails to still get an awesome weekend run in.

Please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

We’re also looking for new newsletter contributions for the upcoming issue! Reach out to the editor if you have any ideas: usrc.editor@gmail.com

#BonVoiage

What a Swara weekend that was! Again, we had perfect running weather (cool and cloudy, just how we like it), and we explored the beautiful trails our great city and country has to offer. Don’t forget, Swara runs happen EVERY Saturday, no matter what and we almost never do the same trail twice, so it really is a runner’s dream. Come along every Saturday, come along once a month, bring a friend, whatever is right for you. We appreciate that with the continued presence and constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic many of us have adjusted our lifestyles somewhat, and we understand that everyone needs to look after their own best interests. Please continue to stay safe, and as you attend runs, monitor your health, maintain social distance, wear a mask, but get out there and run! Let’s show the world that we are a nation of GOATs, it’s not just Kipchoge 🙂

Check out the Starting Line for some running highlights: https://sway.office.com/pFST2LMtlLsS5FEy?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we will be at Villa Park Resort, on Gitaru Road, Wangige area. This is always a fantastic venue and almost 100% trail.

Details of this Saturday’s run are in the Starting Line, and please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there! Link to the Starting to register for this Saturday’s run: Line: https://sway.office.com/pFST2LMtlLsS5FEy?ref=Link

We’re also looking for new newsletter contributions for the upcoming issue! Reach out to the editor if you have any ideas: usrc.editor@gmail.com

The Voi Ultra Run is fast approaching, find the one-pager below with the important info about how to pay and to who and book your spot asap! Look out for a separate email on this also. You can already register here: https://forms.gle/A6323DRxSQCSqVJj9

#GOATNation

When you think you know Tigoni, and you think you’ve explored all the trails this beautiful tea zone has to offer, think again! We all taken off the beaten trail last weekend, as we discovered new twists and turns in Tigoni, and enjoyed a fabulous trail and fantastic weather. We also had Swaras running in different parts of the country, from Ngong, to Nyeri, to Meru, living the running and Swara lifestyle! Find some photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xYeZkNjQikA16REs?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we will be at Gatune Primary School, Karai Area, Kikuyu, running from a brand new venue, so if you’re looking for something different to break the routine, this is definitely it!

Details of this Saturday’s run are in the Starting Line, and please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there! Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xYeZkNjQikA16REs?ref=Link

We’re also looking for new newsletter contributions for the upcoming issue! Reach out to the editor if you have any ideas: usrc.editor@gmail.com

Don’t forget to register for the Voi Ultra Run here: https://forms.gle/A6323DRxSQCSqVJj9

What a great run we had at Fort’s Place, Lower Kabete! I don’t want to give the rest of you FOMO, but really, you missed out 🙂 Don’t make the same mistake this Saturday, as we head to Thayu Farm Hotel! On Saturday we experienced all of Lower Kabete’s hills, and no one was as cold when they finished as when they started. Thankfully the tea was free-flowing so everyone got extra warm with a hearty breakfast! Thanks to all who came, and to our Trail Fox and Trail Queen for another superb trail. Check out some photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/1GKOBLXGKo60zAfo?ref=Link

This coming Saturday we will be at Thayu Farm Hotel, Tigoni, where you know that there will be breathtaking trails a-plenty, and selfie moments around every corner (yes Selfie Kinds and Queens, I’m looking at you)!

Details of this Saturday’s run are in the Starting Line and please remember our COVID protocols and safety guidelines are just as important as ever. Looking forward to seeing many of you there! Link to Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/1GKOBLXGKo60zAfo?ref=Link

We’re also looking for new newsletter contributions for the upcoming issue! Reach out to the editor if you have any ideas: usrc.editor@gmail.com 

The Voi Ultra Run is fast approaching, find the one-pager below with the important info about how to pay and to who and book your spot asap! Look out for a separate email on this tomorrow. You can already register here: https://forms.gle/A6323DRxSQCSqVJj9

#TigoOrNotTigoNiTheQuestion