Sometimes I think we need to restrain some Swaras, or they go and do superhuman things like running the date every day for a month (Ngatia/The Village), running all the bypasses in less than 10 hours (Cheruiyot), or running every day for 100 days and finishing with a 100km in 1km loops (Peter). But then I remember that ALL of us in our own way are running nuts and we will keep running, having fun, challenging ourselves, and coming up with new ways to #keeprunning. On Saturday it seemed the only thing that could stop people running was the breakfast at Milovian Mbaire’s Gardens, which was lauded for its quality and affordability. I hope you all got your fill after the scenic trail that our Trail Fox laid out for you! See some photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/72bN5puZuZIUFJGg?ref=Link

And jokes aside, a huge well done to all who achieved some amazing personal feats this past weekend, you are all superheroes!

This Saturday we’re heading to Hunger’s Nest, in Langata, for a mixed trail of tarmac and trail. Now that we’re back having regular club runs, remember to tell a friend, or bring a friend, and to share your running photos and exploits with us on Facebook/Whatsapp, and share the running love 🙂

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! https://sway.office.com/72bN5puZuZIUFJGg?ref=Link

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

Link to the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/72bN5puZuZIUFJGg?ref=Link

#RunnersNest

The Swaras hit the streets after a brief hiatus, with a bang! We took over Valley Arcade Shopping Mall, along with our running friends from Runfit running club, and Team Jasho. Thanks to all who came, and also fully respected the COVID protocols in place. Many of you were taking part in the NN/Maurten MA RA TH ON Relay, with teams of 4 completing a full marathon as a relay team. Well done to all who took part!

More on that in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/VPeyJkjcxc1gdnGH?ref=Link

This week we’re heading to Milovian Mbaire’s Gardens, in Lower Kabete, which boasts lovely, tranquil grassy grounds for a pleasant post-run breakfast and stretch.

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!

Find the Starting Line here: https://sway.office.com/VPeyJkjcxc1gdnGH?ref=Link

And we’re already on the lookout for newsletter articles and contributions, so if you have any, reach out to the editor: usrc.editor@gmail.com

#LowerKabetterAndBetter

It’s official, the Swaras are back in town, and we’re hitting the roads running (of course, what else would we be doing?) this Saturday. Our first run will be from Valley Arcade, in Kilimani/Lavington area of Nairobi, on Saturday 22nd May.

Many of you joined some Swaras discussing fitness and mental health, on a webinar organised by the Kenya Psychiatric Association, spearheaded by Sarah Wawa, with Peter, Jane, and Ruth as panelists, a great job done by all.

See some photo highlights from the week in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/Gzs8L2Fh2ToA6tAP?ref=Link

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/Gzs8L2Fh2ToA6tAP?ref=Link

#SwarasBackInTown

Last Wednesday we had our first Swara Show & Tell of 2021, and Chris Mulera told his awesome story of getting into running, with the Urban Swaras, and how his family and the club have supported him, and how he’s shifted weight just by running! Thank you so much to Chris, and also to Michael Nawari, our moderator, and Ameet Shah, for putting on another fantastic quiz! Well done to Ciru Hinga for winning, with 15 out of 15 questions answered correctly!

Well done to all who took part in the Wings For Life run this weekend, raising money for spinal injuries. And well done to all who keep running despite all that life throws at us (including rain and thunderstorms). We hope to back with club runs soon, keep your eyes peeled 🙂

See some photo highlights from the week in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/SJCb3skNFS9X5xBT?ref=Link

Thank you also to members of the Rotary Club of Langata, for inviting all members to join a special audience with Eliud Kipchoge, which was eye-opening, and a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of running’s greatest (actually the GOAT if you will).

Do you want to tell your story? Or hear someone else’s? Do you have an inspiring running professional/fitness professional/race organiser in your contact list that you would like to invite to speak to us? Reach out and let us know! Contact the MC by email (clairesimonebaker@gmail.com) or by Whatsapp +336 1520 9676

Full info in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/SJCb3skNFS9X5xBT?ref=Link

#KeepRunning

Thank you to everyone who shared photos, videos, and stories of your big runs this week. Seeing others doing great things is a fantastic way to get inspired to go out and do some fun runs yourself. Sadly we didn’t get enough PB entries to do a prize draw this week. Keep your eyes peeled for more challenges. However, this week we’re bringing back Swara online Zoom sessions, and we’re hoping to resume weekly Swara runs as soon as it is legal, safe and responsible to do so.

The Return of Swara Zoom sessions

We’re kicking off with Swara Zoom sessions again, and blowing the starting whistle on this new round of online sessions is none other than Chris Mulera, taking stock of his first year of running, and sharing the enduring lessons he’s learned as he’s fast-tracked himself through the runner’s journey. Join us this Wednesday 5th May at 6.30pm live on Zoom, listen to his story, and ask your burning questions. Full details in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/fG9XnPgULB6LoFIb?ref=Link

Be sure to check out the Starting Line because there are some exciting virtual runs you can sign up for as part of the Urban Swaras team, and there’s a VERY special guest speaker at a Nairobi Rotary Club that some of our members are regulars at (honestly, this guest is about as special as it gets. You’ve GOAT to check it out…).

Link to the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/fG9XnPgULB6LoFIb?ref=Link

#StarstuddedStartingLine

It seems when you set a Swara a challenge they rise to the challenge! We had some amazing entries for week 1 of our Swara PB challenge. We had cross-county runs, speed sessions, and even some mountain climbs, and each of them was equally as amazing and deserving as the other! Our very fair and very handsome judges, Greg and Ameet, pulled a random entry out of the hat, and the winner of the 2,000ksh Duka La Swara voucher is….(you’ll have to do your own drumroll as you can’t hear mine)…DECLAN OTTARO! Well done to everyone, find all the entries below.

We know some of you really tried to get a PB but were a few seconds short, or had planned a long distance run but chickened out because of the weather/laziness/needing a rest (speaking for myself), so fear not, we bring you WEEK 2 of the Swara PB Challenge! That’s right, we’re starting again, so the competition is open again, to all runs from today, Monday 26th April, to Sunday 2nd May at 11.59pm 🙂 And yes, if you applied last week, you can apply again! Another 2,000ksh Duka La Swara voucher is up for grabs.

Full details in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/iQHxkCFmOvS1MpJf?ref=Link

The Return of Swara Zoom sessions

Back by popular demand, we bring you the Swara Zoom sessions! They will be returning next week, on a regular basis. We’re finalising some awesome Show & Tell and An Audience With… and fitness sessions, but we want to hear from YOU. Do you want to tell your story? Or hear someone else’s? Do you have an inspiring running professional/fitness professional/race organiser in your contact list that you would like to invite to speak to us? Reach out and let us know! Contact the MC by email (clairesimonebaker@gmail.com) or by Whatsapp +336 1520 9676

See all the PB challenge entries and some other photo highlights in this week’s Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/iQHxkCFmOvS1MpJf?ref=Link

#PBChallenge2

Happy new running week Swaras! I know that maybe these rains aren’t the most appetising of running conditions, but I have it on good authority that we don’t melt, nor do we start growing maize from the top of our heads, if we run under the rain. Strava, Garmin, and the roads are full of Swaras, and we want to see what you’ve been up to! Share your proudest running moment of the week on the Whatsapp group, or tag us on Facebook, so that we can keep encouraging each other to keep on running, despite having no group runs for the foreseeable future. Keep at it Swaras! A couple more ideas of places you can run on your own and recreate your own personal Swara run:

1. Arboretum: it may be a small loop inside the park, but it’s lovely if you want some shade and some trail, in a city full of tarmac. A small entry fee applies.

2. Elephant Hill: Yes, this is a bit of a drive, but it’s a fantastic hike, and if you’re brave enough, you can even run some of it. The return journey is around 17km, so doable in a few hours no matter your fast walking/jogging speed. Be sure to take a guide, so that you can follow the route, and not put a foot wrong. KWS fees apply. As always on hill/mountain trips, equip yourself well, and stay safe.

More next week! Send in your ideas to the MC, by Whatsapp +33615209676 or email clairesimonebaker@gmail.com

Please note there will be no Saturday run or speedwork for the foreseeable future.

Huge congratulations are in order, for our dear Treasurer, Ranu Waweru, who got married this weekend, with many Swaras watching the live stream and cheering the new couple on from afar (see the Starting Line for a snapshot). Congratulations Ranu and Lydia!

Read the Starting Line here: https://sway.office.com/RG2goOu2DuGZhkxb?ref=Link

BIG NEWS(LETTER)The Swara newsletter is back! That’s right folks, your editor has been hard at work bringing together the best running stories, creative work, and images for you, to bring you a tasty, juicy pdf that will have you licking your computer screen or phone screen (but please don’t, it’s not particularly hygienic…)Click here (https://drive.google.com/…/1xigsjojfY5yLzirVp9taOW…/view) to read it now, make sure you set some time aside with a cup of tea and a biscuit to enjoy all the articles and awesome content. More on this and upcoming virtual events in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/RG2goOu2DuGZhkxb?ref=Link

We may not have had a Swara run this weekend, due to the government restrictions to keep us all safe, but boy oh boy, I haven’t seen this much running going on since I rewatched Forrest Gump on a loop as a kid! Not only did we have national greats Hellen Obiri and Ruth Chepngetich smashing records and personal bests in Turkey, we also had Swaras running hills, marathons, and neighbourhoods all week, keeping fit, healthy, and active. Keep at it Swaras! Some highlights and things to look forward to in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/nWgkpe8ox68fq7PA?ref=Link

A couple more ideas of places you can run on your own and recreate your own personal Swara run:

1. The legendary Kahara route starts from the foot of the Ngong Hills. Set your maps to the county offices, just past Ngong town, and you’ll find a dirt road stretching 13km to the tarmac on the other side, just short of Kona Baridi. Out and back is 26km, with enough elevation to have you panting and enough views to keep you occupied. You’re also bound to bump into some other recreational runners and maybe the occasional elite.
2. Karura Forest. Not everybody knows this, but there are two sides to Karura Forest, and the lesser-known one is much quieter and much more stimulating in terms of the terrain. The Sigiria side has a number of marked loops, which you can combine to do any distance you like, and you’ll never run out of new things to see.
   More next week! Send in your ideas to the MC, by Whatsapp +33615209676 or email clairesimonebaker@gmail.com

Please note there will be no Saturday run or speedwork for the foreseeable future.

BIG NEWS(LETTER)

The Swara newsletter is back! That’s right folks, your editor has been hard at work bringing together the best running stories, creative work, and images for you, to bring you a tasty, juicy pdf that will have you licking your computer screen or phone screen (but please don’t, it’s not particularly hygienic…)

Click here to read it now, make sure you set some time aside with a cup of tea and a biscuit to enjoy all the articles and awesome content.

#BigNewsRightHere

The new COVID containment measures came as a shock and disappointment to many, but it is in all of our best interests to do our bit to stay safe and keep others safe. So whilst we can’t have Swara runs, we encourage each and every one of you to keep running! There are plenty of places to run in the ‘one zoned area’, just look on Strava/Garmin/the Urban Swaras website and you’ll find some great routes to keep you busy. Please share your best pictures and anecdotes from your runs on Whatsapp and Facebook, so we can continue to encourage others and be buoyed by the Swara spirit. Here are some top ideas for the week:

Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary is a fantastic little gem on Ngong Road, near Dagoretti Corner, with marked trails from 5 to 20km. Entry is just 100ksh, and the guards are very friendly and welcoming to runners. We advise taking their number as you enter so you can call them in case of any questions or issues.

Karen Plains: this isn’t a venue as such, but the area around Karen Plains Road is ripe for exploring, and has wide (so great for social distancing) roads and is flat enough to feel like you’re on a track! You’re sure to see some other runners around this area.

Jaffery’s: this is a free-to-use track in Lavington, with nice cushiony surface and a 440m pre-measured circular track. We recommend going early morning to avoid the evening walkers. The end of the week is usually less busy.

More next week! Send in your ideas to the MC, by Whatsapp +33615209676 or email clairesimonebaker@gmail.com

Please note there will be no Saturday run or speedwork for the foreseeable future.

In the Starting line you’ll find a brand new Urban Swaras Run Safety Guide, which we have created to encourage every one of us to be aware of our safety, and that of others, when out for Swara runs, or any runs for that matter. Please read through and share any feedback you may have, or ideas for additions: https://sway.office.com/fkRa0X9vxiXyGS6C?ref=Link

Check out the Starting Line for all of the above and more: https://sway.office.com/fkRa0X9vxiXyGS6C?ref=Link

KeepRunning #RunningIsLiving