First things first, the Duka La Swara shuts its virtual doors TODAY, 11.59pm, so place your orders before then to ensure you get the Swara goodies you want. The link is here including images and descriptions of all items, and the order form: https://sway.office.com/S5fQhvVPTDhDhUPm?ref=Link
This weekend just gone found us at Leleshwa Getaway, where we endured the heat and then enjoyed the breakfast and beautiful grounds of our host venue! Thanks to all who came, including innumerable new Swaras and guests, welcome to you all!

This Saturday we’re giving your poor car tyres a break from the bump country roads, and sticking to a closer location, running from Kasuku Centre in Kileleshwa. See you all there on Saturday 23rd January from 6.45am to 7.30am for flagging off.

Full info in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/VpdGnHTFHa86Fm4i?ref=Link

#KasukuKaThing

Dear Swaras,

We may not have been planning for rains this week, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned this past year it’s that even the best laid plans are likely to be scuppered by anything from rain to a global pandemic! So in typical Swara fashion we embraced the rain and had a ball.

A BIG welcome to all our new members! We’ve had an influx of new members at the beginning of this year and I hope you’re all as excited as I am to get to know them, run with them, learn from them, and have a good ol’ Swara time with them! Meet some of them in this week’s Starting Line and some muddy photo highlights: https://sway.office.com/KiBLZSNna8lCcfhV?ref=Link

HUGE HUGE well done to some of our members who undertook the ambitious and audacious CircumMountKenya epic adventure last week, with the Ultra Running In Nairobi Club, led by Wingkei Chan. They completed more than 370km over six days, going all around Mount Kenya and towns such as Kimunye, Timau, and Naro Moru. Let’s all wish them a speedy recovery from their outlandish exertions.

This week we’re running from the beautiful Leleshwa Getaway, just the other side of the national park in Kajiado County (next to Kitengela Glass). Expect views of the city, the occasional ACTUAL Swara sighting, and the venue has installed a pool since we last visited, so for 200ksh you can enjoy the pool and even make a day of it!

Be sure to bring m pesa to pay your subs for the quarter or year ahead, our Treasurer is ready to tick your name off 🙂

Full info in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/KiBLZSNna8lCcfhV?ref=Link

Don’t forget, the Duka La Swara is open for one more week! Please note the change in jacket model. Place your orders now to avoid disappointment! Full Duka open here: https://sway.office.com/S5fQhvVPTDhDhUPm?ref=Link

#RunningGetaway

This running year has already got off to a great start, and we kicked things off with a run from Arboretum last Saturday, exploring all of the neighbourhoods around the park with some excellent urban trails, true to our name, Urban Swaras!
Find photo highlights in this week’s Starting Line, as well as club leaderboard for 2020! https://sway.office.com/amDsN7CpdPhBFfEB?ref=Link

This coming run, on Saturday 9th January, we are heading to Club Legend, and it is the annual ‘bring a new runner’ run! We will have a special 5km beginners’ trail, so bring someone alone from your office, your compound, or your church who has been meaning to try out running. We will be running around Karen/Ngong Road area, with mostly tarmac and a little smattering of trail, so perfect for a beginner, and we’ll have a sociable but socially distanced breakfast afterwards to get to know everyone and catch up after the holidays!

Be sure to bring m pesa to pay your subs for the quarter or year ahead, our Treasurer is ready to tick your name off 🙂

Full details, map and registration form in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/amDsN7CpdPhBFfEB?ref=Link

#RunningInto2021

I sincerely hope you all had a beautiful holiday celebration, whether you celebrate Christmas or not! Many of us were at Karura Forest on the 26th, bumping into each other on the trails and enjoying some calm nature after a lot of indulging, no doubt.

Find some photos and inspiring Strava art from WIngkei Chan and Sarah Wawa in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/aNUF3zKD5RTCml2H?ref=Link

Next Saturday, the 2nd January, for our first run of 2021, we will be meeting at Arboretum, for a new years’ run. We will be both in the park and on the roads outside, so there will be something for everyone. Be sure to join us, and bring along any friend who might have ‘taking up running’ as a new year’s resolution!

On behalf of the Urban Swaras Running Club I wish you all a very happy, prosperous, and fun-running 2021! 

Full run info in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/aNUF3zKD5RTCml2H?ref=Link

#TwentyTwentyRun

This past week has sure been an eventful one in the Swara calendar. Last week a number of CRE members delivered two cars full of donations to Run2gether training camp on behalf of the club; on Saturday we had a brilliant forest run in Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary, and on Monday we had the first Urban Swaras virtual AGM (needs must, as they say). Find images and highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/5JTQob1TC4Rp1XnG?ref=Link

Thank you to all who were in any way involved or attended any of the above, what a fantastic way to (almost) end the Swara running year! We’ve also had so many great achievements from Swaras this year, from personal triumphs, to recognised prizegivings, and all of you, however big or small your achievement may seem, is worthy of celebration and recognition, so I hope this holiday period you give yourselves just that!

Congratulations are in order to our new Patron, who is the same as our old Patron! James Wahome, it is an honour to have you serve us.

What better way to detox after a heavy holiday meal than a Swara run on Boxing Day? Join us on Saturday 26th December at Karura Forest for a leisurely Boxing Day run.

Full details in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/5JTQob1TC4Rp1XnG?ref=Link

And most importantly of all, have a happy, merry, joy-filled (even if not run-filled) Holiday!

#HaveAHappySwaraHoliday

Rumour has it the breakfast at last week’s Swara run was almost as legendary as the trail! For those who missed out, it’s OK, the holiday period is here, which means you won’t be lacking in excuses to feast on fancy foods everywhere you go!

There were many success stories this weekend, with some Swaras at the Ultra Mara thon coming in top 3 (Cheruiyot, Marieke), and a whole team of sparkly sparklers finishing the 50km for a good cause at the same run (Amanda and Liz). We also had runners taking part in runs all over town; as usual Jamhuri Weekend is a highlight in the recreational runners’ calendar. Whatever you were running, however many kilometres, whoever you were running them with, I hope you had fun!

Find all the photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/F5qEpFizWRbGE3qY?ref=Link

As is tradition, as we close in on the holidays our runs are taking place close to home, so this week’s run is at Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary. See below for full details.

Also this week we will be delivering your donations to the team at Run2gether Training Camp, near Naivasha. If you still have items to donate, please reach out to the MC, Claire Baker on Whatsapp +336150209676 or on email clairesimonebaker@gmail.com to arrange for pick-up tomorrow Tuesday 15th December at the club’s cost.

A reminder, the Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 21st December at 7pm, on Zoom. Save the date! Also look out for the Duka La Swara which will soon be opening its doors again!

All info on this week’s run in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/F5qEpFizWRbGE3qY?ref=Link

#HolidayRunsAreHere

Dear Swaras, 

Any Nairobi-based runner worth their salt knows that some of the best running you can do in greater Nairobi is around Ngong. The hills! The views! the altitude! The gentle breezes! And of course, Berra Hotel, hosting Nairobi runners since…well, a long time, that’s for sure. 

Our beloved Trail Fox Benja treated us to just such a run this Saturday, and it was a great club run which we’re so glad we had perfect weather for. Thanks to all who showed up and made it such a great day!

See plenty of photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/GPmYPMi3TycGzgFH?ref=Link

Next week’s run is at KALRO headquarters, situated in Loresho. Full details below on the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/GPmYPMi3TycGzgFH?ref=Link

A reminder, the Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 21st December at 7pm, on Zoom. Save the date!

See this week’s Starting Line for full details of this week’s run and to register for Forts Place, Uthiru, Jamhuri run.

#RunForJamhuri

Fact: Swaras don’t melt. Nor are they scared of slipping, falling, or taking twice as long as normal to do their chosen distance. This was proven at last week’s run at Thayu Farm Hotel, Tigoni. I’ve never seen so many smiles in a rainstorm!

Despite the downpours which continued until almost lunchtime, almost 50 Swaras showed up in Tigoni to explore the undulating hills and tea plantations. Thanks for bearing with us as we quickly re-marked, and apologies if some of the markings weren’t up to our usual standards, the rainclouds were not on our side 🙂

Get all of your photo highlights in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/uBrRas851szV7PGF?ref=Link

This coming week we’re going back to another Swara favourite hangout, Berra Hotel, in Ngong/Kibiko. Once again, don’t expect a flat run, and plan for rain, you never know!

Once again, if you have any lightly used/new shoes or other running gear (leggings, sports bras, t-shirts, running socks) that you are happy to see go to a good home, we are taking donations for the aspiring athletes at Run2Gether camp, and will soon be arranging for handover. Kids’ gear, women’s gear, and men’s gear all welcome! Please bring along to Saturday’s run and they will go to a good home.

We will be pausing our regular online Swara sessions for the rest of the year, but look out for a very special online session coming up soon!

Find full info on next week’s run in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/uBrRas851szV7PGF?ref=Link

#GettingBerraAndBerra

Dear Swaras, 

Did you go to Alliance? In Kenya this question carries more weight than an overloaded Probox on a rural road. Anyone who attended Alliance High School as part of their education trajectory is extremely proud of this, and the Alliance Classic Run was launched as a way to offer high quality education to low-income students that struggle with fees or other education expenses.

Last weekend we all got the opportunity to say ‘I went to Alliance’, by taking part in the Alliance Classic Virtual Run with the Swaras at Levilla Gardens. Our Trail Queen, Loice, and Trail Fox, Chikani, truly pulled out all the stops for a beautiful, almost mud-free, rolling trail through Kikuyu and its farms and homesteads. But don’t forget, the Alliance Classic Virtual Run is running through to the 15th December, and so you can sign up at any time, to take part and nab one of the best 2020 running t-shirts and medals! Big thank you to the Alliance organising team that helped to coordinate Saturday’s run, Shem Yator and Ranu Waweru, amongst others.

MANY photos and highlights to be found in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xS1HxSXYq93HHz6K?ref=Link

Register here for the Alliance Virtual Run between now and 15th December: https://www.ahsobc.org/events/acr2020-2/

This week we’re heading a little further afield to a favourite Swara hangout: Tigoni!

The venue will be Thayu Farm Hotel, surrounded by tea plantations and hills a-plenty, to make your legs and your heart and your eyes all go ‘aaaaahh’. See below for all the details, as you also scroll past some images of Saturday’s run, as well as photos from an excursion into elephant territory by some of our members, and the handover of a Garmin watch to one of Nairobi’s most iconic senior runners, Josephine. Thank you to all who contributed for the watch, and to Ranu for coordinating on their behalf.

Register for next week’s run here: https://forms.gle/CWXMeiH4bryGZaDp9

And find full details to get your mouth watering in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xS1HxSXYq93HHz6K?ref=Link#TigoOrNotTigoNiTheQuestion

We had a COVID-era record-breaking turnout this last Saturday, at Hunger’s Nest. Must have been the runner’s hunger that drove everyone to come together for a great Saturday run! Thanks to CK for taking some amazing photos of Swaras running and laughing and (socially distanced) socialising!

This week we’re delighted to bring to you the Swaras edition of the Alliance Classic Virtual Run. This annual charity run organised by the Alliance High School Old Boys’ Club raises valuable funds to provide scholarships to low-income students. The Swaras have chosen to support this cause as our second charity cause of the year, so for this Saturday’s run, organised in conjunction with the Alliance Old Boys Club, we are urging all Swaras to register for the Alliance Classic Run ahead of time, to support the cause, and in return get not only a t-shirt but also a highly coveted medal!The run will be from Levilla Resort, Kikuyu. Flagging off from 6.45am to 7.30am, cut-off time for club support or presence 12pm.We invite you all to register for the Alliance Classic Virtual Run, as this Saturday’s run will be a Swara charity run to support this initiative.Register here: www.ahsobc.org/acr2020

If you’re not able to attend the run but wish to support the ACR cause, you are free to donate any amount you wish.

All the info (and there’s a lot of it) and photos (and there’s a lot of them!!!) not to be missed in this week’s Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xbr3zYojASAb6eGe?ref=Link

This week we’re also back to Swara Show & Tell!

You may have seen her on the trails, you may have seen her on our Zoom calls (she is one of the most faithful participants), or you may have seen her in a recent online ‘Supamamas’ campaign. Well, now you can catch her on Swara Show & Tell.

Show & Tell with Sheila Ommeh, this Wednesday 18th November at 6.15pm live on Zoom. We will kick off with Swara trivia with Ameet Shah, so scrub up on your facts and figures.

All are welcome, Swaras and non-Swaras, runners and aspiring runners!

Find everything in the Starting Line: https://sway.office.com/xbr3zYojASAb6eGe?ref=Link

#LetsAllGoToAlliance