NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Nairobi’s run-club culture is on the rise, with new run groups forming almost every year.
What was once seen purely as a high-performance sport in the land of elite champions is now a joyful communal way for people to connect, explore the city, and make friends.
This past Saturday, over 500 Nairobians gathered at the scenic Windsor Golf Club for a free lifestyle run, co-hosted by the city’s most popular run club, We Run Nairobi (WRN), and Swiss premium sportswear brand, On.
The event was part of On’s global ‘Soft Wins’ campaign, which celebrates the idea that movement should also be fun, soft, and communal. The diverse crowd, spanning all ages from Gen Alpha to seasoned fitness enthusiasts, underscored a growing trend in Nairobi: a desire for accessible and social ways to stay active.
The Rise of Soft Running
WRN has emerged as the pioneer of this new running trend, one that prioritises community, mental well-being, and everyday consistency over only chasing personal bests. Participants explored WRN’s signature 6K, 9K, and 15K routes, but the true focus was on ease, presence, and simply enjoying the moment.
WRN founder, Emily Chepkor, described the morning as a simple reminder of the power of gentler movements:
“Today’s theme was soft. A canopy-covered forest, green all around, with the same community vibes. There’s a time to go for it; we’ve been doing that all year. Today, we encouraged everyone to go gentle, to reset, to remember there’ll be ice cream at the end. We will go hard again, but today we could put our feet up.”
The morning featured light wellness activities, ice-cream carts, and an opportunity for runners to test On footwear like the Cloudsurfer Max, built with the brand’s unique CloudTec® cushioning technology.
The run’s free and open-for-all format reflects the inclusive spirit driving Nairobi’s new wellness scene – a reminder that a healthy, active life is a universal language, accessible to all who choose to show up.
