Our vision
A world where everyone finishes at least one marathon in their life.
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What is RunKwa?
A Dubai based, design and purpose led running community, for anyone who's ever laced up for a reason of their own.
Who we are.
Our mission
To build the most welcoming & human running brand out there.
Our purpose
Represent winning through the lens of growth, joy, and connection.
What we're trying to build
An indie running brand that tells beautiful stories of run culture, inspires people to get into the sport, and gives back to the sport itself.
The camera roll.
Calendar
Upcoming runs.
Meeting points go out in the WhatsApp community.
Which runner are you?
Three questions. Every answer welcome.
Two childhood friends. A shared love for a sport and community.
Meet the co-founders
Zach & Kirk.
Co-founder
Zach.
Running took Zach from a childhood fighting his own mind to marathons, an ultramarathon, an Ironman 70.3 and a chase for all six World Majors. Along the way he started giving back and built the first version of RunKwa.
BrandFoundationOperations
Co-founder
Kirk.
He and Zach go back to childhood, and tennis is what brought them closer. Kirk found running through some of the harder moments in his life. Right around the time Zach was starting RunKwa, he joined him to build a beautiful community.
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Phase 01 · 2020-2024
Where it started.
RunKwa started as one runner's way of giving back to the sport that changed his life.
Where it started · 01
A simple thought: give the shoes away.
Running had given Zach so much that he felt the need to give back. It started with donating his used running shoes to runners who couldn't afford new ones.
Where it started · 02
The community joined in.
Friends, then strangers. He'd stand with a collection booth at races and people kept showing up with bags of shoes.
Where it started · 03
Hundreds of pairs.
What began with one pair turned into hundreds: sorted, bagged and sent to runners who needed them.
Where it started · 04
Partnering with Wesley Korir.
A partnership with the former Boston Marathon winner took the shoes to runners and students in Kenya, and a foundation was registered in the UK.
Where it started · 05
The foundation initiative grew.
Donation bins, a name and more shoes reaching more runners. The foundation for everything that came next.
Where it started · 06
TheRunClub came as an extension.
TheRunClub was created to spread the mission of the foundation and gather people together: a free, easy run that anyone could join and donate discard-ready shoes.
Phase 02 · 2024-present
How it evolved.
A catch-up between two friends grew into something neither of us planned.
How it evolved · 01
Over an Afghani meal.
In August 2024, we caught up over lunch at the best Afghani place in town. One thing led to another, and we decided to build something special together.
How it evolved · 02
The kindest run club in town.
As TheRunClub grew, it found a character of its own. It was never about pace or distance. It was about how people looked out for each other, and that's what made it the kindest run club in town.
How it evolved · 03
The run club grew into a family.
More people kept showing up, week after week, until the run was only part of the reason to come.
RunKwa World.
Tap a ring to step inside.
Insights
RunKwa Insights.
Quality over quantity. The goal was to build something genuine.
01The community
25 to 30
Runners per session
3
Weekly runs
02The people
15+
Nationalities
50/50
Female & male split
03The reach
400+
WhatsApp members
200K+
Views every month
Small enough to know every name, big enough to be seen. That is who a partnership with RunKwa reaches.
Partner with usFree · open to all · Dubai · Season 4
The kindest run club in town.
No signup fee, no pace groups to prove yourself in, no one left at the back. Just a few kilometres before the city wakes up, with people who'll remember your name next time. Come for the run. Most people stay for the coffee after.
Always
Free & open to all
First timers to marathoners.
Every pace
Nobody runs alone
We regroup and finish together.
Every week
Three free runs
Tuesday · Friday · Saturday long run.
After
Coffee & conversation
The real reason we run.
The week
Three free runs a week.
All easy, all free, every pace welcome. Meeting points go out in the WhatsApp community.
Tue.Easy run at Orto.
5K or 45 min, conversational. Start the day with the crew, the best one for your first time.
Fri.Easy run at Backyard.
5K or 45 min, conversational. End the week from Backyard, then stay after and hang out.
Sat.Long run at Half Cup.
The weekend long run from Half Cup. Easy Zone 2, 45 to 60 minutes.
How it works
Three steps. That's it.
01
Join the WhatsApp community
Times, routes and meeting points go out there every week.
02
Pick a run
Check the calendar and choose the one that fits your week.
03
Show up
Say hi to anyone in RunKwa red. We'll take it from there.
Calendar
What's on.
Meeting points go out in the WhatsApp community.
The RunKwa Chronicles · Season 03
Season 3 recap.
The whole season, told as a newspaper. Grab a corner and turn the pages or tap. Read any page full size.
Front page
Your home for marathon training
What is TheMarathonClub?
A sub-community for your first (or next) half or full.
A close knit sub community within RunKwa. One season, one club, one goal: get everyone to the start line and over the finish line, with a plan, a crew and a lot of fun on the way.
Train
Our training plan.
- Plan for your race & goal time
- Wednesday track + tempo sessions
- Coach check ins
Belong
The club.
- 30 to 40 members a season
- Hikes & pizza nights
- Digital clubhouse
Celebrate
Race day.
- Race & trip curation
- Crew at the finish line
- End of season photoshoot
Save
Perks.
- Members only merch
- Partner discounts
- Priority for Clubhouse spots
TheMarathonClub 2026/27
Upcoming races.
3 local races + 1 international. Tap a race for the details.
10Jan 2027Local
Dubai Creek Half.
Half · 21.1 km
Race details17Jan 2027Local
Dubai Marathon.
Full · 42.2 km
Race details24Jan 2027Local
Burj2Burj.
Half · 21.1 km
Race details16May 2027Abroad · option
Riga.
HalfFull
Race detailsSign up
Part of your membership
Our training plan.
Every race on our calendar has its own plan, built around the club week: Tuesday and Friday Zone 2 with TheRunClub, Wednesday intervals or tempo with TheMarathonClub, and the Saturday long run. Pick your race and it dates itself, so you’ll see exactly when your preparation starts.
Group sessions Tue · Thu · Sat
Perks
Partners who look after the club.
Example partners shown. Perk details to be confirmed.
Meet the members
The lovely people chasing the same goal.
Tap a member to meet them: their race, their reason and a few things you should know.
35
Only 35 spots · Season 4
One season, 35 runners. To take a spot, you need to be entered in your race.
Our series · Season 4
Following the members.
A new episode every Saturday. One member, one week, how it is really going.
Why we film it
The middle bit matters.
Everyone sees the medal photo. Nobody sees the 6am alarm in week four, the first long run that went wrong, or the crew dragging each other round the last loop. That's the part that makes a half or full feel possible.
So we're documenting all of it, with a lot of laughs along the way. If watching someone else get there gets you to sign up for yours, it's done its job.
Last season
TheMarathonClub Season 03.
Race: Dubai Burj2Burj Half. 16 members.
End of season class shoot.
Members only · 25 spots · Dubai · Opening soon
What is the Clubhouse?
A home & third space for the RunKwa fam.
An exclusive members' space for our community: somewhere to train, shower, get some work done and hang out with people chasing the same thing. Come in whenever you want; your pass is your key.
What we offer
Run in, stay a while.
Train
The space.
- Indoor running
- Movement studio
- Strength & mobility
Refresh
The reset.
- Showers & changing space
- Coworking corner
- Good coffee
Belong
The people.
- Talks & screenings
- Member socials
- A space that's yours
Save
Perks.
- Your own access pass
- Early access to TheMarathonClub
- Merch drops & partner perks
Facilities and membership details to be confirmed at launch.
Your pass, waiting.
25 spots, join the fam.
Put your name on it and send your application. The card keeps count of the spots left.
Tap the card to see what's inside.
Lifestyle running wear for our community.
Wear your reason.
RunKwa Apparel · Kwa Cap 01 · Concept
Kwa Cap 01for my first marathon
My reasonRace season 26/27
Kwa Cap 01
Coming race season 2027A purpose designed marathon cap, made to be written in. Every cap carries a woven label inside for the reason you're running that race: your hero product for race day.
- 01Laser cut perforation
- 02Reflective front smiley
- 03Flat, packable brim
- 04Bungee adjuster
- 05Woven reason label
- 06Two colourways per race season
Concept. Final materials, colourways and specs to be confirmed.
