Saudi Women Run to Promote Fitness Culture
Jeddah: Two years ago, Jeddah-based health enthusiast Rasha Al Hambra founded Bliss Runners to encourage other Saudi women to adopt a healthy lifestyle through running.
Health experts worldwide regard running as the best form of cardio, and Rasha is determined to promote a walking and running culture in Saudi Arabia. Rasha, a Saudi national picked up running while she was living in the United States. When she returned home, she conducted a survey amongst women in Jeddah to gauge their interest in running as a fitness activity.
The response was overwhelming and Rasha decided to form an all-women running group. She decided to call the group Bliss Runners because, for Rasha, running generates a feeling of pure bliss. On her first run, 15 women joined her”mainly family and friends. As word spread, more women joined the group. “It is the only form of exercise that does not require any equipment or office space,” she tells Gulf News.
Today, Bliss Runners has 100 registered members, including 65 active runners. “We take our runs anywhere in our beautiful city. Each run on an average is 4-6 km,” Rasha says.
The group takes care to ensure that runners are modestly dressed.
(gulfnews.com/news)
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