M.I.L.E. Run Club: Building Resilience and Community in Saudi Arabia

The M.I.L.E. Run Club, a homegrown initiative in Jeddah, isn’t just about running—it’s about perseverance, community, and celebrating personal growth.

Founded by 23-year-old Ammaar Malak and 22-year-old Tariq Jamal, M.I.L.E. (short for Make It Look Easy) brings Saudi youth together on the city’s iconic Corniche to chase personal bests while fostering mental and physical resilience.

Read Also: Les Mills+: A Fitness App for Beginners and Beyond

A Club for Everyone

M.I.L.E. prides itself on inclusivity, ensuring no one gets left behind. This is evident in its Walking Circle, a group that includes Malak’s mother and is tailored for retirees and individuals recovering from injuries.

For M.I.L.E., the mission is clear: to uplift everyone, regardless of fitness level or background.

Malak’s own story reflects the spirit of determination the club embodies. After a devastating ligament injury that required surgery just weeks before an MMA fight in London, he found himself at his lowest.

“Alone in a sterile hospital room, I truly believed my life was over,” he shared. “Competitive fighting was my identity. Without it, I felt lost.”

But his recovery started with small steps—limping walks that turned into slow jogs through London parks.

Now, with a remarkable 184-day run streak under his belt, Malak says running became his pathway to self-discovery.

“Showing up bridges who you are and who you want to be,” he says. “Running taught me freedom—the discipline to conquer anything.”

Read Also: Misrah: A 1,000km Heritage Trek for UAE Youth

Mental Resilience Through Connection

For Malak, running is as much about mental strength as physical fitness. A former CrossFit-certified trainer and recipient of the “Most Promising Athlete” award at the American International School of Jeddah, he noticed a missing piece in traditional fitness programs—the focus on mental resilience.

“Gyms and tracks build physical strength but don’t often cultivate mental armor,” he said. To address this, M.I.L.E. emphasizes community support, where the real magic happens after the run ends.

Under streetlights, members share ice cream and stories about their running journeys—the fear of starting, the struggle at kilometer eight, and the euphoria of overcoming doubt.

It’s these connections that exemplify the club’s ethos of compassion and camaraderie.

“It's not about faking perfection—it’s about carrying life’s weight with grace,” says Malak.

Read Also: Dubai August 2025: Fitness Meets Shopping Extravaganza

From First-Time Runners to Ultra-Finishers

M.I.L.E.’s programs cater to a spectrum of runners. The Walking Circle helps those with mobility challenges, while Steady Striders, including Malak’s 16-year-old sister Tamara, supports teenagers working toward 10K goals.

The Athlete Tier aims even higher, preparing ultra-runners for distances over 50 kilometers.

The club’s members represent its heart and soul, with runners like Mohammed Alhumaidi, Adnan Softa, Albaraa Al-Bakri, Sarah Al-Mansour, Faisal Al-Bar, and Hamza Al-Kaffas forming a tight-knit team that pushes each other to new heights.

M.I.L.E.’s unshakable sense of solidarity shines brightest in how its members finish their races. After crossing the line, they circle back to cheer on the remaining runners, ensuring no one crosses alone.

This unwavering support has helped 10 new runners complete their first half-marathons—a testament to the club's empowering culture.

Poll

Your ideal gym buddy is…

A coach

A friend

Group class

A Vision for Saudi Pride

For Malak and the M.I.L.E. team, their community effort isn’t just about running—it’s about contributing to a larger vision for their nation.

“Saudi Vision 2030 isn’t just an abstract concept. It’s a hands-on duty, and we sweat today out of love for our nation’s tomorrow,” Malak said.

His commitment fuels pre-dawn runs and late-night coaching sessions, further bolstered by his recent UESCA ultra-running coach certification.

Starting this September, M.I.L.E. will host workshops guiding beginners to ultra-marathon distances of 50 kilometers or more—a bold step toward helping members break new barriers.

Breaking Boundaries

M.I.L.E.’s ambition extends far beyond Saudi Arabia. Malak dreams of reshaping global perceptions of Saudi culture.

“Abroad, ‘Saudi’ might still sometimes whisper ‘lazy’ or ‘entitled.’ We’re here to crush those cliches underfoot,” he declared.

With its focus on resilience, inclusivity, and collective strength, M.I.L.E. Run Club is setting an inspiring example for the world—and they’ve only just begun.

Source: arabnews

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.