Nairobi, April 26 -- Three years ago, lawyer Emily Chepkor put out a simple Instagram post inviting anyone in Nairobi to join her for a free Saturday morning run at 8 am, no fuss.

Only three women showed up, jogged a 6km loop, grabbed coffee at a cafe nearby, and went home.

"Then the following weekend there were six, then 10 the next. Every time we would post on social media and more would join the following weekend," says Emily, an avid runner and a gym regular.

That casual call became 'We Run Nairobi,' now one of the city's most consistent running clubs. On a good day, more than 1,200 runners turn up. On many days, 100 to 300 people take over roads around Nairobi.

We Run Nairobi is part of a wider wave of running clubs reshaping Nai...