Running the Distance: Run with Overlydaa’s Journey of Championing Social Community Runs in Mumbai

Mumbai's always up and running. Quick on its feet. Never stops. The spirit is indomitable, as fast as a local train, or let me phrase it, "as fast as a person running to catch that running train". But despite the 'temple run' every day, the 'run' is missing in many. To fulfil that, a special train(ing) happens every weekend. A concept called 'community runs', which was not that relevant in India until some pioneers stemmed the roots for it.

"Run Clubs were a big part of western culture, but people in India, especially the youth, were not interested in long-format runs," says Akshada, the co-founder of Rove Run Club, and the face behind Run with Overlydaa, which pioneered fun-led community runs in Mumbai. "While every other run club focused on training and drills, we wanted to create a fun space for people to unwind and engage while running," says Rhythm, another co-founder of Rove Run Club.

A Sprint Before the Miles.....

Their running journey started in college when Rhythm first got into running and encouraged Akshada to join. "I used to run in school, but obviously after college, I stopped," Akshada recalls. They saved up for their first running shoes, which were quite expensive at 2,500 rupees when they were in college.

Initially, they had no idea how to run properly. "We used to run 300 meters and be out of breath. And we used to blame how bad running is. We did not blame ourselves or how unfit we were," Akshada laughs. They gradually got introduced to guided running through the Nike app, where Coach Bennett changed their perspective on running. "We got to know that you're not supposed to sprint at the start, obviously, then you're gonna go out of breath, so you're supposed to run at a conversational pace," explains the runner. Completing their first 10K without stopping was an emotional milestone. "We almost cried because it was such a huge thing for us." 

The First Leap....

The Tata Mumbai Marathon was always a dream for Akshada after seeing it in newspapers and cheering for participants. With little knowledge about running distances, she met a young runner named Arnav who explained that she needed to qualify for the full marathon. She signed up for the Navy half marathon in 2023 to qualify for the TMM marathon, following a structured training plan for the first time. After completing the half marathon with ease, she set her sights on the full marathon.

Though initially hesitant because the marathon fell on her birthday, her friends encouraged her. Akshada acknowledges that her approach was unconventional. "I'm still an amateur runner. I had no clue about proper training, and I wouldn't recommend anyone to just directly sign up for a marathon like I did. The journey should start with 5K, 10K, improve timing, then train for a half marathon."

Documenting Runs like Daa....

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While training for the marathon, Akshada, affectionately called "Daa" by her friends, began creating content about her running journey on social media. "I started making raw and unfiltered content basically on running, which wasn't a huge thing in India. Like no girl went outside and made running content," she explains. Inspired by western runners who casually documented their 30-kilometre weekend runs, she shared her struggles and journey. But while she was doing this, she noticed a demographic gap in India’s running scene. "The only runners I was meeting were 40-plus, and even they started running because they had some kind of health issue." This realisation inspired her to create the hashtag #RunWithOverlydaa. At first, no one used it, and she nearly abandoned the idea until friends encouraged her to persevere. Eventually, runners from Amravati and Himachal Pradesh began using it, validating her efforts.

Pioneering the Social Run Club Scenario....

Watching running content from Australia, the UK, and the US, Akshada and Rhythm noticed something missing in India. "Why are there no run clubs here?" they wondered. While there were clubs focused on improving performance and timing, there weren't social clubs where people could have fun, build community, and not take running too seriously. Most existing clubs were affiliated with brands, creating brand loyalty that limited participation. "The part where it's not connected to a brand was missing—like people could just come and maybe not take running so seriously," Rhythm explains.

Their approach to community runs started cautiously, with invite-only events, before opening to the public. Initially offering 10K runs, they realised this distance discouraged many participants, particularly women. "One of our friends who's a runner gave a suggestion saying to just keep it an easy run, maybe keep a 5K run," says Akshada. "Five kilometres is a good distance where, in half an hour, you are running, then you can even socialise with other runners and meet people." To their surprise, people travelled from as far as Pune and Kalyan to join their community runs. "It was just so shocking for us that people even came from Pune," Rhythm chuckles.

The Gears Shift....

Since they began organising community runs, they've witnessed significant growth in the running culture. "We are glad that there are so many running clubs now, almost in every city," Rhythm notes. "Every major metro city has a run club, which we are glad about because then the sport can grow bigger, the culture can grow wider."

With the response, their approach has evolved over time. Starting with just runs, they added coffee outings afterwards to facilitate conversation. "Once they're done with their run, obviously, everyone is so high on energy that communicating to anyone becomes easy," Akshada explains. Seeing the popularity of "run raves" in other countries and Bangalore, they brought the concept to Mumbai. "Morning partying is becoming a huge thing, not just in India but everywhere in the world. People prefer not to go to a nightclub but just do it in the morning." While they embrace the social aspects, they maintain a focus on running improvement. "We always make sure to keep a healthy mix of running and social aspects. 

Move it with Rove Run Club....

To combine both and create a more formal environment while keeping the core of Run with Overlydaa intact, they decided to start “Rove Run Club” recently. What sets Rove apart is their approach to running. “We want to create a vibrant community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and growth,” says Rhythm. “It's more than just a social gathering; it's a space where people evolve together through running.” Unlike typical runs, Rove aims to scale up by incorporating brand activations and creating events that offer runners more than just the run itself. The goal is to make each experience inclusive, impactful, and rewarding, giving participants something meaningful to take away beyond the physical activity.

Through their innovative approach, Akshada and Rhythm continue to inspire Mumbaikars to lace up their running shoes and experience the joy of running together, proving that sometimes, the journey is more important than the destination.