Saudi Women Will Run The Kingdom

Saudi Arabia effectively banned womens sports for decades. Exercising in public has long been a cultural taboo. But Kingdom-wide, groups of robed runners have taken to the paths and streets, proving that change is coming.

- Michelle Hamilton

NESREEN GHONAIM STEPS OFF THE KERB AND INTO TRAFFIC. CARS SLOW, ALLOWING US TO CROSS. IT’S A FEW MINUTES PAST 7PM AND THE RUNNING GROUP SHE LEADS IS WAITING. SHE HUSTLES DOWN THE WALKWAY, A WIDE MERIDIAN STRETCHING THE CENTRE OF TAHLIA, ONE OF THE BUSIEST SHOPPING STREETS IN THE PORT CITY OF JEDDAH. HER BLACK ABAYA, THE LONG ROBE WOMEN MUST WEAR IN PUBLIC, SWISHES AROUND HER CALVES.

Nesreen is 43, with warm eyes, and curls that bounce as she moves through the evening crowd. About 15 women wait in the walkway. They all wear abayas, running shoes, and various forms of head covering, from the veiled niqab to a loose hijab, or none at all. The women – mothers, professionals, students – smile and embrace us when we arrive. This is JRC Women, a division of the local running group Jeddah Running Collective, which Nesreen heads. They’ve recently launched a couch-to-5K programme for newcomers.

“All right, gather round,” says Raghad Almarzouki, 31, who coaches JRC Women with Arwa Alamoudi, also 31. “We’ll run down the walkway, out to the grassy area and back,” she says, detailing the 5K route. She waves her hand, “Yalla.” Let’s go.

The women take off down the path, a mosque across the street on one side, a female-only gym franchise on the other. Couples stroll, children dash about. A man kneels on a prayer rug.

Veiled women walk with cell phones to their ears, and SUVs, luxury sedans, and the occasional rundown Toyota whiz by.