It all started as a family run for two people seven years ago. 

"I was looking for an activity that my daughter and I could do during Ramadan. She was obese then and needed exercise," recalls Ross Pisuena, founder of community run Runmadan in Dubai. 

"My wife suggested that my daughter and I run from mosque to mosque," says the 48-year-old Filipino, explaining the inspiration behind the 30-day Ramadan run.

The father-daughter's first run was in Muhaisnah 4 in 2012. "We passed by two mosques. We ran every other night until the end of Ramadan," he says.

The exercise helped his daughter lose weight and inspired him to turn it into a yearly run with more Filipino friends and running enthusiasts on board.

His two-person running team has grown since and has been picked up by the Filipino Runners United group. At least 80 people now join the run from mosque to mosque throughout Ramadan, and they’re from all walks of life, Pisuena says.

Runmadan runners have their different reasons of joining, Pisuena says. Some do it to make more friends; others do it for exercise, many do it for the sheer fun of running. “It’s become a training point for me to join marathons, and we have inspired a lot of triathletes as well,” he says.

218 mosques in 1 month

They aim to cover 218 mosques every month, and next year they want to run in all seven emirates. Their longest route so far is in Dubai's Rashidiya area, which has 27 mosques and spans 16 kilometres. Their shortest run is in Al Rafa, which covers 4 kilometres and 3 mosques. For the first time this year, they ran in Abu Dhabi.

Bam Rodriguez, 58, said this is her 6th year of the Runmadan. The assistant teacher said it is a fun way for her to spend her free time during Ramadan. 

“The working time is so short, so I wanted to meet friends. I love running, and I

want to stay fit,” Rodriguez says. “It's our way of celebrating Ramadan though we're not Muslims,” she adds.

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