bahrainthismonth.com | NOVEMBER 2026 HEALTHCARE 114 Hitting Their Stride What began with 15 people joining a Friday run soon grew into a weekend gathering of hundreds. Not A Cult Run Club co-founders Kristina Mari Jozefiák and Zsolt Jozefiák share how a love of movement built a community that keeps Bahrain’s runners and walkers lacing up week after week. How did Not A Cult begin? We started training for running again, but wanted to enjoy the process. One Friday, we invited people through Instagram and 15 showed up. By the fourth Friday, there were 100. We think it became recognisable because it’s fun and inclusive. You don’t have to be a runner to join. It’s about finding happiness in movement. How do your personalities complement each other? Kristina is social and outgoing, while Zsolt is more introverted but very good with logistics. We share a love of helping people make positive lifestyle changes. We’re both passionate fitness coaches who lead large group classes, and we believe that enthusiasm comes through because we love what we do. Where did the name come from? It started as a playful way to create hype. Run clubs can sometimes feel like a cult, so we thought, why not call ourselves Not A Cult? It’s catchy, cheeky and makes people curious. We have our own identity and niche, with a strong sense of community, but never want to take ourselves too seriously. We want to be different while remaining approachable. From ultramarathon runners to beginners and walkers, everyone is welcomed and respected. There’s no judgement or pressure to be the fastest. The name might make people curious, but it’s the people who make them stay. What keeps people returning, and when did it become bigger than running? People return for the friendships, conversations and laughter while sharing the miles, whether the run is easy or tough. When we went to Abu Dhabi for our second HYROX, our leaders hosted the Friday run independently for the first time. We were nervous about our race when they sent a group video cheering us on, saying they missed us and were supporting us. That meant the world. The support extended beyond us as founders. People were cheering each other on in other sports, celebrating personal achievements and supporting new businesses. Realising people felt supported beyond running was incredibly rewarding. What do you hope for the club’s future? Being the biggest or loudest was never our goal. Growth happened organically because we were having fun, with weekend attendance growing from around 100 to between 200 and 400. We want to preserve that joy in movement, helping people love running and feel they belong, regardless of pace or fitness level. We also want to explore new initiatives and partnerships that bring value to our community and help us develop our events. These collaborations allow us to do much more together. We want to preserve that joy in movement, helping people love running and feel they belong, regardless of pace or fitness level. - Kristina Mari Jozefiák Years from now, we hope newcomers will still discover something in themselves they never knew was there. That’s how we’ll know we’ve built something that lasts.
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