Fitness coach Michael Shaw builds community through Run Up
Published:Wednesday | October 22, 2025 | 12:06 AM
While some stories begin at the finish line, Michael Shaw’s began long before that, during the days when running was the only thing that kept him grounded. Now, as the leader of the Run Up run club, he’s channelling that same energy into building something far greater. Two years in, the group brings together dozens of runners across Kingston every Saturday morning.
Created as a community that uses movement to strengthen both body and mind, Run Up attracts people for all sorts of reasons– some for fitness, others for the challenge, and many seeking an active path to better mental health.
In 2014, Shaw was just a young man turning to fitness to manage anxiety and depression. Encouraged by friends and acquaintances to start training others, he decided to host a few people in his yard to see how it would go.
“It was hardly a real gym,” he said, adding, “We were using concrete blocks and tyres to train, but it got the job done. We called it ‘ghetto fitness’.” When a friend connected him with his first paying client, he realised that his talent could serve others. MT Fitness was officially launched in 2016, and with it came a philosophy rooted in care.
“Run Up became a natural extension of that ethos, rooted in inclusivity and connection,” Shaw said, crediting much of the group’s success to its welcoming spirit. “People need a place to belong. We are an organic family, and people looked forward to the laid-back vibes.”
For this fitness and lifestyle coach, discipline thrives when shared. “It’s easier to be consistent when someone is beside you,” he explained, “That camaraderie keeps members showing up, even on the toughest days.”
He recalls the club’s participation in the recent Guardian Group Blue Run 5K for prostate cancer awareness as one of the most meaningful moments for the group. Several members were running for loved ones affected by cancer, turning the event into a heartfelt tribute. “It was emotional,” Shaw added.
That same focus on wellness and balance caught the attention of Heineken 0.0, which partnered with the recently staged Runners Unite Run to promote mindful living through movement. For him, it’s a shared belief that health, connection, and enjoyment can all coexist.
Through his work, Shaw helps to reframe fitness as therapy, not just for the body, but for the soul. In his world, movement is medicine, laughter is progress, and community is cure. Members check in on each other, celebrate small victories, and share stories of growth.
In a city where life often feels rushed, Run Up aims to slow things down, reminding people that wellness is community in motion.