A single Instagram carousel that mapped run clubs across Toronto by day became an unexpected spark. Comments flooded in, runners tagged friends, and new clubs asked to be added. Mantha kept building the list. Then, she built a website. Within months, A Running List wasn’t just a side project—it was becoming a movement.
What’s made it so magnetic is its simplicity, and the authenticity behind it. Mantha wasn’t trying to create a viral brand. “Branding wasn’t my initial focus. I was more concerned with sharing a resource than creating the flashiest design or most strategic marketing plan. I didn’t have the time or budget for that,” she says.
Since then, the platform has grown rapidly, and has even expanded globally, with run clubs mapped across Australia, Europe, and the United States. But at its heart, A Running List remains focused on the runners. “As the community grew, the vision naturally evolved,” she says. “But in the beginning, it was all about sharing the resource, learning as I went, and adapting along the way. If I had waited for ‘perfect,’ I would have missed the opportunity to help people sooner.”
That same clarity informs how she handles partnerships, with some notable names like Asics, Lululemon, Puppy Sphere, Impact Kitchen, and more. “It always comes back to mission, vision, and values, both theirs and mine. If those things align, the partnership usually feels natural. I’m protective of the trust I’ve built with my community. If something feels even slightly inauthentic or off, it’s an easy ‘no, thank you.’”
Mantha sees partnerships not as business deals, but shared goals. “To me, partnerships aren’t just transactions, they’re extensions of the community, the experience, and the potential to create something meaningful that maybe we couldn’t have built alone. When a brand shares our values and our belief in accessibility, movement, and genuine connection, that’s when collaboration feels not only right but exciting.”
In 2024, she added one-on-one coaching for women who want a more personal approach to running. “It felt like a natural extension of what A Running List was built to do: make running more accessible. Coaching allows me to personally help women who might be intimidated by running clubs, or group runs, build the confidence and ability to show up,” she says. “It’s been incredible watching clients go from never running to running their first 5km, meeting goals, joining community runs, and finding the same joy that running brought into my life. From a business perspective, it’s been less about ‘shifting models’ and more about deepening impact.”
When asked what advice she’d offer to someone starting their own community-centric business, she doesn’t hesitate. “Be genuine, and build without expecting anything in return. Real communities form when you show up with authenticity and a true desire to help,” she says. “When I created A Running List, it wasn’t from a business mindset; it was from a deep, personal need to create a resource I wished existed. I wanted to give it away freely. No hidden agenda, no pressure.”
“If you start a community thinking about monetization first, you risk missing the magic and the whole purpose of community. The community is the heart and soul. Everything else was a bonus for me, and it came from that foundation of real connection. It is something I will always be grateful for and never take for granted.”
With new cities on the horizon, more in-person activations in the works, and a fast-growing community behind her, Mantha is still taking it one step at a time. But one thing’s for sure: she’s in this for the long run.
