Amy George: She Runs Collective

Written by Josie Wise

If a Hong Kong resident glanced out their window to see a pack of women of all ages and sizes, 90 people strong, running and walking, they are likely witnessing Hong Kong’s new run club, She Runs Collective. 

She Runs Collective launched in March to answer persisting problems in Hong Kong. The club is dedicated to creating an inclusive space for women. They do this through intentional actions such as incorporating different distances and paces for their runs or offering community talks on important but often overlooked topics such as body image, pelvic health, or how to get a fitted sports bra. 

Amy George, a founder of She Runs Collective, said it has become much more than a run club. 

“Obviously we run on Monday, but it’s more the community aspect, and it’s really about the people,” George said. 

George said it’s unusual to see a large group of women running the streets of Hong Kong. 

“A lot of people, the first thing they do is get their phone out and film the stampede of women coming towards them,” George said. “It’s not the norm, right? It’s not something you see every day.” 

George said the goal is to use She Runs Collective as a tool to continue growing women’s sports within Hong Kong. The run itself, collaboration with brands, and more community talks are all avenues for change. They have ultra-marathon runners, trail runners, and people completely new to running. They don’t set a pace in an attempt to discard the typical run club vibe and focus more on creating a safe and dependable space, George said. 

George said Hong Kong has strict sports rules, policies, and procedures, which make it difficult for women to participate without making significant sacrifices. 

George is part of a team that had to become a social team because games were on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. at a pitch miles away from most people. If a group didn’t have eleven players, they received a fine. Because most people didn’t want to give up their Saturday nights, they couldn’t find eleven players. 

George said the highly popular HKFC Soccer Sevens tournament started in 1999, but women were only allowed to participate for the first time in 2024, 25 years later. 

“It’s 2024, women should have been a part of this years and years ago,” George said.
George said she also faces smaller challenges that might not seem like issues at first glance but perpetuate the larger problem. For example, a local team she interacts with repeatedly calls the run club a “ladies” run instead of a women’s run. 

The Cambridge Dictionary defines “lady” as “a polite or old-fashioned way of referring to or talking to a woman.” 

It is common for the word lady to be seen as a demeaning or patronizing way of referring to women and adds to damaging notions of femininity and the expectation of gentleness, according to Clue. 

Another challenge George said she faces is when brands want to offer their products, such as sportswear and sports bras, but only provide small and medium sizes or little booty shorts that not everyone might be comfortable in. 

“We have women that would love a free sports bra,” George said. “But what do I say to the other women? Oh, sorry, you’re boobs are too big so you can't have a sports bra?”

George said it’s frustrating because it’s exciting that well-known brands want to work with them but she can’t accept the collaborations if they aren’t inclusive.  

“I’ve tried to stick to my guns and make it clear,” George said. “If we want to do it, let’s do it right.”

She Runs Collective started when The Station, a hip coffee shop and runner’s hub did a photography display called “Women With Muscles.” It was an empowering and defiant response to a company in Hong Kong that explicitly asked men to participate in a beach cleanup because women “don’t have muscles.” 

With the “Women With Muscles” display, an idea was born. The Station already hosted a run club mainly consisting of men. 

“It wasn’t a very female-friendly environment,” George said. “A lot of women were getting asked for their numbers or their Instagrams.” 

Onside Sports Group and The Station collaborated with George and Sonia Vashi Chandiramani to organize a women’s run club.

George is planning a women’s trail race for next year, and in the meantime, organizing more community activities such as yoga and brunch. While the Monday night run remains the group’s core, She Runs Collective is growing into a brand devoted to pushing women’s sports into a new light in Hong Kong.