Chongqing joggers running to relieve area of rubbish

Every Wednesday evening, a group of runners in Chongqing gather at a meeting point before setting off on their 5-to-8-kilometer run through the city's public spaces.

But this is no ordinary run. In addition to running attire, they are armed with garbage tongs and trash bags. They are a proud bunch of amateur garbage collectors who take to the streets to keep fit while helping clean up their surroundings.

The group is part of TrashRunning China, a new fitness activity similar to plogging that was founded by two expatriate ladies－Katalin Sogor from Hungary and Celina Eisenring from Switzerland－in Shanghai four years ago.

Plogging is a global movement that originated in Sweden in 2016. The name is a combination of the Swedish words for "jog" (jogga) and "picking up litter" (plocka upp).

Sogor said she and Eisenring did not know about plogging when they started TrashRunning. She said the idea stemmed from her irritation with the trash-laden streets along which she used to run as part of her marathon training.

"We didn't really think about anything too serious or too long-term," she said. "We simply wanted to work out, discover the city and clean up the environment, as well."

In March 2018, the pair started TrashRunning China and organized the first run at Dishui Lake in Shanghai's Pudong district.

Prepared to do it on their own, the duo were pleasantly surprised when their group, which was initially mostly known to the expat community, began to attract more and more Chinese participants.

"Make running more than just running, squatting is good for your butt," Sogor said jokingly, wearing a blue T-shirt with "We Run For Trash" on the back. She said that besides working out in a fun way, TrashRunning is also a way to make new friends, rediscover hidden streets and spots, and contribute to society and the environment.

Fang Lei, 40, said TrashRunning first came to Chongqing last August but only attracted five to six runners to each of its first runs.

"That changed when Kate (Sogor) came to Chongqing last November. As a result of her charisma and former experience in organizing the event, the runs have become more and more popular through word-of-mouth. Now, people quickly sign up for each run on our WeChat mini program," said Fang, who is captain of his group.

At the end of last year, Sogor began working in Chongqing. She said that in addition to the regular weekly runs every Wednesday night since February, the group also organizes family runs once a month, which take a shorter route and attract children and even pets.

They also organize runs to mark special days. On Earth Day last month, for example, they helped clean up trails in the Gele Mountains.

Now, the group has run through almost all the districts of central Chongqing, including Jiangbei, Yuzhong, Shapingba, Nan'an and Yubei.

"It's a fast-growing group," Sogor said, adding that there are now more than 200 trash runners from all walks of life－office workers, yoga teachers, restaurant owners－most of whom are sensitive to environmental issues.

Chinese make up over 90 percent of the group. The oldest is in their 40s, and the youngest is just 5.

"It is fun to catch up with people from different backgrounds, ages and professions. You can see how awareness is growing among people," Sogor said, adding that one trash runner quit smoking after collecting so many cigarette packets and butts, two of their top trash items. From time to time, the runners attract attention and get a big thumbs-up.

"I'm proud to make the Earth cleaner," said 8-year-old Li Haoze, who joined the group last month with his parents.

The energetic boy broke his left arm recently but wanted to keep running, so he picked up litter with his right hand instead.

"Children should be brought up with an awareness of environmental protection," said Li Qing, the boy's father. He said he and his wife, both environmental protection volunteers, started to take their son to various public benefit activities when he was 4.

Li Shuai, a 26-year-old mountain climber, chanced across the group in the Gele Mountains in April. Intrigued, he joined soon after. "Sogor and her husband are really cool. We should be more active in protecting our environment," he said. Now, each time the athletic man climbs, he makes a video of him and his friends filling a bag with garbage and then shares it on his social media account to encourage his peers.

Sogor said, "what one person can do is limited, so we run together to make a bigger impact".

She said that TrashRunning has groups in 16 cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Changchun in Jilin province and Wuhan in Hubei province. More than 9,300 people have joined, about 4,000 of whom are regular trash runners.

"Environmental protection is a global concern. I've seen China's commitment and how it's part of the Five-Year Plan," Sogor said, adding that the country's determination to establish national parks is another way to protect the environment.

To make TrashRunning a good experience, as well as enjoyable and safe, the group, which has a captain and two group leaders, limits the number of runners to 25. Sogor said they might divide the growing number of applicants into two smaller groups focused on different places and routes in the near future.

"Hopefully we can be like Shanghai, which organizes six runs a week at a different location every day. And maybe one day, we could just become a running club," she said.