She wanted to empower Black women in sport — so she started an inclusive running club

Only a few years ago, Allison Hill thought running just wasn’t her thing. 

“I didn’t think that it was something that was available to me. It just seemed really hard,” she told The Current’s Matt Galloway. Fitness was important to her, but she preferred working out at the gym, spin classes and yoga.

That is until the pandemic shuttered gyms and fitness classes, leaving Hill with no outlet for exercise other than running. She was looking for a way to keep both her mind and body well, so she strapped on a pair of beat-up running shoes and hit the pavement.

Her runs got progressively longer and more joyous. Now, Hill says she couldn’t imagine her life without running.

“It was the power of following through on something. In a time where it felt like we couldn’t follow through really on anything, it just gave me that extra boost every day,” said Hill.

Hill’s newfound love of running prompted her to start Hill Run Club, a body-positive, size-inclusive and culturally sensitive running group for Black women of all running levels. Now in its fourth season, the club boasts over 500 registered members across Canada who make up a supportive community of Black women focused on prioritizing their physical and mental wellness.

Since its inception, Hill Run Club has helped 50 women cross the finish line of their first race.

Hill says there aren’t that many Black women with body types similar to hers in sport. “I thought if I shared my story, those who had the same sort of story as me could maybe access the sport as well,” she said.

Hill, who is also a hairstylist, says the club’s growth is a testament to the need for a group like this — and the difference members notice in their lives once they start running.

“It’s about those opportunities that these women [have] to show up for themselves every week. It’s about the friendships you can make,” she said. 

“Where else do you get to publicly speak for the first time or lead a run or, you know, get your first medal?”

For many Black women, exercise and wellness are seen as a luxury, and being in service to those around them comes first, Hill said. She hopes the club can help change that perception for members.

“I want to help them to understand that this is not a luxury, it’s necessary,” she said. “It’s a way you have to move through your life to take care of your health, to take care of your mind and to take care of your body.”

‘So much reward just being present’

Asha Edwin — a yoga teacher, run lead, coach and researcher for Hill Run Club — agrees. While wellness has always been a big part of her own life, Edwin says helping Black women put their own wellness first is important work.

“I think [Allison] does a really great job of offering wellness and making it available to folks so that we can both challenge this idea of it being a luxury, but also demonstrate its imperativeness,” said Edwin.

Edwin ran occasionally before joining Hill Run Club in 2023. Alongside a number of other women in the club, she trained for and crossed the finish line of her first marathon in October 2023.

Edwin says pushing herself to get out for a run, even when it’s difficult, has been “one of the most restorative, healing, validating practices that I’ve done.” 

“I find so much reward just being present, with being able to ground myself … I’m quickly reminded of all the things that I’m capable of,” said Edwin.

For Hill, the momentary pain of running has helped push her through hard situations in other areas of her life, she said. 

“When I’m facing something in life, I have to ask myself, is this supposed to be hard? If so, do what you need to do to get through it,” she said.

For those who think running is too hard for them, Hill says it’s best to take the pressure off and try walking or a light jog first.

She adds that running might not be for everyone, however, and each person’s focus should be on finding the activity that helps them find more mental clarity.

“Find something that gives you the opportunity to connect with your mind and connect with your spirit,” she said.