Leaders Spotlight : Harriet Gaywood
In our 10th year of sweating and connecting we are sharing stories from our dedicated and passionate volunteers.
Introducing Harriet Gaywood, a woman who almost does not even need an introduction. Harriet started FitFam in Shanghai at Jingan Workers Stadium, but she didn’t stop there, Harriet expanded FitFam across the Huangpu river to Pudong, in Lujiazui. Her fitness journey began with FitFam back in 2017 after she nailed her first 5km run. From there, FitFam workouts became her daily ritual, sparking new passions and pushing the boundaries of human capabilities. She's gone from trail runs to tackling ultramarathons and even penned a book, "Trailing Around Asia: Mud Sweat & Bears," all about her epic adventures running 1850k and climbing over 90,000m in races by 2024.
Tell us about yourself
I was born in Scotland and first came to Shanghai in 1994 to study guqin at Shanghai Music Conservatory. After I finished my studies, I decided to find a job here. I started working in public relations and still do this today. I love Shanghai and made this city my home. I have left a couple of times but always come back. It is where my two children grew up. It has changed dramatically since I first came and the constant change and rejuvenation is inspiring.
Your first FitFam workout
I joined FitFam just after it started in early 2017. I had just run my first 5k and I realised that I didn't know much about exercise but felt that I needed to get stronger. I saw an article about FitFam and reached out to Vy Vu, the Founder. She was so welcoming and ignored and answered my naive questions. I bought some gloves and immediately found an early morning home at Jingan Stadium. There was no judgment about my fitness and I immediately found this fantastic community of people. I spent the first few month just in awe of the members and realised I could learn so much from them.
The FitFam Impact
FitFam changed my entire view of fitness - not just the importance of staying healthy, but the discipline of daily exercise and pushing your physical limits. It made me encourage my family to try new sports (including FitFam). The discipline of fitness has enhanced my sense of discipline in other parts of my live such as work. Leading FitFam workouts made me more confident about leading other types of activities especially big groups.
Becoming a FitFam leader
Not long after I joined FitFam I was invited to start leading. I was surrounded by some experienced athletes and coaches from whom I learned a lot. But perhaps more daunting for me was the standard of fitness that I found at Jingan Stadium - the oldest people were just as fit if not fitter than the younger people. When people have set their alarms for 5am to wake up and get to the stadium or park, you have to make sure that they have a good workout, which pushes them physically whilst being fun and enjoyable. The determination of FitFam to offer high quality workouts for people of all levels led to a greater focus on training and the development of resources for leaders. Being a leader allowed me to meet lots of people and also help to build the community by taking workouts to new locations.
Why become a FitFam leader?
FitFam is incredibly special because it genuinely welcomes people of all ages. It is a non-judgmental community for anybody who simply wants to workout - regardless of whether you are superfit, want to get back in shape or are just starting your journey with fitness, you will feel at home. The fact that FitFam has not only kept going for a decade but also expanded to other cities and countries illustrates the power and value of the group. Volunteering as a leader and having the chance to unite such a diverse group of people for an hour is a privilege. You don't only help other people but will learn a lot about yourself. Sweating together is the biggest leveler - during a workout, nobody cares about your work or your other achievements - it is about the power of everybody trying their best to be better people.
Favorite Sweat and Connect moments
Literally every time I work out with FitFam is a "We Sweat, We Connect" moment. I remember the first time we went to Pudong in 2017 to find a new location and immediately met new members in Lujiazui Green Space. From track sessions at Jingan Stadium, starting Balance & Bands, to Papas and Pipsqeaks for small kids to boxing sessions and yoga. Doing challenges such as 500,000 steps, May the 4th Star Wars inspired workouts, celebrating Halloween. I remember working out with Beijing FitFam in sub-zero temperatures before we found indoor locations. Hearing FitFam supporters as I ran Shanghai Marathon are moments that remain in my heart. I love logging in for online yoga if I am at home. I recently met a FitFammer during a race in Yunnan. We were in a remote village just as dawn was breaking. We were both tired but unified by our FitFam spirit we kept going. These moments are incredibly special because I owe my fitness ability to complete the race to FitFam.
Anything else you would like to share?
Having spent my 30s focused on work and children with very little exercise, I am forever grateful to FitFam for putting me on a path of fitness that has completely changed my life. In addition to doing different types of FitFam workouts, FitFammers helped me to discover my real passion when they invited me to join them for my first trail race in Hangzhou. I then started running ultramarathons and have since run over 6,000k of races including thirteen 168k races. In January 2025 I published a book on Amazon called 'Trailing Around Asia: Mud Sweat & Bears' about trail running 1850k and climbing over 90,000m of races in 2024. At the end of that year I qualified for Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) and went to Chamonix. Last year I joined FUGA Mountain Club, a global team of trail runners. My trail running kit is sponsored and I also get access to some races. I am the oldest member of the team by a long way but this has given me self-belief to keep going and keep trying. This year I qualified for UTMB for the second time and will return to Chamonix in August. In June I will run my first 330k race near the Great Wall. I continue to explore China and Asia via trail races and travel a lot. I attribute all of these opportunities to FitFam.
