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Mark Agnew

Ultra runner Dolores Vargas Sales wants to inspire her fellow domestic helpers in Hong Kong to take control of their lives through running and other sports.
The Hong Kong-based Filipino wants her message to be heard, as her community recovers from the death of a domestic helper who fell to her death while cleaning the outside of a window of an 18th-floor flat.
“I always share with them that they must take care of themselves – whatever happens, get involved with different outdoor activities like hiking or running,” Sales, 44, said.
The government has outlawed asking domestic helpers hired or retained from January 2017 to clean the outside of windows above ground level, unless they are fitted with a grille and no part of the body but the arms is beyond the ledge. However, there have still been deaths of women who were asked to clean upstairs windows.

“It’s really sad recently,” Sales said. “I hope you know, because there’s no one that will help us.”
Sales and her employer, Will Hayward, have a very good relationship and often run ultra marathons together. In fact, the pair recently travelled to the Philippines to run the notoriously difficult 100-mile (161km) Hardcore 100 (H1), along with fellow Hong Kong-based runners Scott Pugh, Virginie Goethals and Nikki Han.
What are Hong Kong’s window cleaning rules for domestic helpers?
“I know so many domestic helpers are not in such a good place,” Sales said. “I know that my community has problems, troubles or battles of life. But trail running is my relief for everything.”
Many domestic helpers in Hong Kong do hike and take part in races. Team Bandilang Pinas, for example, is a Filipino running and hiking group.

“I’m happy that there are so many domestic helpers now involved in trail running or volunteering for events, especially for trail events,” Sales said.
She is a talented runner, having finished on the podium of races such as the Lantau Vertical and Great Relay.
Her recent trip to the Philippines to run the H1 was a rewarding one, although she did not complete the race, having developed plantar fasciitis – inflammation of the foot that can cause intense heel pain – before the event.
She discussed withdrawing with Hayward, but she insisted on seeing how far she could get, and promising that she would listen to her body and stop if it was painful.
The first few kilometres were great. “It’s amazing for me, I love the place,” Sales said. “There are no stairs, there’s no pavement, it’s trails all the way.”
Arriving at the third checkpoint, 61km in, Sales had plenty of time before the cut-off, but her foot issue had flared up and put an end to her involvement.
“I know my performance was only about 35 per cent, which is really bad for me,” Sales said. “It’s really emotional.

“But running in the Philippines, back home, was amazing. Everyone wants to talk to me and I’m very proud that I’m a domestic helper and I can do trail running.
“I always want more domestic helpers, more Filipino women, to take up trail running. So when I get home, I always talk to others and tell them, ‘Oh my god, this is amazing – I have done it, and you should do it, too.’”


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Filipino ultra runner aims to inspire Hong Kong domestic helpers to take control, as community grieves window cleaning death

Dolores Vargas Sales (left) at the Hardcore 100 in the Philipines with (from second left) Scott Pugh, Virginie Goethals, Will Hayward and Nikki Han. Photo: Handout

Dolores Vargas Sales runs the Hardcore 100 (H1) ultra marathon in the Philippines. Photo: Handout 

Dolores Vargas Sales prepares her shoes for the Hardcore 100 (H1) despite having plantar fasciitis. Photo: Handout 

Sales (third from left) and her fellow Team Bandilang Pinas runners won the 2018 Great Relay. Photo: Handout

The story of Hong Kong’s first ultra-marathon runners – ‘so many people just thought we were mad’

Hong Kong’s first ultra event, 1976, which would become Mid-May Madness. Near Tai Tam Reservoir are (from left) Malcolm Phillips, Graham Smith, Phil Roberts, Steve Reels. Photo: Handout

Pioneers of ultra running in Hong Kong at Ho Man Tin after the Cross-Harbour Tunnel during the first ultra event in 1976. From left: Roy Bailey, Steve Reels, Malcolm Phillips, Graham Smith, Phil Roberts. Photo: Handout

Tai Po Kau station in 1976. From left: Roy Bailey, Phil Roberts, Steve Reels, Ngai Yiu-chung. Photo: Handout 

May Madness, 1977. The three finishers, from left: Albert Ho, Steve Reels, Ngai Yiu-chung. Photo: Handout

May Madness, 1979 – Albert Ho and Steve Reels at Tai Po Kau station, Eric Yuen in the background. Photo: Handout

May Madness, 1977 – a drinks stop at Sha Tin after crossing the ridge below Lion Rock. From left: Ngai Yiu-chung, Malcolm Phillips, Graham Smith. Photo: Handout 

Rob Bailey and Malcolm Philips set the MacLehose Trail record soon after it opened in 1979. Photo: SCMP

Around 240 runners take part in the inaugural Oxfam Trailwalker in November 1986. Photo: SCMP

Governor Sir Murray MacLehose (centre) cuts a ribbon to open the MacLehose Trail in 1979. Photo: SCMP

Now thousands of people take part in the Oxfam Trailwalker each year. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Steve Carr takes a break during his bid to recreate Hong Kong’s first ultra marathon. Photo: Handout

Steve Carr follows in the footsteps of the first runners. Photo: Handout

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Domestic helpers enjoying a rest day at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay in 2021. Photo: Sam Tsang

A safety clause on window cleaning in domestic helpers’ employment contracts was introduced in 2017. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Domestic helpers on Easter Sunday in Central. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Sport

Outdoor

Trail Running

Dolores Vargas Sales is an ultra runner and hopes she can persuade more of her fellow domestic helpers to take part in sport
Her message comes after the death of a domestic helper in Hong Kong who fell while cleaning the outside of a window of an 18th-floor flat


Dolores Vargas Sales is an ultra runner and the Hong Kong-based Filipino hopes she can persuade more of her fellow domestic helpers to take part in sport.


Extreme fitness

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