The Sandal Man who finished 156 KM Raleigh Challenge-Wilson Trail Virtual Race 2021
"Simply just stay focused & don’t overcomplicate things.
Just get it done one stage at a time.
Get out there enjoy the fresh air, have fun on the nature view and finally be prepared to embrace those pains."
TRAILME: Congratulations on your Wilson challenge performance!
TRAIME: How and when did you discover trail running?
Saw a poster - “Come and Join the First Edition of Vertical Running @ KK100 tower”
this caught my attention way back 2016 when I was jogging in the park. So, I did join and had a chance of a lifetime experience to climb the tallest building in Shenzhen.
Eventually I survived to the top but suffered leg muscle soreness for a week.
And to cut a long story short. Got Hooked up & I tried to look for more Vertical races in the internet, and so happen appeared on my search was the “Lantau vertical” race here in HK ….and I don’t have any idea of the Trail Running race before…
So, I did register, and I accidentally fell in love with because I feel some connection with the nature and somehow a big stress relief for me from work which frees me from anxiety and other negative vibes around me.
Then that’s my journey of my life becoming a Trail Runner.
TRAILME: How often do you train?
Before, I just only run around 50 to 80km total on my weekdays and on the weekend, just around 15 to 20km. Nowadays, I seldom run due to my new role at work…plus we were hit by the pandemic in which all races were cancelled. So, I don’t have much training to prepare, but then again, I still do some strength and core work training just to maintain my cardio exercise and to keep me fit every day. Well, if there’s a good brutal challenge races that interest me. I progressively run a bit every night after work, maybe around 5 to 10km.
TRAILME: You are now well-known “A Man Who Runs Long Distance with pair of Sandals.” How do you managed to do this? What inspire and what the story behind this?
Yep, I really love punishing myself in a good way. I'm fascinated in some great challenges ahead. I normally run from 50km to 100km to hundred miles, because I want to challenge myself and wanted to see my so called rock-bottom where exactly I can reach my possible lowest point
I can’t explain much why. But I just really love those pains, during and after the race.
Using my running sandals gives me somewhat a freedom of feeling the ground which mimic the sensation of being barefoot and reconnection with the nature itself
I’m a big fan of a minimalist runners like the one inspired me most, the amazing Tarahumara runners from Mexico. Those sandals’ soles are handcrafted out of rubber car tires and a leather strap that wrapped laced on foot.
TRAILME: What is your running theme? How do you motivate yourself when you run? Any favorite music?
Running theme? Mmmm…. I don’t have any preference; I just strap my Sandals on then move forward and run.And for some motivations when I run? Well, those Race Bib attached on my wall are one that kept me motivated most…
For some music.. I love basically every genre of music… listening to music’s are one of my diversions of my sufferings.
TRAILME: Can you share your experience in running the virtual Raleigh Challenge Wilson Trail?
I decided to start around 9.30pm of Friday the 15th after work so that I would be able to finish the challenge early before the end of weekend (Sunday.) My experience on the race was totally-brutally awesome & well executed. I finally had a chance to do the whole section of Wilson trail which they say, one of the hardest of the four major trails in Hong Kong . And, for the record, this is my first time doing the Wilson Trail, because when I did it with my team in Raleigh Wilson 2018, most of the routes were diverted due to super typhoon Mangkhut, which devastated Hong Kong.
Anyway, going back to my story...
When I say well executed, I mean that I was slow on my journey to Nam Chung, and my expectations were very conservative. There are several temptations to run faster on my way, but I'm constrained by my rucksack, which weighs around 15kg, and I don't want to injure myself along the way.
Before leaving from Nam Chung, I gave my heavy backpack to my friends who supported me, then later bring out my running vest. Along the way, I felt tremendous relief and superlight =) because I was no longer carrying any heavyweights on my shoulder. My main goal was to go slow and easy during the first half of the race and the rest of the race, I progressively increased my pace, That is why I was quicker by 1 hour on my first half compared to my fellow runners who completed the Tornado Challenge, who were faster on the first half but slower on the second half of 156 km; I think they were slower by an average of 3 to 4 hours.
TRAILME: What’s your next race?
I have some series of line up that fits all my criteria: tough, brutal and beautiful for 100km and 100 miles coming ahead this year and in the 1st quarter of 2022. Which I look forward to see and test my limits again
TRAILME: What has been your most memorable trail running experience?
Got hooked much on ultra-races, so I didn’t notice I had tons of line up races every weekend. I truly love exploring my limits and limitations, as well as embracing those pains and sufferings. I attempted to explore my Rock bottom and just simply want to hit lowest possible point of myself. And by far my most memorable was December 2019 I had two 100 Miles race and one 100km and one 50km every week.
1st week- 100Miles -HK168 – finished 23rd place
2nd week- 50km Maxirace YangShou China – finished 80th out of 300 runners
3rd week- 100km- The North Face HK -finished 227th out of 600 runners
4th week- 100 miles- Golden 100 HK- finished top 25th out of 150 runners ...
And by surviving these challenges, I was lucky enough to stay injury free.and by surviving these challenges, I was lucky enough to stay injury free.
TRAILME: How do you keep yourself updated with upcoming race information?
I do subscribe like the TRAILME apps to keep me posted on upcoming races plus the social media and of course the trail community group here in & outside HK.
TRAILME: Do you use any sports apps or wearables when you go trail running?
Yep, I do love my “Coros Vertix” watch because I can upload/export all my training workouts then later synced it to my Strava. So, I can study my performance well.
And to add up, it has super extra-long battery life compared to my previous GPS watch. Wearables? Mmmm I simply love my “LUNA sandals”, I just strap them easily & hassle free...and for my hydration pack is my “Simple hydration” bottle which I just hang on my back of my favorite Ahon shirt a locally made from my place which I wear most of my trainings and in my races.
TRAILME: Any words of advice for other runners out on the trail?
“Always Stay Low and Fly high” Simply just stay focused & don’t overcomplicate things.Just get it done one stage at a time. Get out there enjoy the fresh air, have fun on the nature view and finally be prepared to embrace those pains.
