I can finally call myself a trail runner!
After running only on paved roads for basically my entire life, the amazing landscape of Hong Kong (and some great new friends) have inspired me to discover the joys of trail racing. I found out about the Hysan Half Marathon and thought it would be the perfect event to test my novice skill level.
Race day morning was pretty typical, with an early alarm and a carb-filled breakfast. When I stepped outside, I was surprised to feel a light rain that was not in the forecast. Normally, this wouldn't be a big problem, but the unpredictable terrain made me nervous about slipping on the rocks and leaves - particularly since I did not get a chance to buy trail running shoes in advance.
The race organizers arranged shuttle buses to the starting line, which was convenient since it was all the way up in the mountains of the New Territories (Tai Lam). The bus ride was really entertaining because people kept yelling at the driver in Cantonese, which I can only assume was because he was getting lost. Eventually, we got to the park where the race was set to begin. I found my group and we quietly prepared ourselves for the race.
The starting line was so different than a typical road race. There were no corrals, no seeding by pace group, and random picnic tables serving as roadblocks. Suddenly we were off, and it was like a free-for-all to get to the road.
I started the race with another friend and we kept a relaxed pace, but still managed to pass quite a few people. Had I known that the entry into the trails would be a bottleneck staircase, I would have probably pushed even faster. Anyhow, the wait was not too long and the first trails were relatively wide. I had never run in this area before, but there were some amazing views from this part of Hong Kong.
The next section was a steep downhill on a winding road, which allowed us to let gravity do most of the work. By the bottom of the hill, I looked behind me to find my running partner and he was oddly not there. I figured we would not be running together for the entire race anyhow, so I just forged ahead and used the opportunity to really pick up my pace.
Shortly after, the course got much harder because the trail almost disappeared entirely as we climbed a steep hill. I found myself pushing through branches and leaves, while also looking down to make sure I was not falling in a pothole or veering from the course. I found the uphill section to be somewhat fun, but the downhill section was more stressful because I was afraid of slipping without any good footing. It almost felt like skiing down a really narrow double black diamond.
Each new section brought new challenges and exciting elements to overcome, but I found myself feeling like it was the race that never ended.
At the last checkpoint, I was sure that we must be close to the end, but I asked the volunteer and she said that we still had 5km remaining. My legs have never been so tired in a half marathon before, and the elevation was really taking a toll. Soon after this checkpoint, we merged with the slow runners from the 13k race. On one hand, the slow runners added yet another set of obstacles to the course, but on the other hand, it was encouraging to whiz past so many people.
The end of the race came seemingly out of nowhere, and it brought us right back to the park where we began. I enjoyed being cheered by the other members from my running club when I came through the gate, and I felt accomplished from the challenge that had just been completed.
Even though this race was only a half marathon, the huge elevation gains/losses made it feel like a lot longer. I love trail running because it requires a lot more mental focus. In these races, it is not possible to turn off your brain because you must constantly be aware of the terrain. I found myself much more stressed on certain parts because I was nervous about losing my footing or holding back the people behind me. However, the thrills of the course far outweighed the negative elements.
Looking back on the elevation and route maps, it was cool to see the distance that we covered:
Throughout the race, I did not pay any attention to the number of people in front of me, nor did I bring a watch to track my own time. I had no way of even predicting my goals, but I finished with the feeling that I pushed almost as fast as I could have gone.
I was happy with my overall placement of 30th out of 635 runners in the half marathon. For my first trail race, finishing in the top 5% was very satisfying. The race organizers did a great job at arranging the course and managing the logistics. It was much more rustic than any other race I have done in the past, but I think that is the biggest appeal of trail running.
After running only on paved roads for basically my entire life, the amazing landscape of Hong Kong (and some great new friends) have inspired me to discover the joys of trail racing. I found out about the Hysan Half Marathon and thought it would be the perfect event to test my novice skill level.
Race day morning was pretty typical, with an early alarm and a carb-filled breakfast. When I stepped outside, I was surprised to feel a light rain that was not in the forecast. Normally, this wouldn't be a big problem, but the unpredictable terrain made me nervous about slipping on the rocks and leaves - particularly since I did not get a chance to buy trail running shoes in advance.
The race organizers arranged shuttle buses to the starting line, which was convenient since it was all the way up in the mountains of the New Territories (Tai Lam). The bus ride was really entertaining because people kept yelling at the driver in Cantonese, which I can only assume was because he was getting lost. Eventually, we got to the park where the race was set to begin. I found my group and we quietly prepared ourselves for the race.
 |
| Great representation from the Out in HK group! |
The starting line was so different than a typical road race. There were no corrals, no seeding by pace group, and random picnic tables serving as roadblocks. Suddenly we were off, and it was like a free-for-all to get to the road.
 |
| Race staging area - including picnic table roadblocks! |
 |
| Starting line mayhem |
I started the race with another friend and we kept a relaxed pace, but still managed to pass quite a few people. Had I known that the entry into the trails would be a bottleneck staircase, I would have probably pushed even faster. Anyhow, the wait was not too long and the first trails were relatively wide. I had never run in this area before, but there were some amazing views from this part of Hong Kong.
 |
| Beautiful views throughout the course |
The next section was a steep downhill on a winding road, which allowed us to let gravity do most of the work. By the bottom of the hill, I looked behind me to find my running partner and he was oddly not there. I figured we would not be running together for the entire race anyhow, so I just forged ahead and used the opportunity to really pick up my pace.
Shortly after, the course got much harder because the trail almost disappeared entirely as we climbed a steep hill. I found myself pushing through branches and leaves, while also looking down to make sure I was not falling in a pothole or veering from the course. I found the uphill section to be somewhat fun, but the downhill section was more stressful because I was afraid of slipping without any good footing. It almost felt like skiing down a really narrow double black diamond.
Each new section brought new challenges and exciting elements to overcome, but I found myself feeling like it was the race that never ended.
 |
| Another candid shot from an easier paved section |
 |
| A runner forges ahead through the rocky trail |
 |
| Two runners focus on the trail |
At the last checkpoint, I was sure that we must be close to the end, but I asked the volunteer and she said that we still had 5km remaining. My legs have never been so tired in a half marathon before, and the elevation was really taking a toll. Soon after this checkpoint, we merged with the slow runners from the 13k race. On one hand, the slow runners added yet another set of obstacles to the course, but on the other hand, it was encouraging to whiz past so many people.
The end of the race came seemingly out of nowhere, and it brought us right back to the park where we began. I enjoyed being cheered by the other members from my running club when I came through the gate, and I felt accomplished from the challenge that had just been completed.
Even though this race was only a half marathon, the huge elevation gains/losses made it feel like a lot longer. I love trail running because it requires a lot more mental focus. In these races, it is not possible to turn off your brain because you must constantly be aware of the terrain. I found myself much more stressed on certain parts because I was nervous about losing my footing or holding back the people behind me. However, the thrills of the course far outweighed the negative elements.
Looking back on the elevation and route maps, it was cool to see the distance that we covered:
 |
| Elevation Chart for the 21k course |
 |
| Overall course map |
Throughout the race, I did not pay any attention to the number of people in front of me, nor did I bring a watch to track my own time. I had no way of even predicting my goals, but I finished with the feeling that I pushed almost as fast as I could have gone.
I was happy with my overall placement of 30th out of 635 runners in the half marathon. For my first trail race, finishing in the top 5% was very satisfying. The race organizers did a great job at arranging the course and managing the logistics. It was much more rustic than any other race I have done in the past, but I think that is the biggest appeal of trail running.
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