Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon

When I signed up for the Hong Kong Marathon last summer, I expected just another typical race. The experience I ended up enjoying, however, was anything but typical. 

The story started at an evening training run with an outdoor social group I joined to meet new people in Hong Kong. The guy leading the training session asked if I would be interested in running the marathon dressed as a superhero.

Interested?  That's an understatement. I have been wanting to run a race in costume for a long time, and the mere suggestion of this possibility was beyond exciting for me.

I did not realize how easy it would be to find a Superman costume at a local market in Hong Kong. After a little tailoring and the addition of running shorts, I was garishly dressed for the occasion. 

The day before the race, we met for lunch to "test out" the costumes. For the first few minutes in public, my inner shy kid took over as I felt everyone's eyes (and a few camera lenses) on us. However, it didn't take long for my self-consciousness to adopt the persona of the costume. With "The Flash" and "Captain America" by my side, I started really enjoying the attention.

We first went to the pier and took some action shots in our best superhero poses. A small group of curious people came by to watch (and take photos with us) while we ran across the pavement, hung from poles, and jumped over park benches.

Photo montage that EJ made from our action shots on the pier

Our next destination was the nearby carnival. Before we could even make it through the gates, we had already taken about 20 pictures with families and small children. I'm not sure if they thought we worked at the carnival as entertainers, but we actually had to cut off the photos so we could keep moving! Over the next couple hours, we played games, rode bumper cars, and even went ice skating - all in costume. I was having so much fun at the carnival that I almost forgot we would be running 26.2 miles the next morning.

Ice Skating at the carnival

Even superheros need to have fun sometimes

More superhero fun from the carnival

On the morning of the race, I woke up early and went through my typical routine. I felt relaxed, knowing that the starting line was only 15 minutes from my apartment. The half marathon runners went past my window very early and I quadruple-checked to make sure I was not supposed to be part of the earlier group (slightly neurotic)!

After that, I completely lost track of time until I looked down at my watch and realized there was only about 25 minutes until the start of my group. With my heart pounding, I bolted out of the apartment, jogged through the adjacent park, and made it to the baggage truck just as they were closing up. I quickly walked into the starting corral without even an opportunity to stretch. Five minutes later, the race had begun.

I decided long before today that this would be nothing more than a fun run, so I took a very relaxed pace and savored the sounds of people shouting "Superman!" from the sidewalks.

Less than 5k into the race, I saw someone wearing all red...a surprisingly similar costume to Alfredo, except that he was meant to be in the earlier wave so it couldn't be him...or could it be?
 
As I got closer, I noticed the lightening bolts on the side of his hat and realized that it was, in fact, "The Flash". I pulled up next to him and we started talking. As it turns out, we actually started in the same wave. I was thrilled to have a running partner.

Alf, "The Flash" stands out from the crowd.

Before long,  a sexy Supergirl in a blue leotard and a red cape passed us and we yelled encouraging words to each other. The Flash and I also met a runner from Guangzhou named Jerry who seemed overly enthusiastic about joining our little superhero group. 

At around the 12k mark, we started seeing other runners along an out-and-back portion of the course and I was excited to notice several other fun costumes. There was a pair of Nintendo characters (Mario and Luigi), multiple people dressed in a full shark costume, and several other superheroes in slightly less elaborate outfits. Every time we passed another character, we would shout words of encouragement as if we were best friends. One thing I love about races is how everyone supports each other in our common quest to finish. We will never see any of these people again, yet we selflessly put our competitive spirits aside for the day to encourage one another.

Mario makes his way along the course

Just one of several people in an incredible shark costume!

Before reaching the 20km mark, Jerry could no longer keep up with our pace and we lost him in the voracious crowd. Fortunately, The Flash was still going strong despite playing a soccer game the evening before. This was the first time I had ever run with someone during a race, but chatting throughout the course really made the kilometers pass quickly.

At some point near the 30km mark, we started merging with the half marathon runners and we got to see an entirely new group of people (and costumes). One girl wearing a kimono stood out to us as having the best costume, but there were also many other gems. I was surprised by the number of runners carrying yellow umbrellas as a silent, yet blatant reminder that negative sentiment stemming from the democracy protest has not been forgotten.

Just before we approached the Victoria Harbour tunnel at kilometer 35, Alfredo started slowing his pace and I inadvertently picked up speed as we descended into the tunnel. I looked back to find him but the lightening bolts were nowhere to be seen. I debated with myself: Do I hold back and run with him to the finish line or pick up speed and get this race over with?

My selfish side won out this time, as I transitioned into beast mode for the final five miles. It was amazing how much energy I still had left as I breezed past people on the crowded Hong Kong streets (this part of the course felt a little too bottlenecked for my taste). The crowd support at this point was much stronger, and I heard many cheers for “Superman” as I aggressively weaved my way through fellow runners.

The finish line was expertly set up to resemble a stage, and there was a huge screen that broadcast candid shots of the runners. I looked up to see a close-up of myself, which was both surreal and intimidating! I believe the finish line is the most important part of a race because it can make each runner feel like a superstar.

At the baggage claim area, I was excited to see my Supergirl from the race. As we chatted, the costume effect again attracted random people who asked to have their photos taken with us. I find it so endearing that I only need a HK$150 costume to achieve quasi-celebrity status here.

Chatting with Supergirl after the race

I found the lady with the amazing kimono costume!

When I think back to the Hong Kong marathon in future years, I will always associate it with the costumes. Not only did I enjoy dressing up myself, but I loved seeking out other runners with a similar sense of fun. The 2015 Hong Kong Marathon introduced me to a new dimension of the race experience, and I cannot wait to dress up again for future running events.

Below are some of my favorite costumes from the race: 

My little piggy?

Football player or rubbish collector??

Another superhero pairing

Golden boy

I have no words.

Another Captain America!

Orange antler man?

I wish that snickers bar attached to his back was real...

Not sure if this is a costume!

Vineyard man?

This looks comfortable

Dinosaur? Turtle? Lizard?

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia, and after spending two weeks on the island, I can completely understand the appeal. The natural beauty is undeniable, nightlife is crazy, and the people are just incredible. Of course the food is also amazing (I could eat Thai food every day for the rest of my life and be completely satisfied). January is also one of the best times of year to visit Phuket. Weather was warm, but not oppressive, and it didn’t rain once throughout the entire two weeks.

The island has a very mountainous landscape, which means that everyone will get a good workout at some point in their vacation. My hotel was built into the side of a mountain, so I had to climb up the equivalent of a 20-story building every day just to reach my room, the gym, and the club lounge. On the bright side, most of the rooms had amazing high views of the coastline.

View from the club lounge at my hotel

I can’t speak for all hotels, but mine did not have direct beach access. Instead, it relied on a massive infinity-edge pool. Personally, I would much rather swim in a pool than in the ocean, so I was perfectly happy. The poolside bar service was an added benefit (although this is Thailand…even the beaches have people walking around to sell drinks). 

I will take a pool over a beach any day

When the weekend came along, my colleagues insisted on showing me a big night out. It started with dinner at a local seafood place that looked more like a pet store than a restaurant. In the front were giant fish tanks where you could catch your own meal. They grilled it up right in front of us and then delivered it to the table. It doesn’t get fresher than that! 
 

The "chef" grilling up our dinner

One of many tasty seafood options at dinner

After dinner, we went to Patong beach for a more traditional tourist experience. As we walked through the strip of bars on Bangla Road, I was amazed by the number of girls dancing on stripper poles. My brother would have loved these places, but I actually found them trashy and uncomfortable. Fortunately, my colleagues did not take me to any of these places. Instead, they booked a private table at a nightclub called Seduction, which was a complete contrast to the bars surrounding it. The clientele was still very casual, but the environment was much more sophisticated. My favorite parts of the experience (besides the VIP bottle service) were the acrobatic performances and costumed dancers on stage. Even though I would not have chosen to visit Patong beach on my own, I’m glad I got to experience real Phuket nightlife.

One of the less appealing bars on Bangla Road

More girls dancing on poles

Performance at Seduction Nightclub

Dancer at Seduction Nightclub

The next day was much more low-key, as I spent some time at a nearby beach called Kamala. Just like everywhere else in Thailand, it is full of bargain massage studios and street vendors selling delicious food and drinks. I timed my visit to coincide with the sunset, which was more stunning than anything I have ever seen before. I have never been to Hawaii, but I would imagine that it rivals what I saw in Kamala. 

Kamala Beach

Romantic (topless) setting at Kamala Beach

Sunset at Kamala Beach

Sun setting on Kamala Beach

Sunday, my colleagues arranged an excursion to nearby Phi Phi Island in Krabi. We started the day super early to catch the ferry, which took about 2.5 hours to reach the island. Most of the trip was in the open seas, but as we arrived at the island, we were treated to the most stunning cliffs that emerged from the ocean like they had been dropped from the sky. There were quite a few secluded caves, which were perfect for kayaking.

Arriving at Phi Phi Island

Spectacular cliffs jutting out of the water

We decided to take a snorkeling trip, which was another first for me. The boat docked and we all jumped off the side into the clear blue water. I have an irrational fear of breathing out of a tiny tube with my face under water, but I calmed myself down after practicing for a few minutes. I was amazed by the number of fish that swam past me as they effortlessly avoided my grip (yes, I tried touching them). When I swam closer to the coastline, I noticed some beautiful corals but I was afraid of stepping on the jagged rocks so close to my next marathon, so I didn’t spend too much time in the shallow waters. 

In order to attract the fish, the workers on the boat were tossing small pieces of bread off the edge of the boat. It worked like a charm and there were literally thousands of fish that surrounded all of us. After this short experience, I am now really interested in taking an extended diving vacation to the Great Barrier Reef. That will be on my bucket list before leaving Asia.

The scene around the boat

Proof that the fish were everywhere!

There's always one guy who tries to catch the fish!

After snorkeling, we returned to the island for lunch and some free time to relax on the beaches. Despite being made famous by the movie The Beach (14 years ago), it seems like they are just now developing Phi Phi Island into an overnight tourist destination. Unfortunately, the seasonality in Thailand makes it difficult for companies to have a successful year-round business.

Finally arriving on Phi Phi Island

Boats lined up along the shore

Our group on the beach!

The sun was beginning to set when we returned to Phuket, so my colleagues took me to a lighthouse on a cliff, which is known for having some of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. I was tired at this point, but I still appreciated the gesture. The ride back to the hotel took over an hour, which displayed the large size of the island and the lack of express roads. The entire time, we were basically weaving our way through little beachside neighborhoods that looked surprisingly similar to one another.

Another beautiful sunset in Phuket

My second week in Phuket was just like the first. I looked out from my window at paradise every morning, drank Thai iced tea from the local street vendor (hand-delivered by my extremely generous local friends), and savored evening dinners al fresco by the pool. I can totally see why so many people choose Phuket as a romantic getaway, but I think it is also a great destination for a group of friends or a bachelor party (thanks to the nightlife).

Without a doubt, Thailand is one of my favorite countries in the world to visit, and Phuket lives up to the hype. It has a similar feeling as Aruba, except the nightlife is more over-the-top, the prices are much more reasonable, and the views from the cliffs are even more stunning. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. 

2014: Year in Review

2014 was another incredible year. I continued to fuel my passion for international travel, and I had the opportunity to spend my entire summer close to home. As I close out the year, it's always fun to think back on all the amazing experiences from the past twelve months:

- Wore a traditional Indian outfit...in India...while my local colleagues wore western clothing.
- Celebrated Chinese New Year with dim sum in Bangalore, India.
- Ate fertilized duck egg ("balut") in Manila.
- Sang karaoke in Manila while we ate seafood that was swimming only minutes before hitting the plate.
- Slept on the floor of the Delhi airport (actually, I didn't really sleep but I spent the entire night there thanks to a 10-hour flight delay).
- Visited Golden Temple in Amritsar, India (and learned about the Sikh religion).
- Got 'hit on' at Golden Temple in Amritsar.
- Watched a cricket match in the hotel garage in Amritsar.
- Drank alcohol at a house party in the dry city of Ahmedabad, India.
- Smiled at the 'matrimonials' section of the newspaper every weekend in India.
- Went bungee jumping in Nepal.
- Got the worst food poisoning of my life in Nepal and lost 10 pounds in 3 days.
- Ate banh mi in Saigon (minus the mayonnaise, of course).
- Visited the birthplace of Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh province of Vietnam.
- Crawled through the cu chi tunnels used during the Vietnam War.
- Learned that the Vietnam War is known as the "American War" in Vietnam.
- Joined an American friend for dinner in Singapore who I studied with in Shanghai. I love crossing paths with people in the most unpredictable locations around the world. 
- Took a selfie in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
- Saw a dinosaur walking around the mall in Kuala Lumpur.
- Spent two weeks without going outside once (in Gurgaon, India).
- Used Air BnB for the first time ever in Canberra, Australia.
- Ran in the Canberra Half Marathon.
- Watched my colleagues in Sydney win their recreation league basketball championship.
- Spent Easter in Sydney with a classmate from LSE that I hadn't seen in over 12 years.
- Saw Prince William and Duchess Kate at Manly Beach.
- Drank German beer at a German pub served by a German guy...in Australia.
- Went hiking in the Blue Mountains.
- Worked out with Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton.
- Celebrated ANZAC day in the rain.
- Went running along the Sydney Harbour.
- Ate at Hungry Jack's in Melbourne (once was more than enough).
- Drove on the left side of the road.
- Ran the Great Ocean Road Half Marathon.
- Celebrated my birthday with a Kit Kat bar.
- Ran in the Melbourne Mother's Day Classic with local staff.
- Had my name published in the newspaper in Perth.
- Went to the horse races in Perth.
- Went Sandboarding in Western Australia.
- Touched a Koala.
- Fed a Kangaroo.
- Bicycled through King's Park in Perth.
- Rode a tuk tuk in Mumbai (and Bangkok). The experiences were entirely different.
- Watched a tug-of-war contest in a hotel ballroom in Mumbai.
- Accepted a promotion.
- Ran a 10k race with my friend who inspired me to run my first marathon.
- Spent 4th of July with family.
- Enjoyed a day on the lake in my brother's boat.
- Watched a Red Sox game in Fenway Park.
- Ran the Old Port Half Marathon with one of my oldest friends who I have known since birth.
- Returned to Chicago as a tourist (and discovered why people love the city so much in the summer).
- Stayed up until 3AM the night before the Minnesota Half Marathon (but still managed to finish in under 1.5 hours).
- Genuinely surprised my parents at their 40th anniversary party.
- Got sunburnt in Aruba.
- Went to Orlando (twice) without visiting Disney World.
- Celebrated both of my parents' birthdays with them.
- Went to a Boston College football game.
- Ate a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.
- Ran a 5k in Chicago that was followed by country line dancing.
- Ran the "Run to the Rock" Half Marathon in 90-degree heat and finished 2nd in my age group (6th overall).
- Took a 24-hour vacation to San Diego.
- Visited Pike Place market in Seattle.
- Ran the Smuttynose Half Marathon with a friend's number and won the female category (before I was disqualified).
- Moved to HONG KONG.
- Got drunk with my boss and all my new colleagues in Singapore.
- Signed an apartment lease for the first time since 2009.
- Went out in Hong Kong with an MBA classmate from the UK who now works in Switzerland and another from France who now works in Korea. The world is truly shrinking. 
- Visited floating markets in Thailand.
- Ran the Bangkok Half Marathon with the registration of a 53-year-old Thai man.
- Watched Taiwanese Opera (even though I didn't understand any of it).
- Flew on a Hello Kitty airplane.
- Went skiing in China.
- Witnessed a marriage proposal in Changbaishan.
- Spent Christmas with coworkers in China.
- Watched the fireworks display to ring in the new year in Hong Kong.

As I look forward to 2015, I am full of optimism. My job has so many possibilities, my new life in Hong Kong is starting to take root, and I already have a flight booked to return home for one of my favorite holidays. Just like hiking through a winding path, I cannot anticipate what will be ahead but I am excited to continue exploring. 

Changbaishan, China

Two weeks at Changbaishan ski resort in northeastern China showed me that people in this part of the world like the idea of skiing more than they do the sport, itself. 

On first glance, Changbaishan appears to be a well-developed, serious ski resort. The base of the mountain has several luxury hotels, a "European-style" village, and a beautiful new gondola. Even the nearby regional airport is expensive and limited in flight connections - just like its North American counterparts such as Vail, Taos, or Bozeman. If someone invests in a flight to this remote area, you would think they are serious about a winter holiday.

My flight arrived in the evening, and I got excited when I saw a heavy blanket of snow and some trails that were illuminated in the distance. My transfer to the hotel was in a luxury ski bus, complete with a private desk and computer.

Hotel shuttle bus, which included a desk and a private computer monitor

Despite being completely isolated and within an hour of the North Korea border, the appearance of my hotel could have rivaled any of the finest ski resorts in the world. The accommodations are spread across several villas, which give a nice residential feeling. Seeing the Christmas trees glistening in the window of the lobby immediately put me in the holiday spirit. 

Exterior of the main building

Home for the next 2 weeks

I had forgotten just how different Hong Kong is from mainland China, particularly in people's ability to speak English. At breakfast, I had my own personal waitress because she was basically the only one comfortable enough communicating with me in English. The others just stared at me like I was visiting from outer space. 

To their credit, most of the guests are from China and there are not many reasons for anyone to know English. I actually like being one of the few foreigners because it helps everyone to remember me. Not to inflate my ego or anything, but one of the staff members even told me I look like a movie star. Clearly they don't see movie stars too often!

Breakfast room in the hotel

Food throughout the resort was decent, but northern Chinese food is much less delicate than what I have gotten used to in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. I found lots of oily and salty dishes, fatty cuts of meats, and bold ingredients with a very aggressive flavor profile. 

My favorite dish of the entire trip was this giant squid.

Trying Chinese BBQ on Friday night

One night, we went to dinner in the town center (about 20 minutes from the ski resort) and I was amazed by the giant portions and cheap prices. You order from the photos on an illuminated wall (perfect for someone like me who can't read Chinese) and all the food was quite unique and tasty. My celebrity status was further elevated in this part of the town. As soon as we walked into the restaurant, everyone stared in our direction. Finally, one guy asked for a photo (with his flip phone!), which started a wave of other introductions. I was genuinely loving the curiosity and I have no sympathy for real celebrities who complain about the attention.

Making new friends in Baishan town center.

Our group in front of the order-by-picture wall

To be honest, there is not much to see in the Baishan town center other than a few restaurants and karaoke places. We walked around the ghost town for about five minutes after dinner before the sub-zero temperatures forced us to just head back to the resort.

Now, for the skiing...

With such luxurious amenities at the base of the mountain, my expectations for the skiing were somewhat high. My lift pass included equipment rental and it was the bargain price of CNY400 (approx US$65). The hotel has its own ski house on site, so I didn't even need to go outside to pick up my gear. 

I rode the gondola to the summit for my first run and dove straight into a black diamond, advanced run. It was somewhat steep, but would have definitely been rated an intermediate trail in North America or Europe. 

Do you like moguls?  They don't exist here. The only bumps in the trail are unintentionally created as a result of people skiing all day on fresh powder. 

Fresh powder was a really fun way to start the day

Glade skiing? Also doesn't exist. The only patches of trees on the mountain are too dense for anyone to ski through. I'm obsessed with glade skiing, so this was a bit of a disappointment.

Surprisingly, Changbai mountain is the highest in the entire Korean peninsula. That said, the vertical drop is still so much smaller than anything I have become accustomed to. Each run took no longer than a few minutes before I was back on the lift.  In fact, the lifts were the only things preventing me from doing 100+ runs per day (none of the lifts are detachable, which is surprising for brand new, Doppelmayr technology). Maybe the resort designers deliberately slowed things down to give the appearance that people are traveling a further distance up the mountain!

Once you do get to the top, the views are pretty decent because this is literally the only mountain in the area. Outside the village at the base, the landscape is largely untouched.

View from the summit of the mountain

One of the days was cloudy, which actually provided a very cool white-out effect:

Cloudy day on the mountain

The lack of crowds was probably the best part of the entire experience. If I was skiing in Western countries on Christmas, it would have been absolutely filled with people, but I felt like I had the entire mountain to myself in Changbaishan. There were a good amount of people roaming around the village, but very few of them actually know how to ski. In fact, the busiest trail (by far) was the bunny hill. I loved whizzing past the few adventurous souls on the black diamond trails and feeling like I was the most advanced skier on the entire mountain. 

It was also fun to see all the people with rented ski clothing, which are even more visible by their 70's era, all-plaid pattern! Those who did bring their own clothes sometimes added a little extra padding in case they fall over...

Extra padding for this snowboarder

A group of skiers in their rental outfits

Some people didn't even bother giving the impression that they wanted to ski. Instead, they just rode the gondola to the summit for some pictures of themselves in the snow. Jumping poses were the most popular.

A photo shoot at the top of the mountain

China is the land of funny signs and even the ski resort played into the stereotype. My favorite was the safety bar on the lifts, which comes with a reminder to lift the bar before exiting. Do some people not realize this when they reach the top and try to slide off??

Do not forget to lift the bar before exiting the lift!

For the first time since I can remember, I actually finished skiing before the lifts closed down. The biggest reason is that I was bored from skiing the same 5 trails without any real challenge. The other reason was the cold weather. I know, it sounds ridiculous to complain about cold weather when skiing is meant to be cold, but this was a temperature that I rarely experience. Perhaps I have become intolerant after spending the last 3 winters in Hong Kong, India, and Mexico?  Whatever the reason, I was happy to defrost at 3:30pm. 

Instead of going back to the hotel so early, I decided to walk through the ski village and see what they had to offer. Maybe my perspective is biased because my last ski vacation was in Aspen, but I was very surprised to see Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and other low-end shops. It was not what I expected in an area full of 5-star hotels, but I suppose it is proof that even rich people like fast food sometimes.

Changbaishan Ski Resort Village

I swear, I have seen this architecture before at another ski resort...

There's no better way to end a ski day than to return to a hotel and spend some time at the spa, so that is exactly what I did. With multiple indoor pools and even an outdoor heated pool (for crazy people), I had plenty of options for relaxation. Yet again, I had almost the entire place to myself.

Indoor pool at the hotel spa

 

Overall, it was a lot of fun to experience skiing in China. They have done an excellent job at copying some fine ski resorts throughout the world, but the biggest thing they couldn't mimic was a real mountain. Does it work for the local clientele? Surprisingly, yes.

For me, there was a glaring disconnect between the high quality of facilities and the (lack of) ski terrain. Back at home, this would have been a mountain that local people drive to for a quick day of skiing on a weekend. I couldn't imagine spending an entire week skiing at such a tiny resort with no other mountains nearby. Would I come back? Sure, but only for a couple days. Anyone who wants real skiing should look elsewhere.