A Day In The Life Of A True Hong Kong Trail Runner
It's Thursday, and you're feeling more sluggish than a sloth on sedatives. You've only run 10km this week, and it was all on Bowen Road. You might as well have run on a treadmill with the incline set to zero. Your weekly goal of hitting 50km and 3,000m of elevation seems as likely as winning the lottery twice in a row.
But wait, there's a glimmer of hope! You could join the Gone Runners on Saturday, and add another 30km to it. Sure, your legs will feel like they've been put through a blender, but it's worth it for the sweet, sweet endorphin rush. Plus, if you add some speedwork and hill repeats, you'll get to enjoy the iconic loop at Happy Valley, as well as the scenic views of High West. Maybe if you start very early, you’ll even get the honour of being the first on High West, setting the date on its wooden calendar. That always makes for a great Instagram story for your growing community of running aficionados.
During a business meeting today, you were so preoccupied with deciding between a hilly run on Black's Link or a flat route along the harbour for your running commute that you barely heard a word anyone said. Oops. But anyway: the meeting lasted longer than expected. So, no running today.
On the bright side, you did manage to hit your daily goal of climbing ten floors by taking the stairs out of the MTR station. Who needs escalators when you have calf muscles of steel? Okay, it’s not something to brag about on Strava. But hey, at least your Garmin watch thinks you’re killing it, though!
You're wearing your trusty Hoka shoes on the MTR, and the other passengers are eyeing you like you're an alien from another planet. Someone once told you that “Hoka shoes are not a personality trait”. The way the other passengers stare at your feet makes you wonder whether that’s accurate. Maybe buying something less conspicuous than the Mafate Speed 4 in rainbow colours would have been a good choice after all. You take a mental note to listen to your wife more often.
You're scrolling through Facebook, hoping to see some exciting trail running news. Did Wong Ho-Chung break another FKT that makes your personal best of 22h on the Maclehose look as if you went for a long, slow walk? Or did someone Everest something? Nope, nada.
Maybe it's a good time to text your running buddies and see if they know of any new races or can recommend a Tailwind flavour to avoid bonking during your next race. But let's be real, everyone has heard the story of your last 10km during the Lantau 70 when you felt like you’re dying a million times already.
As you stare at Hong Kong’s packed race calendar, you're reminded of your first race, Country of Origin. You wore a costume, because why not? Back then, you didn't even know what cadence and VO2 Max were. Now, you're practically a running scientist. Who says running isn't an intellectual pursuit?
You're deep into your research on Kilian Jornet's training plan, determined to beat his record at UTMB and become the ultimate mountain running legend. Suddenly, your peripheral vision catches a flash of colour. Wait a minute... those shoes look oddly familiar. You look up and see a fellow runner approaching, wearing the same exact Hoka shoes as you.
Your eyes meet and in that split second, you share a silent understanding. You both know the undeniable coolness of the Hoka shoes. You give each other a nod of approval, as if to say, "I see you, fellow Hoka-wearer. You've got great taste in shoes."
And as for your wife's advice to buy something less conspicuous? Pfft, forget that noise. Maybe next time she'll think twice before doubting your fashion sense.
