Hong Kong, a place I thought I wouldn't come back ever since my first visit as I recall it as being quite a dull holiday trip. More so, I would never even thought my first attempt at a 100km ultra trail marathon would be an oversea one and supposedly one of the tougher 100km out there...
To be honest, it was plan much earlier than expected since initially was supposed to be Cameron ultra 100km... I was just "testing my luck" in the lottery system with my friend thinking I won't get it anyway since I got nothing to proof during the registration..
[[To enroll for the TransLantau100, you must be a finisher of a 100km trail race OR a 50-km trail race in <12h within the last 2 years]]
My friend had his TMBT 100km while I only had TMMT 70km which I thought the race won't be recognize due to distance issue. When the result came back... I wasn't sure what to feel... unprepared? happy? worry? I had only 5 months to prepare for this...
[[To enroll for the TransLantau100, you must be a finisher of a 100km trail race OR a 50-km trail race in <12h within the last 2 years]]
My friend had his TMBT 100km while I only had TMMT 70km which I thought the race won't be recognize due to distance issue. When the result came back... I wasn't sure what to feel... unprepared? happy? worry? I had only 5 months to prepare for this...
Race day was on the 2nd of March 2018.
The successful ballot result was on the 11th of October 2017.
My mileage was only averaging 20-30km a month before October.
My furthest distance was 65km with < 1000m+ elevation only (TMMT 70km which I barely make it)
Beforehand, I was always giving excuse like busy for work, no time to work out, tired AF after work, and all the extremely typical excuse you always get so that people will make themselves feel better for not training or working out, hence, the low mileage and just barely make it for TMMT 70km CoT... So, I stop all that nonsense and just find way to squeeze in time, and there is where I found my training spot. It was on the way to my home from work. Since traffic jam is common, I stop at my training area which is on the way back and just train at it till the jam subside. Although I reach home later, but it usually only later by 30-50minutes + you enjoy the emptier road when coming home + you feel better after the exercise. And little did I know, I started to collect at least 100km a month for the next 5 months.
(Side note: I well aware jobs like auditor has really busy schedule, but I seen auditor still manage to pull it off and ran a full marathon.)
At the time of the race day, I had collected around probably at least 600km and 30,000m elevation gain from October 2017. Some will say it not enough but I had gave it my best shot and here am I, standing in front of the starting line, about to do the "impossible". Oh, and to add thing worst, I had been DNF-ed two times in a row right before this race (Mt Tahan Climbathon on January 2018 and 24H @ MAEPS on February 2018)... It took a toll on me and to be honest, my confident was kinda low when I was at that starting line...
2nd March 2018, 11.30pm, the weather was not to cold nor hot, no sign of rain and the humidity was usual. 3!! 2!! 1!! Off we go into the dark! I had no problem for the first 6.7km of the run which is also our first CP, refuel a bit and continue on. By the way, I was the last few during this time, rank 600+ of the 650+ runner and I kinda aware of this since as I look back to take some video, I notice there no more sea of light but only darkness with a few spot light. It did not really get to me since all I want to do is to finish the race within the CoT.
CP2, 28km onward, thing were still going smoothly, still kinda last in the line, but I was very happy has it 1/4 of the ways and I still feeling fresh. Refuel well and applied vaseline on my leg to prevent blister, I continue on into the dark and this is where it really start, the uphill and downhill climb. As I was too conserved with my energy, CP2 to CP3 was the time I almost kena caught by the CoT. With just 15minutes left to spare, I make it to CP3 just in the nick of time. (I only found out later, they had given an extra half an hour for CP3 CoT for reasons...)
Still dark, I head on to CP4 where Lantau Peak was in the way. The uphill climb was kinda my favorite part of the race as I manage to save a lot of time and I did manage to chase up with quite a lot of runner but no doubt the climb was tough. The sun was up as I reach the peak of Lantau, there was a mixed feeling, happy that the uphill climb finally ended but saded that the view got blocked by mist. Though it was still an interesting sight to behold. After 5-10minutes of enjoying the place of where I am, I ran down toward CP4. My favorite part of the race manage to save me from the CoT of a measly 15minutes to a more comfortable an hour from the CoT. However, my leg was starting to feel pain at this point, so I eat, drink, rest plentiful, Vaseline on my leg, social media a bit and after 20 minutes, I continue on to CP5.
As I was running downhill, I was suddenly tap by the back, it was one my friend who decided to pay me and my other friend (who is running also) a visit. As we were running down together, chatting together for a while, for a moment, I did feel more energetic and that pain was momentarily gone. After that, he turn back to find my other friend while I march on into the trail. The path toward CP5 was a really interesting route as it was cover with mist all the way. There are time when we have to fight against strong gust of wind, running against it or along it, was seriously praying that the monsoon won't happen anytime... As I reach the full marathon distance, the pain started creeping back in, I slowed down a bit but did try to push it as the next checkpoint was only few more kilo.
11 hours and 45km later, I finally arrived at CP5. Dreaded and tired after that session of the run, I sat down, rest and refuel for quite a long moment. The situation was kinda so-so as I was not the only one feeling devastated at that time but it did get to me a bit as some were already asking to quit, but I chuckle as the event team manage to pursue them not to do "so early" in the race. After all, we still had time. With just a slight down moment, I knew I had to start moving again if I want to make it to CP6, Tai O or the middle point of the race. And it was this time, I received some encouraging message from my group which gave me the motivation to move on stronger. Yes, the pain was still there as I started my route toward CP6, but as from my previous ultra marathon experience (actually had 3 only...), I learn to either change my leg pacing, stride, landing or movement to calm the pain.
CP5 to CP6 was definitely a route with better scenery. As we were running toward the other side of the mountain, the mist was finally gone and in front of us was a beautiful scenery after being in the mist for some moment. The open ocean and the view of Tai O village from the top was just mesmerizing! As I running with the view, the pain and tiredness was temporarily replace with the feeling of excitement and happiness. I did slow down a bit here just to bath myself with all this beautiful scenery but after a while, it started to get hot and my water supply was dropping low. Thanks Gods it was downhill from here toward Tai O and so I rushed down to the village for water....
14 hours into race time and roughly half way point of the race, 57km, our friend was waiting for us at the village. We talked for a while and he gave some encouragement like my ranking was actually improving from 600+ to 400+ and etc, but that feeling was neutralized as many were seen taking bus home here. At CP6, the pain was started to be an annoyance but it was still manageable and this time round, I properly refuel and rest as the next water station was 18km away, something I have not experience before... I had to survive an 18km run/hike with just 1 litre of water in my bag pack and a few energy gel and mini bak gua. I know it was going to be grind toward CP7 as I left CP6 with everything packed. I had a plan and the plan was to avoid drinking any water for the next 9km since it was mostly flat land and set-up an imaginary water station at that point, before the start of an uphill climb. As I left CP6, I realize I ate a little bit too much and my stomach felt very full. There were plenty of time I feel like vomiting but I hold it in anyway, not wanting to waste any precious nutrient at a time like this. I just move slowly for the first few km to let the food disgust down...
The first flat 9km was mostly in the village and at sea level, I tried to save some time by running instead of walking all the time, and with the weather started to cool down, I manage to avoid taking in any water for the first 9km. At this point, I took a 15 minutes break, had everything refuel and the banana I took from the last CP, I continue the climb up toward CP7 and boy oh boy, it was one of those climb I definitely did underestimate, but nevertheless, the view was amazing as I was reaching the top of the climb. The pain? It was definitely still there but with the view this beautiful, again, the pain was temporarily replace by excitement, running alongside the cable car toward CP7 was definitely interesting as you can see the people in the cable car looking down at you suffering.. Then, it started to get dark... Unlike the last night where runner were much closer to each other, this time we were kinda far apart.. Me and one runner happen to run at the same pace at the time and so decided to work together as we make our way to CP7 in the dark forest, talking with each other just to overcome the night.
Upon reaching CP7, the cold started to set in... Now I not sure whether is it because my body is becoming tired or the weather is really getting colder, in fact, it was much colder than the night we started the race. I popped up my wind breaker and gulped down the warm soup and some solid food. Again, resting while applying Vaseline onto my leg, I was looking around to see if there any familiar face... I was 2,400km away from Malaysia, and here am I trying to look for familiar face... Probably because I was trying to avoid entering the dark forest alone.
After half an hour, I packed up and started moving again into the dark forest toward CP8, as I was venturing into the dark forest alone this time, I nevertheless applied the same strategy as last night, "keep running till you find someone, follow them at the back regardless of their pacing, when someone faster come up and overtake, use them as a pacer". After roughly 4km of downhill run which felt very fast, came the 4km of slightly uphill cemented road.
This was the utterly the most boring path ever and since it was cemented, this mean the road was as hard as concrete... I was starting to mumble in the back of the head, "complaining" why the heck do you need road in a trail run event... Leg already pain, with road, now even more... Thank Gods though as I was going up the road, there was a group of us walking together. There was even one guy who look so tired and his walking stride was a bit unstable where at one point, all of us was trying to prevent him from falling into the monsoon drain. (There was a huge monsoon drain on one side with no barrier and a drop down to around 2-3m). As we were transversing the road, I was trying to conserve as much energy as possible as the next part would be a steep uphill toward CP8.
Then one of the funny part or tiny hiccup happen during the walk. We were suppose to follow the reflective race marker which will bring us to the left, up toward for CP8... Since all of us were a little bit delusional, (we had 2 full marathon on our foot, who wouldn't go a little bit crazy at this point?) we all stop at one of junction, looking up at the trail as we saw a shiny marker (which was actually just a trail marker, not the race marker) and all of us were like "is it this way?" and "no, I not going up to check, you go and check, I tired..." Think it was a full five minutes till someone who was familiar with the trail come by and told us it was another way.
After we reach the start of the uphill, I notice the huge group that were walking together stayed down to rest. Without burning much time and using the uphill to my advantage, I went in alone and boy oh boy, with the mist started to come in which you climbing, it really felt like those "silent hill" situation. All alone now, I did not stop climbing and with the help of my hiking pole and Gods, I had no problem or major issue with my leg as I was pushing on the path toward CP8.
This is where all hell break lose... It has gotten very cold and windy when I arrived at CP8, I was very tired and my whole body was aching. Everything around me was beginning to annoyed me and the funny part here is, the event team was being very encouraging with us at this point but I was so down and negative that I mistook all their support as some sarcasm motivation. Of course the logic side of me know that it not as it is, but the emotional part of me was so overwhelming at this point... I sat down, my mind started to wandered off, I wasn't thinking anymore, the cold really got to me, micro slept a few time.. It was feeling I had not felt before, it was like your soul is not in control with your body anymore. With the one of the toughest climb toward Sunset Peak ahead of me, I really could have given up there and then... The chatting and talking around you become white noise and you just sit there and wander, why am I doing this?
That question.... that question brought me back to my sense, but of course I did not jump up like some scientist discovering the theory of everything. I just sat there and try to find back the energy to continue on. I was praying there and then also, hoping for the pain and fatigues to miracle go away which of course it did not. It is then I told myself to do thing step by step regardless of how small it is. It like step 1, get up... step 2, refill all your supply and etc... you get the picture. As I completed whatever I need to do at the water station, I look up into the dark steep uphill trail, I started to put one foot in front at a time, with the help of my hiking pole, using my hand to help push myself up. I told myself, regardless if it Sunset Peak or if even if they put Gunung Nuang in the way, I am not gonna to give in after all that hardwork, I had time and it was only 15km away and I all I need is to get to top of the peak first. Step by step, I focus on climbing the peak first instead of focusing on crossing the finish line.
A climb that I just mindlessly climb, like my soul had left my body because the mental pain was just too much to bear. It was also one of those time where I really don't feel "the time" as if it like 5 minutes don't feel like 5 minutes but it also don't feel longer nor shorter. It was some experience that I really don't know how to put into word.... The climb did felt forever but as I finally reach the peak, it felt a little bit too early to reach the peak. (I really had little or no recollection of any memory of the climb toward the peak, it like that moment when you are forgetful drunk)... At this point, I came back to my sense and everything become clearer a bit. The initial plan was to rest on the peak for a while, but with the chilling wind howling in your face, I might not even able to get up if I was to stop here and so I started running down.
As I was running down, the mist got thicker and my headlamp started to be not effective at all. Visibility was like around 5m only and getting lost now won't be a good idea. It really felt like you are in one of those horror game like Silent Hill and at any moment something could pop-up... As I was running down the other side, I saw two shadow at the end which at this point, it felt like some supernatural entity... Thanks God I manage to caught with two runners ahead of me with one seem to know the trail well. I was following them from the back and was just focusing on getting down to CP9. After the road split and the guy who know the trail well tell us which way to follow, me and the other runner went ahead first. Thanks God for this runner, although I was able to cope with his fast downhill run, I wasn't able to cope with his speed at the downward stair area but he kindly waited for me and even check on me at times. The two of us work together (with him doing more of the work actually) to get down the hill as soon as possible. Finally, after all the downhill run, we reached CP9 which is also the last checkpoint!
Here, I was at my limit, but it wasn't because of my leg pain, it was more of physical strength. Mentally, I was happy to reach CP9 but physically, I was very very sleepy... Two sleepless night were moving continuously like this was my first time after all. I found a nice spot to sleep and wow, the event team was extremely nice, they gave a full bottled of coke as a pillow and even help put on a thermal blanket for you. I slept for 20 minutes and I was back up, feeling much more refreshed and the pain did subside!
Here it is, the start of the final 5km! As I was running towards the finishing line, I thought back the last 28 hours, the hell I been through to get to those heavenly area. The pain that one bear to reach a goal. It was a mixed feeling... Happy cause the finish line is just within reach but sad cause the amazing journey was coming to an end. During the journey to the end, I still had to pass through some trail alone and even graveyard in the dead of night with only my headlamp shining the way... Nevertheless, I ran on alone in the trail, did overtake a few runner, and finally reach the finish line! Yeah, just like that, my journey ended, no big hurray or celebration. Just a full satisfaction feeling at that time. I didn't even bother celebrating actually, just took my finisher medal, return the GPS, and just sat down and slept while waiting for my other friend to finish. It was a well worthy rest....
This is not the end of my journey though, it has just only began!
After half an hour, I packed up and started moving again into the dark forest toward CP8, as I was venturing into the dark forest alone this time, I nevertheless applied the same strategy as last night, "keep running till you find someone, follow them at the back regardless of their pacing, when someone faster come up and overtake, use them as a pacer". After roughly 4km of downhill run which felt very fast, came the 4km of slightly uphill cemented road.
This was the utterly the most boring path ever and since it was cemented, this mean the road was as hard as concrete... I was starting to mumble in the back of the head, "complaining" why the heck do you need road in a trail run event... Leg already pain, with road, now even more... Thank Gods though as I was going up the road, there was a group of us walking together. There was even one guy who look so tired and his walking stride was a bit unstable where at one point, all of us was trying to prevent him from falling into the monsoon drain. (There was a huge monsoon drain on one side with no barrier and a drop down to around 2-3m). As we were transversing the road, I was trying to conserve as much energy as possible as the next part would be a steep uphill toward CP8.
Then one of the funny part or tiny hiccup happen during the walk. We were suppose to follow the reflective race marker which will bring us to the left, up toward for CP8... Since all of us were a little bit delusional, (we had 2 full marathon on our foot, who wouldn't go a little bit crazy at this point?) we all stop at one of junction, looking up at the trail as we saw a shiny marker (which was actually just a trail marker, not the race marker) and all of us were like "is it this way?" and "no, I not going up to check, you go and check, I tired..." Think it was a full five minutes till someone who was familiar with the trail come by and told us it was another way.
After we reach the start of the uphill, I notice the huge group that were walking together stayed down to rest. Without burning much time and using the uphill to my advantage, I went in alone and boy oh boy, with the mist started to come in which you climbing, it really felt like those "silent hill" situation. All alone now, I did not stop climbing and with the help of my hiking pole and Gods, I had no problem or major issue with my leg as I was pushing on the path toward CP8.
This is where all hell break lose... It has gotten very cold and windy when I arrived at CP8, I was very tired and my whole body was aching. Everything around me was beginning to annoyed me and the funny part here is, the event team was being very encouraging with us at this point but I was so down and negative that I mistook all their support as some sarcasm motivation. Of course the logic side of me know that it not as it is, but the emotional part of me was so overwhelming at this point... I sat down, my mind started to wandered off, I wasn't thinking anymore, the cold really got to me, micro slept a few time.. It was feeling I had not felt before, it was like your soul is not in control with your body anymore. With the one of the toughest climb toward Sunset Peak ahead of me, I really could have given up there and then... The chatting and talking around you become white noise and you just sit there and wander, why am I doing this?
That question.... that question brought me back to my sense, but of course I did not jump up like some scientist discovering the theory of everything. I just sat there and try to find back the energy to continue on. I was praying there and then also, hoping for the pain and fatigues to miracle go away which of course it did not. It is then I told myself to do thing step by step regardless of how small it is. It like step 1, get up... step 2, refill all your supply and etc... you get the picture. As I completed whatever I need to do at the water station, I look up into the dark steep uphill trail, I started to put one foot in front at a time, with the help of my hiking pole, using my hand to help push myself up. I told myself, regardless if it Sunset Peak or if even if they put Gunung Nuang in the way, I am not gonna to give in after all that hardwork, I had time and it was only 15km away and I all I need is to get to top of the peak first. Step by step, I focus on climbing the peak first instead of focusing on crossing the finish line.
A climb that I just mindlessly climb, like my soul had left my body because the mental pain was just too much to bear. It was also one of those time where I really don't feel "the time" as if it like 5 minutes don't feel like 5 minutes but it also don't feel longer nor shorter. It was some experience that I really don't know how to put into word.... The climb did felt forever but as I finally reach the peak, it felt a little bit too early to reach the peak. (I really had little or no recollection of any memory of the climb toward the peak, it like that moment when you are forgetful drunk)... At this point, I came back to my sense and everything become clearer a bit. The initial plan was to rest on the peak for a while, but with the chilling wind howling in your face, I might not even able to get up if I was to stop here and so I started running down.
As I was running down, the mist got thicker and my headlamp started to be not effective at all. Visibility was like around 5m only and getting lost now won't be a good idea. It really felt like you are in one of those horror game like Silent Hill and at any moment something could pop-up... As I was running down the other side, I saw two shadow at the end which at this point, it felt like some supernatural entity... Thanks God I manage to caught with two runners ahead of me with one seem to know the trail well. I was following them from the back and was just focusing on getting down to CP9. After the road split and the guy who know the trail well tell us which way to follow, me and the other runner went ahead first. Thanks God for this runner, although I was able to cope with his fast downhill run, I wasn't able to cope with his speed at the downward stair area but he kindly waited for me and even check on me at times. The two of us work together (with him doing more of the work actually) to get down the hill as soon as possible. Finally, after all the downhill run, we reached CP9 which is also the last checkpoint!
Here, I was at my limit, but it wasn't because of my leg pain, it was more of physical strength. Mentally, I was happy to reach CP9 but physically, I was very very sleepy... Two sleepless night were moving continuously like this was my first time after all. I found a nice spot to sleep and wow, the event team was extremely nice, they gave a full bottled of coke as a pillow and even help put on a thermal blanket for you. I slept for 20 minutes and I was back up, feeling much more refreshed and the pain did subside!
Here it is, the start of the final 5km! As I was running towards the finishing line, I thought back the last 28 hours, the hell I been through to get to those heavenly area. The pain that one bear to reach a goal. It was a mixed feeling... Happy cause the finish line is just within reach but sad cause the amazing journey was coming to an end. During the journey to the end, I still had to pass through some trail alone and even graveyard in the dead of night with only my headlamp shining the way... Nevertheless, I ran on alone in the trail, did overtake a few runner, and finally reach the finish line! Yeah, just like that, my journey ended, no big hurray or celebration. Just a full satisfaction feeling at that time. I didn't even bother celebrating actually, just took my finisher medal, return the GPS, and just sat down and slept while waiting for my other friend to finish. It was a well worthy rest....
This is not the end of my journey though, it has just only began!
Last edited: 3 April 2018
(They will always tell you that there are something are memang impossible. I came from a place where running ultra is not in anyone mind, no one understand what an ultra marathon is or why do it? Some will ask why even go through the torture? All I can say it for the view and it kinda like hiking in express mode and it has become an addiction. There is one thing I usually won't tell the non-runner and only to the one who think running was impossible but still want to try it out, "I was once a non-runner too, I couldn't clock a single kilometer properly in the past until I was 21 years old. Running 10km was impossible for me during that time. Then my friend challenge me to a 10km marathon. Train for it but the training was very tough and right to start of that marathon I kept on telling myself that this 10km marathon will be my first and last marathon... Little did I know, I would be here... Of course there were plenty of hardship in between, had 4 DNF marathon, never had a proper running buddy, all the "negative comment" saying your leg will not take it or you just not meant to do it... Thankfully, I found a few friend and got back my motivation and decided to go further than ever..." One can say, I mainly doing this for the nice view the trail has to offer and where hiking will take too long to reach but also at the same time, maybe inspired anyone out there who maybe going through the same trouble as me in the past... And also partly, this has turn into an addiction, a weird addiction indeed)
No comments:
Post a Comment