Asia Trail May / June 2016 by Asia Trail magazine

ASIA’S FIRST TRAIL RUNNING MAGAZINE May / June 2016

Tips For Trail Running Success

Trail Gear & Nutrition Solutions Tested

The Power of — Self Talk —

TRAIL BLAZER KK CHAN Flying With the Eagle Meet Ying Tsang HONG KONG HKD 48

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ASIA THE GREAT

OUTDOORS The outdoors beckons. You are captivated by its breathtaking sights, fresh air, blue skies and endless possibilities. When you get out there you can feel the pure intensity and excitement that comes from following your passions but the allure of the outdoors is different for everyone. Outdoor Channel unlocks a rich collection of stories, personalities, challenges and motivational forces that reflect the desire to get out there and be a part of passionate communities of outdoor lifestyles and events. #WhatGetsYouOutThere? Share your favourite outdoor images and stories with us on www.facebook.com/OutdoorChannelAsia

CONTENTS #16 54

30 Photo: Alexis Berg

36 28

Photo: Sunny Lee

05 Editor’s Note 08 Race News MSIG HK50 Series - Sai Kung RacingThePlanet: Sri Lanka 2016 Garmin Mountain Marathon Explore Your Backyard TransLantau Vietnam Victory Challenge Mt Butler Action Asia Sprint Series Stairmasters Merrell Challenge

28 TRIVIA Grand Slam Hong Kong

FEATURES on cover 30 Runner profile

Photo: Sunny Lee

Photo: Alexis Berg

Flying with the Eagle: Meet Ying Tsang

ON THE COVER

36 Runner profile

Trail Blazer: KK Chan

42 Training

10 Tips for — Trail Running — Success

REGULARS 46 GEAR

16 Trail Gear & Nutrition Solutions Tested

Flying With the Eagle: Meet Ying Tsang

64 NUTRITION

How Gut Bacteria Affects Our Overall Health

68 NUTRITION

Can Caffeine Improve Trail-Running Performance?

72 RACE DIRECTORY 74 market place

50 FIRST STEPS

Should You Go Vegan?

54 ASK THE COACH

What Are Junk Miles?

56 WOMEN’S CORNER Get the Right Trail Training Strategy

60 geek runner

The Power of — Self Talk —

Digital Edition

To read Asia Trail online, visit www.asiatrailmag.com

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

Editor’s Note

Editor: Clement Dumont

RACE NEWS EDITOR: Richard Cowley COPY EDITOR: Dominik Sklarzyk

CONTRIBUTORS: Andy Dubois Corinne Williams John Ellis Joshua Steimle Karen Lo Katia Kucher Michelle Lau Rachel Jacqueline Riitta Hanninen Stone Tsang

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Alexis Berg Sunny Lee

Illustration artist: Kirk Wescom Graphic Designer: Anna Saraste

Publisher: Asia Sport Connection Limited 39, Tung Wan Tau, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

For advertising, please contact: Sabrina Dumont +852 5193 8707 sabrina@asiasportconnection.com GENERAL inquiries: info@asiasportconnection.com SUBSCRIPTION: visit www.asiatrailmag.com Issue #16 Bimonthly ISSN 2409-5036

© 2016 Asia Trail. All rights reserved. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, we accept no responsibility for any error or omissions. All material published in Asia Trail is protected by copyright and unauthorized reproduction in part or full is prohibited.

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Photo: Alexis Berg

Concretisation

ith each season, more and more trail runners are signing up for trail races — a participation-rate increase signalling that there’s a concrete demand from the outdoor community to keep the trails natural. Sadly, government authorities — with their counter-intuitive actions — seem to be understanding things completely differently, guided by illogical ideas like, ‘Let’s pave natural paths with concrete!’ If the trails are indeed meant to be used by runners and hikers, you couldn’t ask for a more unforgiving surface than concrete. And there’s no need of pointing out concrete evidence demonstrating how irreversibly damaging concrete is to nature and wildlife — not to mention that the short-sighted argument about how concrete is the only solution to erosion is downright untrue. Murray MacLehose — former and longest-serving governor of Hong Kong, and himself a concretely devoted hiker — established the Country Parks in the late 70s, and we cannot be thankful enough for his initiative of recognising Hong Kong’s majestic trails, spanning across this relatively small though extremely busy metropolis region. Univocally, Hongkongers are united by their passion for the Great Outdoors: An online survey initiated in March by trail-runner Stone Tsang revealed that 90% of city dwellers (out of a poll of 6,000) are against paving the trails. A concrete call to the government to end their ruthless concretisation!

Depressing concrete-nonsense aside, this month’s issue of Asia Trail offers some valuable concreteness in terms of trail running: Have a miso soup after your junk mileage — it’ll do your gut good and will help you shell off some of your critical self-talk — then, meet legendary trail-blazer KK Chan and ever-smiling ultra eagle Ying Ying, and, finally, finish up with a cup of some performance-enhancing caffeine (drink in moderation)!

Editor: Clement Dumont

WILD SHOT Photographer Sunny Lee captured trail runners in Sai Kung Country Park, Hong Kong, one of the favourite playgrounds with a wide choice of trails.

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

Race News

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

Race news

Nepal High-Mountains Specialist on the Edge with Local French Runner MSIG Sai Kung 50 www.actionasiaevents.com John Ellis, GoneRunning.hk Photo: Sunny Lee

ast year, the MSIG Sai Kung 50 race also doubled as the Asian Continental Skyrunning Championships for the Ultra Series, attracting a host of international elites — including Nepal’s Samir Tamang, Chinese hotshot Yan Long Fei, and a dream women’s podium of Nepalese Mira Rai, Ultra-Trail World Tour runner-up Dong Li, and America’s Casie Enman.

At least on paper, the 2016 edition of MSIG Sai Kung was supposed to be a much less competitive affair, with only one international elite — that being Nepal’s Upendra Sunuwar, a high-mountains specialist with wins at the Manaslu Trail Race, Mustang Trail Race, and Everest Trail Race to his credit.

The other main change was the course itself, with runners continuing backwards along the second stage of the MacLehose Trail towards Ham Tin, rather than following the ridge around to Tung Wan Shan (138m), and then an additional out-andback to the end of the stunningly picturesque Cheung Shui headland. In total, the 2016 route was an additional 5km longer (topping at 54km), but with 2,650m D+, it was arguably 150m less in climbing. Winning times were expected to be, maybe, 10-15min slower, especially with warmer-than-average racing conditions.

Right from the 6:30 a.m. start, Sunuwar made his intentions clear, leading out strongly, until a small wrong turn, at Cheung Shui, allowed the chasing French duo of Pierre-Andre Ferriere and Baptiste Puyou — both having excellent breakout seasons — to rejoin him. In a seesawing battle, Ferriere was first through the return leg across Ham Tin (checkpoint 2), with Sunuwar first to clock in at Man Yee Road (third checkpoint), and with Puyou chasing hard and never more than a couple minutes behind. After racing through the last checkpoint with a handy lead, disaster struck for Ferriere as he missed the trailhead turnoff from Pak Tam Road onto Luk Wo Country Trail, being chased back down the road by race director Michael Maddess, and in the meantime allowing Sunuwar to retake the lead.

As Maddess recollected: “Ferriere made a small 2min error overshooting a right turn at around 45km, but kicked himself to go even harder. Behind them, Baptiste produced the fastest last-stage split, but it was Ferriere and Sunuwar coming down the last 200m only seconds apart, with everything written on their faces, showing absolutely nothing left, legs cramping, giving it all, to finally end just 13s apart and Puyou a minute or so behind for a fantastic battle to start the year off.”

Final finishing times were: Sunuwar 1st home in 5h 41min 10s, Ferriere 2nd in 5h 41min 23s, and Puyou collecting bronze in 5h 42min 30s. Looking back on the race, Sunuwar clearly had a fun day out, remarking: “The Sai Kung race was very, very good. Yes I lost my way but I really enjoyed the race. Second and third are good runners.” Ferriere was similarly pleased with the result and with his season generally: “Last year was my first season running. I definitely changed a lot of things in my training — increased volumes and better-quality training. Training as a team with Puyou definitely helps too, and we keep pushing each other!”

The women’s race was much less entertaining, with Marie McNaughton continuing a processing of wins, leading from start to finish, in 6h 58min 39s. Despite stepping up to her first ultra, Oksana Riabova — winner of TransLantau 25 — claimed the runner-up position in 7h 22min 53s, narrowly edging Ching Ling Lo in 7h 24min 36s.

Taking home the crowns in the 21km race were Slavomir Vinkovic, in 2h 6min 29s, and Hong Kong sprint-queen Zein Williams, in 2h 20min 48s.

Race News

Multi-Stage in the Tropical Sri Lanka 4 Deserts Roving Race – Sri Lanka www.4deserts.com

Photo: www.4deserts.com / Michael Hermsmeyer

his year, the ninth edition of the 4 Deserts Roving Race — organised by RacingThePlanet — headed to the beautiful tropical island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, off the southern tip of India. The 250km six-stage seven-day race saw a group of international competitors from more than 20 countries, with participants themselves carrying everything they need for the race on their own backs.

In the men’s race, three competitors took the lead during the first three stages. Stage 1 saw first-time 4 Deserts competitor Scott Andrews (from the USA) in the lead. By the end of the second stage, how-

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

ever, American Ralph Crowley had taken first place, only to be overcome at Stage 3 by Australian Joseph McCann. McCann then held onto the lead to finish the race in a cumulative time of 28h 17min 37s — claiming the overall champion trophy, and saying: “It’s been a long, brutal week.” For McCann, it was his third 4 Deserts race, after finishing in fourth overall at the 2013 Gobi March in China, and 12th place overall at the 2012 Sahara Race in Egypt. Crowley finished with silver in 29h 48min 21s, and Germany’s Rafael Fuchsgruber took home bronze in 30h 55min 26s. In the women’s field, Australian competitor Sandy Suckling claimed an early lead

and maintained her position throughout most of the week to earn her second women’s champion trophy, and a 5th overall with a time of 31h 40min 27s. Suckling, who previously earned the champion trophy at the 2014 Sahara Race in Jordan, said: “Somehow this body held up and got me through, ever so thankful.” American Jax Koudele finished with the women’s silver, in 33h 22min 25s, and Magdalena Dombek of Germany won the women’s bronze in 34h 39min 42s. Despite the fast finish, Koudele’s ambitions are far greater — this year she aims to complete the 4 Deserts Grand Slam (all 4 Deserts races) plus the Roving Race.

Race news

Afghanistan’s First Mixed-Gender Team Completes a 4 Deserts Race Riitta Hanninen

Photo: www.4deserts.com / Michael Hermsmeyer

ven with the best preparation, completing an ultra marathon is an extreme challenge. For three young athletes training in Afghanistan, the goal seemed almost impossible. For months, Kubra, Arzoo, and Mahdi battled insecurity, street harassment, and pollution as they ran through the roads and hills around Kabul. Their goal was to complete RacingThePlanet’s Sri Lanka 4 Deserts Race — a 250km, seven-day, self-supported footrace — and become the first mixed-gender team from Afghanistan to participate at an international running event.

Kubra, Arzoo, and Mahdi raced together under the name Team Sahra, which means ‘desert’ in Dari. Both teams were selected, trained, and supported by Free to Run, a non-profit organization that uses sport and fitness to empower women and girls from conflict-affected communities. Kubra, 25, was so inspired by the performance of Team Asma’i — an all-woman Afghan team, which last year completed

the Gobi March — that she started running on a treadmill. It did not take long before she began wanting more, “I thought, why should I be limited just to a treadmill in a gym,” said Kubra. “Why can’t I run on the streets and roads? Why can’t I run outdoors?”

After Free to Run selected Kubra to compete at the race, she began training with her teammate Arzoo. “We ran early in the morning to avoid street harassment and men’s disappointing gaze,” explains Arzoo, a 23-year-old newcomer to the sport. “We ran side by side for protection, and we encourage each other about everything being fine.”

Bringing Mahdi — the third and only male teammate — onto the team was part of a deliberate strategy to provide safer conditions for Arzoo and Kubra. However, for Stephanie Case, the founder of Free to Run, the reason for a mixed-gender team went beyond security alone. “We felt it was important to include a male on this year’s

team, not as a chaperone, but as an equal member of the team,” said Case. “Having a mixed-gender sports team from Afghanistan sends a very important message.”

Mahdi proved his willingness to go out of his way to support his teammates during training in Sri Lanka. The seven-day race proved to be the most difficult athletic achievement the team has ever experienced — the unbearable heat and humidity, the difficult terrain, and the grueling task of completing a marathon distance after distance, was of real concern to them, but their relentless positivity helped tremendously. “I can’t believe we finished this,” Arzoo stated at the finish line. “There were many points in the race where I didn’t think we could.” For the first time in their lives, Kubra and Arzoo were able to walk and run in an environment where they did not need to fear for their safety. Team Sahra was awarded with a team award at the end of the event.

Race News

Runners Tackle New 42km Course up to Tai Mo Shan Garmin Mountain Marathon – Hong Kong www.garmin-race.hk Photo: Sunny Lee

he first edition of the Garmin Mountain Marathon attracted 600 runners onto its challenging 42km course with numerous climbs and descents. Sabotaged marking at critical intersections resulted in abrupt lead changes. In the men’s race, Wong Kam Cheong, from the Cosmoboys, won overall in a comfortable time of 4h 48min 20s (also winning the men’s masters category). He was followed by Tsang Chung Kit, who was 20min behind, in 5h 8min 1s, taking overall 2nd place and 1st in the seniors category, and with Leung Siu Pang of team Salomon close behind to claim 3rd overall, and

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

1st in the open category, in 5h 10min 18s. Fourth and 5th overall went to Wong Ho Chung, with a time of 5h 12min 15s, and Tang Sun Kam, in 5h 14min 26s, claiming 2nd and 3rd respectively in the open category. In the ladies’ race, Tsang Ying Hung took the victory with a 29min commanding lead over second place, in a time of 6h 5min 43s, and with it winning the female masters category. Yuen Kit Shan was 2nd overall — and likewise 2nd in the masters category — in a time of 6h 34min 40s, and Wong Mei Yan arrived 3rd overall and 1st in the open category in 6h 41min 51s. Tsang Ka Hung grabbed 4th overall — and

2nd in the open category — in 6h 42min 14s, closely followed by Chung Choi Lin, in 5th overall and 1st in the female seniors category, in a time of 6h 43min 41s. The route had runners go through a mine pass, up Grass Hill — the second-highest climb of the race, at 647m elevation — followed by Needle Hill, and then onto the Kowloon reservoir. Up next was a climb up Golden Hill, then a run across the scenic Lung Mun Country Trail, before making the steep ascent up to Hong Kong’s highest peak of Tai Mo Shan — at 957m, at the 32km mark — and then dropping back down to the finishing point, which doubled up as the start point.

Race News

Trail Runners in Wild Taipei Suburbs Explore Your Backyard 2.0 – Taiwan www.taiwanathon.com Photo: Frankie Tseng

univore and Taiwan Beast Runners hosted this second edition of the popular Explore Your Backyard race, taking place across the outskirts of Neihu, Taipei (Taiwan’s capital). With a 10km and 16km race — plus an 8km hike — on offer, runners were treated to a variety of climbs, with the two largest being 490m and 475m. The Taiwanese and expat trail-running community turned out in solid numbers for the second edition of this race.

In the 16km distance, local Taiwanese runner Yung Sheung Chen was the first male to cross the finish line, in a time of 1h 51min 44s, with American Cory Lewandowski only 39s behind, coming in 1h 52min 23s. Taking bronze, Taiwan runner Jerry Lee rounded off the podium in a time of 1h 55min 40s. The women’s 16km race saw American runner Amelia Ortiz finish an impressive 5th overall, and 1st female, in a speedy 1h 56min 30s. Michaela Stevens, from the UK, returned home in 2nd place only 20min behind Ortiz, in a time of 2h 16min 23s, and Hyon Shim Chong — yet one more American on the podium — finished 3rd in 2h 32min 25s.

In the 10km event, 14-year-old Taiwanese local trail-runner Shao Hong Yang arrived in 1h 34min 51s, closely followed by Britain’s Paul Harding, in 1h 36min. Japanese Makoto Kimura rounded off the podium, clocking in at 1h 42min 49s. Yuen Chen Wu, another

Taiwanese runner, finished first in the women’s race (2h 4min 20s). Five minutes behind, one more impressive result for a 14-year-old: Osabella Haarriing came home in 2h 9min 35s to grab 2nd — and local Taiwanese runner Jan Chu Wu completed the podium in a time of 2h 16min 6s.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

Race News

Hara and McNaughton Win the Last 100km of the Season TransLantau – Hong Kong www.translantau.com

John Ellis, GoneRunning.hk Photo: Sunny Lee

espite fears of yet another polar vortex along with Friday’s signature late 11:30 p.m. start, on March 11 competitors kicked off the fourth edition of the TransLantau 100 in chilly but excellent running conditions.

Dumont expected a winning time of 12h 20min — well ahead of Vlad Ixel’s 13h 25min win, back in 2015’s hotter and hillier conditions.

early on and a few minutes behind the leading pack, headed by Ritcey, Theodosis, Puyou, Leung, and Chinese surprise-packet Rengui Cai.

With the cold weather and reduced climbing (5,800m D+), race director Clement

It was a surprise, then, to see Hara running with compatriot Somem Nishina

The rapid pace, however, started to tell, with Rengui dropping before Tai O (checkpoint 5, at 45km) and Theodosis facing

Ahead of them lay a revised 100km course — necessitated by new rules laid out by Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department — which reversed the start direction and removed the Chi Ma Wan peninsula, but added the boardwalk up to Nei Lek Shan as well as a revised technical finish section around Discovery Bay.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

The clear favourite, particularly after a short trip to recon the old course in December, was Japan’s Yoshikazu Hara (winner of the 2013 Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji, and with a 100km personal best of 6h 33min). The locals would be led by the 2013 champion Jeremy Ritcey, 2015 place-getters Jacky Leung and Kawai Wong, plus France’s Baptiste Puyou and Australia’s Dennis Theodosis, the last two both having stellar breakout seasons.

The leaders raced through Pak Kung Au (checkpoint 2, at the 17km mark) in 1h 45min, before disaster struck for Leung, who rolled his ankle twice at Nam Shan and was forced to withdraw. The group continued to push, led by Rengui, who raced through the Ngong Ping (checkpoint 3, at 22km) in 2h 39min and Kau Ling Chung (checkpoint 4, at 32km) in 3h 50min.

Race Race News news

Photo: Alexis Berg stomach issues on the new boardwalk section. Meanwhile, despite losing 10min due to a wrong turn after Kau Ling Chung, Hara was making his move up to second by Sham Wat (50km mark, at checkpoint 6) and overtaking Ritcey for first before Ngong Ping (checkpoint 7, at 63km).

Speaking after the race, Ritcey recounted: “We ran all the way around the coast from Sham Wat and it seemed like he was working harder. I felt, much to my surprise, like I was going to be able to pull back away from him, however, about halfway up the rescue path to Ngong Ping I had a bit of a rough patch and Hara quickly pulled away from me.” From here, it was the Nara show, as he extended his lead to a comfortable 19min by the finish, crossing the tape in 12h 21min 8s. Behind him in the battle for second place, Ritcey pushed out to an 8min lead over Puyou at Pak Kung Au (checkpoint 8, at 75km) before being dragged back to just a minute ahead going into the final stage. “Baptiste was there all day. I was definitely worried about him over the last 15km and he kept me moving well for sure,” Ritcey reflected.

Ritcey would ultimately hold on to his advantage, taking 2nd in 12h 40min 16s — but only minutes ahead of a determined Puyou arriving in 12h 44min. Special

mention also goes to England’s Paul Ridley, having a cracker season and finishing an unlikely 5th in 13h 27min 21s. The women’s race was far less of a spectacle, with locally based New Zealand ultra queen Marie McNaughton posting another start-to-finish victory. Starting out in her typically even-paced style, McNaughton rounded through Chi Ma Wan (the first checkpoint, at the 7km mark) in 45th position, but collected scalps at every stage to finish in 13h 42min 40s and an incredible 6th overall.

The win also netted McNaughton the women’s record for the Hong Kong Grand Slam, clocking a combined 57h 52min for the Trailwalker, Vibram Hong Kong 100, The North Face 100, and TransLantau 100. She reflected: “Translantau was definitely an A-race for me this year and it was perfect running conditions. I underestimated the Grand Slam last year so am completely chuffed to finish it.” Behind her, China’s Lijie Qu got within 29min at Sham Wat, before McNaughton pulled away, but still finished an easy 2nd in 15h 34min 8s. Third was Tor des Géants finisher Natalia Watkins, in a very commendable 16h 25min 12s. In the teams’ races, the ever-reliable Pig Chan and Allen Ng took the men’s crown in 14h 59min 22s; Discovery Bay pair Nikki Han and Kurt Lynn claimed 1st in the

mixed event in 16h 15min 12s; while Kin Hang teammates Kate Cheung and Lap Yee Chan arrived home in 19h 42min 2s, to claim the women’s title. The 50km race saw reigning 100km champion Vlad Ixel leading through the first two checkpoints, but with Italian Stefano Del Favero and Chengdu-based American Justin Andrews in hot pursuit. That was as close as it got, with Ixel putting on the afterburners to claim his second TransLantau 50 victory, in 4h 57min 53s. Rounding out the podium were Favero in 5h 13min 22s, and Andrews in 5h 30min 2s.

France’s Elsa Jean de Dieu took the women’s win in 6h 15min 21s, ahead of Ching Ling Lo in 6h 48min 22s and Anne Lavandon in 7h 28min 49s — though technically speaking, the first female home was Nadia Koucher in 6h 11min 55s, as part of a mixed team with running-teammate Mark Doel from Sai Kung. Later during the second night, the race had to be called early, with strong winds and heavy fog making conditions on Sunset Peak and Tiger’s Head particularly dangerous. The race, however, would be remembered for Hara’s perfectly paced tempo as well as the challenging course. For race director Clement Dumont, it was a bit of both: “My best reward was Hara telling me that the course was tough!”

Race News

Photo: Alexis Berg

4 Questions for Japan’s Winner Yoshikazu Hara Though exhausted, you looked happy crossing the finish line, and you mentioned to the race director that it was a tough course — which challenges did you encounter? The Lantau Peak (934m) in the dark with strong winds was the toughest, especially the steep stairs going downhill, those were scary. I started to feel more comfortable after Ngong Ping, I could run smoothly and the sunrise was a welcome on the climb under the cable car, as that part was slippery. The last 5km section was a never-ending sequence of short, exhausting climbs. You got lost for around 10min just after the 40km mark, and from there we could see on the GPS tracker that you accelerated to rapidly catch up with the leaders — what motivated you to stay that strong?

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I had no idea I was being tracked by the GPS! My original plan was to take it easy until the 44km point, staying at distance from the lead group. My wife and two sons could get by bus to Tai O at 4:30 a.m., so I could not arrive before to not miss them. But when I got lost, I started thinking that I was over 15min behind the leader. Despite the risk of over-pacing, I felt I had to push and try to catch the leader before Ngon Ping. You did a marathon in an impressive time of 2h 36min just a week before TransLantau — what are your secret tips to recovering that fast?

Because there are tough cut-off times along the course for the Biwa Lake Marathon, I had to push to complete it. I am now 43 years old, so full marathons feel like sprints. Two days after the marathon, I didn’t run at all — only did muscle training and the aerobike. The Wednesday

before TransLantau I did a short jog, and then Thursday moved to Lantau. I did a 17km recon. On Tuesday I had a recovery massage, followed by a foot massage on Wednesday. Many Japanese runners that participate at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc are generally the best Asian finishers — any plans to participate at the UTMB?

I have entered the UTMB twice, but couldn’t finish either of them. I am not thinking on entering UTMB again during my athletic career. Maybe after retirement I could do it just for the pleasure of completing the course. It is very hard to train and peak for the UTMB because of the hot Japanese summers. But I believe it’s even worse in South Asia, in places like Hong Kong.

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Race News

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A new trail race in the Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Photo: David Lloyd

Race news

True Barefoot Running in the Valley of Love Vietnam Victory Challenge Trail Run – Vietnam www.vietnamvictorychallenge.com

ith three distances on offer — 10km, 21km, and 50km — over 180 runners took part in the inaugural edition of this new trail race. Starting in the central highlands of Da Lat, the capital of southern Vietnam’s Lam Dong Province, runners left making their way through mountain trails, passing local farms, crossing streams, and traversing rural bridges, before finishing at the Valley of Love. In the 50km race, Richard Fitton won in an impressive time of 4h 54min 46s, building a comfortable 23min lead over 2nd place Grant Bowdery, who came in at 5h 17min 13s, and with Richard Leech rounding off the podium in 5h 23min 12s. In the women’s 50km race, Yen Vo finished an im-

pressive 1st, and 3rd overall, in 5h 21min 11s — over an hour ahead of 2nd place Nguyen Linh Chi who finished in 6h 28min 1s. Third place went to Sara Valentina, arriving in 6h 30min 38s.

The 10km edition was dominated by local runners from Da Lat, with K’Sy impressively tackling the distance barefoot, and winning in a time of 47min 56s — with Ya Dai coming 2nd in 47min 58s, followed by K’Thanh in 48min 24s for bronze. Another tight finish in the ladies’ 10km pursue, with local 15-year-old runner Nguyen Ngoc Uyen squeezing home for the victory (in 1h 10min 15s) only 5s ahead of Dang Thi Thu Trang (2nd place finisher, in 1h 10min 20s), and with Raisa Sell finishing 3rd a mere 2s later (1h 10min 22s).

Florian Deichmann won a tightly contested race in the 21km distance, clocking in 1h 43min 50s — just minutes ahead of first and second runners-up. Graham Knight claimed silver in 1h 45min 55s, followed by Lam Le in 1h 47min 53s. In the women’s race, it was a tight tussle for first place, with Dao Thi Linh Nhi — local 13-year-old Da Lat resident — just edging it in 2h 32min 49s, that’s 9s ahead of 2nd place Hannah Grunder finishing in 2h 23min 58s. Anna Abromova completed the podium in 2h 33min 23s.

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Race News

Fast and Furious at the 40th Edition of the Mount Butler Race Mount Butler Heritage Race – Hong Kong www.hkdrc.org Photo: Clive Choy

ith 1,350 runners, from 33 different nationalities, attempting the race as individual runners, or as part of teams of four, this event — a mixture of road and trail — is one of Hong Kong’s oldest races. Starting on Tai Tam Reservoir Road, runners began with a steep road climb up to Parkview before descending down to the Tai Tam Reservoir and then starting their assent up Mount Parker Road, up 320m, and shortly after dropping back down 120m to the trail on Sir Cecil’s Ride and Mount Butler Road, heading towards the finishing line.

In the men’s race, Xavier Chapman won in a time of 55min 25s, closely followed by local Hong Kong runner Kang Ngai in 55min 59s — Harry Johnston rounded out the podium in a time of 57min 35s. In the ladies’ race, Club Italia runner Ann Cheng-Echevarria took the title, in a winning time of 1h 10min 36s. Jeanette Wang came 2nd overall, in 1h 12min 21s, with Camilla Fernstrome a close 20s behind.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

Race News

Ixel and Williams Crowned King and Queen of the Sprints Bonaqua Lifeproof Action Asia Sprints – Hong Kong www.actionasiaevents.com Photo: Sunny Lee

ritish runner Zein Williams completed an unprecedented hat trick, being crowned Queen of the Sprints series by winning all three of Action Asia Sprints races this year. Not only did she triumph at all three races this season, she also won each race for the previous two seasons — bringing her total up to nine overall victories, and three Queen titles, in a row. Australian Vlad Ixel was crowned King of the Sprints, with an overall victory at the Discovery Bay and Repulse Bay events (the series’ second and third races, respectively).

This was the first year that the Action Asia Sprints had altered their usual routes through gullies and streams, where competitors had to scramble up riverbeds, making for a fun and different approach to trail running. Due to new regulations by Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, this meant the races were diverted via the main trails and roads.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

With Ixel absent from the first race, at Repulse Bay, this allowed newcomer Northern Irishman Bryan McFlynn to take the title, in a time of 1h 21min 30s, closely followed by local Hong Kong runner Lau Tsun Ling 13s behind, with the latter arriving in 1h 21min 43s, and with Nick Scott taking bronze in 1h 22min 2s. In the women’s race, Williams started and continued strong, winning in a time of 1h 28min 45s, and building a 7min victory lead over 2nd Kelly Kjestrup, who came home in 1h 35min 51s. New Zealander Marie McNaughton took 3rd place in a time of 1h 36min 34s. In race 2, at Discovery Bay, Ixel made up for missing out at the first race by winning in a time of 1h 18min 24s, with Italian road-runner Stefano Passarello taking to the trails to secure 2nd place in 1h 23min 24s, and with American David Woo grabbing 3rd in 1h 24min 47s. Williams was again standing at the top of the podium, finishing in a time of 1h 39min 4s, with

2nd and 3rd place occupied by Canada’s Joyce Edmondson and Kristin Eagan, coming in at 1h 44min 19s and 1h 58min 22s, respectively.

Starting in Sai Kung at Pak Tam Chung, race 3 saw the largest road section of any of the series’ competitions. Ixel followed up with his victory in race 2, with overall victory at the final race in a time of 58min 30s (notably, being the only runner to go under an hour). After his victory at race 1, Brian McFlynn was back on the podium, coming in 2nd in a time of 1h 2min 3s, followed closely by Seth Fischer in 1h 3min 11s. Williams made history with her completion of nine back-to-back sprint victories, over three seasons, completing her hat trick for this year in a time of 1h 12min 46s, followed by Filipino Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit in 1h 15min 23s, and with Canadian Joyce Edmondson back on the podium taking 3rd, in 1h 17min 14s.

Race news

Tough Time for the Quads – Hong Kong Hoka Stairmaster Series www.lantaubasecamp.com John Ellis, GoneRunning.hk Photos: Sunny Lee

ombining quad-burning stair climbs with white-knuckle descents, the annual Lantau Base Camp Stairmaster races are a one-of-a-kind series in Asia, showcasing Hong Kong’s best exponents of trail steps.

The first race, on Lantau, combines two of Hong Kong’s three highest mountains in an out-and-back course, including twice around Sunset Peak and twice over Lantau Peak — for a total of 22km and 2,300m D+.

In the men’s race, sprint-specialist Michael Skobierski built a handy 2min lead at the Ngong Ping turnaround, but strong finishes saw Lantau Peak’s fastest-knowntime-holder Etienne Rodriguez, and race-founder Jeremy Ritcey, come in 1st and 2nd, in 3h 12min 22s and 3h 13min 8s, respectively — both ahead of Michael in 3h 16min 11s.

Despite a slower start, 2015 Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix champion and Taiwan-based Ruth Croft blitzed the women’s field, winning easily in 3h 29min 32s for 6th overall, and beating all the men on the last stage! Elsa Jean de Dieu, in 3h 43min 24s, and Shenzhen-based Oksana Riabova, in 4h 25min 34s, rounded out the podium. In the second race over the Twins (11km; 1,200m D+), Australian speedster Vlad Ixel was expected to romp to an easy win — and delivered accordingly. He raced through the turnaround point at Stanley Gap Road over 4min ahead, flying home to claim a new race record in 1h 23min 7s, almost 10min ahead of second place. The real battle lay further back, with Skobierski needing to beat Ritcey by over 3min to nab the series’ win, though be-

ing only a mere 37s ahead at the halfway mark. Despite Skobierski prevailing in a final sprint for 2nd — arriving in 1h 32min 41s — Ritcey stayed in touch to claim 3rd — in 1h 32min 52s — and was crowned the series’ Stairmaster Champion.

Special mention goes to Asia Trail’s Ng Wai Hei, who finished 5th in the series, and, despite being only 16, outgunned a few of Hong Kong’s elites on the uphills. For the women, Zein Williams showed great speed on the climbs to take the win — as well as 7th overall — in 1h 43min 57s. Champion Systems’ Baby Marites Sotto Bitbit, in 2h 1min 49s, and Emilie SaintPe, in 2h 3min 45s, rounded out the podium — leaving Tailwind’s Rachel Andrews as the women’s series winner.

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

Race news

Teamwork and Planning Pay Off for Winners of First Mountain River Challenge Merrell Challenge www.merrell-challenge.hk Photo: Charles Mak

he first edition of the anticipated Merrell Challenge was held in Sai Kung West Country Park and Ma On Shan Country Park in Hong Kong on Sunday April 17 — a unique adventure race whose completion involved river trekking, orienteering, and special tasks, attempted by three-person teams. Two distances were on offer: an elite class of 20-30km, and an open class of 15-25km. The total distance depended on the teams’ skills in finding the shortest route — keep in mind, the participants were able to study the map detailing the checkpoints only 15min before the race’s start.

In the men’s elite race, Lucky Monkey — consisting of Jeremy CH Leung, Elton NG Chun Ting, and Tsang Chun Kit — and

Champion System Adventure were taking the lead back and forth, until finally team Lucky Monkey managed a better route, after their crossing of a swamp, and took the title. Lin Chung Choi, Chan Chun Kit, and Chan Chi Yan were the first mixed elite team.

In the men’s open race, State Feng Hui took the title, the team consisting of Chan Chun Fai, Law Kai Pong, and Kevin Kei Fung Cheung. In the women’s open category, Melinda Hand, Karman Yau, and Megan Chase — of team Chase — took the title, with Cheng Ka Sing, Wong Mei Yan, and Yeung Shu Hung’s team taking the women’s open title. Elton Ng Chun Ting, from Team Lucky

Monkey, said: “The race was new to us and was original and a lot of fun! It was hot and humid and the continuous rain in the past few days made the trails slippery — making the race even more challenging. The key to our win was our choice of the route and the fact that my teammate Jeremy regularly participated in orienteering races, which really helped us.”

Wong Mei Yan, from the winning mixed open-category team, was the only female runner in her team saying that “the four-legged task to walk through a swamp was the most memorable moment in the race. I am quite small but thanks to my two taller teammates they held on tight to save me from falling into the swamp.”

TRIVIA

GRAND SLAM

HONG KONG Super Grand Slam 1 woman and 2 men managed to complete the TSBR Super Grand Slam during the 2015-16 season

The Super Grand Slam consists of the Raleigh Challenge 156km (Oc-

tober), HK 168km (November), Ultra Trail Tai Mo Shan 162km (January), and Ultra Trail Hong Kong 156km (February)

Finishing times: Jojo Shan Kit Yuen (F) Martin Mok (M) Joe Cho Yiu Chow (M)

133h 59min 33s 146h 59min 153h 3min

GRAND SLAM WINNER JOHN ELLIS 28

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Photo: Alexis Berg

Grand Slam 25 men and 5 women completed the TSBR Grand Slam in 2015-16

The Grand Slam involved completing four 100km races, totaling 400km: Trailwalker

(November), The North Face 100 (December), HK 100 (January) and TransLantau (March) The completion times ranged from around 53-99h

57H

53MIN 55s

GRAND SLAM WINNER MARIE MCNAUGHTON Photo: Alexis Berg

-year-old Paul Tsang is the oldest runner to complete the Grand Slam in a time of

93h 25min 53s

Allen Ng Kwok Lun and Paul Tsang

are back-to-

back Grand Slammers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these two runners completed three consecutive Grand Slams over 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 seasons

Top-three males: John Ellis

Top-three females: 53h 30min 9s

Jeremy Ritcey

53h 35min

Allen Ng Kwok Lun

57h 31min 46s

Marie McNaughton

57h 53min 55s

Nikki Han

74h 59min 34s

Ping Woon Wing

79h 45min 42s

All results were compiled by TSBR (Tuesday South Bay Runs), a non-profit organization founded by Paul Tsang, with the mission to promote running and hiking in Hong Kong.

PROFILE PROFILE

Edition Flying zerO: with the Testing Eagle:the Meet Ultra Ying ThaiYing Tsang

FLYING WITH THE EAGLE:

MEET YING YING TSANG Rachel Jacqueline talks with the man who’s run 180 trail and ultra races in three years and lives a double life as a triathlete, all with a smile on his face.

ver raced in Hong Kong? Chances are you’ve met Tsang Chun-kit, known as ‘Ying Ying,’ or simply ‘Ying.’ In the last three years he’s run 180 races, 60 a year (yes, that’s more than one a weekend). Like his childhood nickname — which means ‘eagle’ — he is determined and relentless when he runs, amassing trophies and podium finishes without even breaking a sweat, yet with a toothy grin and a thumbs up always at the ready.

And today, despite racing prolifically for the last three years — completing a sub-11h Ironman less than a month after winning the Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker just a few months ago — Ying is no different. He doesn’t look tired at all. In fact, he looks positively vibrant. “I feel good,” he nods enthusiastically while giving the thumbs up; his eyes alight and his characteristic smile on full show. His consistency may give him a superhuman aura, but Ying assures he’s very human, even revealing one of his weaknesses to prove it: “I need to sleep. A lot. Usually about 9h a night, sometimes 10h but at least 8h,” he says. His love of sleeping precludes him from ever taking part in night races. “I get sooooo tired,” he

By Rachel Jacqueline Photos by Sunny Lee

|| ASIA ASIA TRAIL TRAIL •• MAY MAY // JUNE JUNE 2016 2016

laments, reminiscing over the time fellow Hongkonger Nora Senn had to wake him at a checkpoint during the Mount Rinjani Ultra in 2014, after Ying had fallen asleep at a checkpoint at around 2 a.m. (he went on to finish in fifth place). That means Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and other famous 100mi races — in fact any race that starts at night, such as Moontrekker or Translantau, Hong Kong favourites — are squarely off the cards. But get Ying by the light of day, in a race, surrounded by a community of runners, and he is on fire. Racing for Ying is about having fun; it’s more about socialising than winning. “Winning is just a bonus,” he grins. “Sunday races are a part of my training. Races are like a party. There are lots of my friends there. It’s fun. And it’s great,” he adds cheekily, “you don’t have to carry things because there are checkpoints.”

As part of the tight-knit team “2XU UFO,” made up of friends Law Chor-kin, Thomas Lam and SK Tang, Ying has truly thrived as an athlete in the last four years. He’s come along way from his first rookie attempt at the Oxfam Trailwalker eight years ago, when he finished in 33h. “It

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“Sunday races are a part of my training. Races are like a party. There are lots of my friends there. It’s fun. And it’s great” 31

PROFILE

Flying with the Eagle: Meet Ying Ying Tsang vocation for someone who has oodles of energy. “I don’t like being inside in an office. As a lifeguard I can kayak, run. I’m always active. I love being outside.” Not only does his active job mean he does a lot of low-volume training naturally — perfect preparation for endurance events — it’s also pretty low stress. “Work is not very stressful. Life is easy,” he smiles.

Inspired by a fellow lifeguard, Ying started cycling with the aim to compete in triathlons. “He was about 54 years old then, and even though I was almost half his age, I couldn’t keep up with him. He was too fast.”

wasn’t just my first 100. It was my first race over a half marathon,” he points out defensively. He also proclaims he hadn’t trained for the epic undertaking.

Although he says he didn’t really enjoy it, he came back again the following year to finish as a team in 26h. Despite the ‘average’ results up until that point, he competed with the Champion Systems team for the following two years, 2010 and 2011, finishing in 18h. “But I knew I could do better.” Indeed, he could. When Chor-kin, Thomas, and SK crossed the line at the Oxfam Trailwalker last November, they made history, becoming the first allHong-Kong Chinese team to finish under 12h, in 11h 58min 32s.

It was an achievement three years in the making that began at the 2013 AVOHK Round The Island race. Standing at the finish line with Chor-kin (whom Ying had run with for most of the way, but pulled ahead of at the end to win outright in 5h 43min), they met with SK and Thomas. Someone joked that the four of them made up the ‘dream team’ of Hong Kong trail running. And so the seed was planted. There have been other races, of course.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

But Ying says Trailwalker has been a priority for the foursome ever since. “We didn’t care about anything else, we just wanted to make it sub-12.” He believes a motorbike accident in 2013, which left him with extensive wounds, contributed to the team missing their goal that year. They finished in 12h 35min.

In 2014, as Chor-kin was unwell, the team partnered up with Wyan Chow Pui-Yan to finish as the first mixed-team in 12h 52min. But in 2015, they finally achieved their dream. “But we were lucky, you know, because the first two teams got lost,” he says, referring to when the teams from AWOO team Nepal, full of Nepalese young guns, and Team Compressport, full of mountain athletes from Europe, took a 10km detour at the beginning of the race. The European team finished in third in 12h 52min. Was their 2015 Trailwalker result, then, a matter of luck or talent? “I don’t know, but,” he smiles, “you know I don’t care. It doesn’t matter.” Fortune or providence, their names will be forever etched in local running history. He attributes his rapid success on the trails to many contributing factors, one being his job as a lifeguard — the perfect

But there’s another factor Ying fails to give as much emphasis as it deserves: triathlons. Here’s the truth about Ying: While everyone else is resting after a long run, he’s swimming, cycling, or otherwise swanning around in Lycra as a triathlete. And an exceptional one at that, holding, since 2009, the record for the overall champion for the Hong Kong Triathlon Association (except for 2013, because of his accident). Successfully combining a swim with cycling before he even thinks about running is a talent, which began to emerge around the same time as Ying’s Trailwalker debut in 2008. Inspired by a fellow lifeguard, Ying started cycling with the aim to compete in triathlon. “He was about 54 years old then, and even though I was almost half his age, I couldn’t keep up with him. He was too fast.”

His competitive spirit stirred, he started training on the bike four times a week. “Within a year, I became fast enough to beat him,” he smiles. Triathlons not only keep Ying strong, but the cross-training also keeps him injury-free, he says. Now Ying has achieved his Trailwalker goal along with his teammates, it’s time for another goal: The Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, this coming October. He is currently training hard for, and will take part in, the Ironman in Taiwan in April in his qualifying bid. If he succeeds and competes this year, he will become the first local Hongkonger to qualify via race. If he doesn’t, he’ll go on to compete in Ironman Malaysia to try all over again, until he makes it. It might sound like a breeze for someone as talented as Ying, but Ironman, he explains, is much harder than trail running and perhaps less ‘smiley.’ “During an Ironman, I’m working at full power, not like when I’m trail running. There are

PROFILE

ESSENTIAL STATS Age: Date of Birth: Profession: Height: Weight:

Top result:

32 17 October 1983 Lifeguard 170cm 138lb/62.5kg

2015 Hong Kong 100 Ultra Marathon: 11h 57min 6s. “Apart from the fact that this is the fastest 100km trail-running time for me so far, I also ran with John [Ellis] for almost 90km, and we keep encouraging each other all the way. It was a very good memory.”

Running strength:

“Running uphill. I love the up. But I don’t like the down. I feel like it’s too relaxing. But I don’t want to relax. I want to keep moving forward.”

Running strength: “Running uphill. I love the up. But I don’t like the down. I feel like it’s too relaxing. But I don’t want to relax. I want to keep moving forward.”

lots of ups and downs, it’s very different to trail running,” he explains. There are also lots of opportunities for failure. “In the swim — it can get quite cold, or the conditions can be hard or you can lose your direction. On the bike, you might get a puncture. So many things to control and so many things may go wrong.”

He’s not usually one for coaching, but to help him achieve his Kona dream he’s started working with Olivier Baillet from Beyond The Line coaching. “You know, I just want to do what I love to do, and I don’t usually like it when you’re on the trainer and you’re doing, like, a 3min warm up, then 3min like this and then like that… But sometimes, it’s good to have a plan — sometimes I need new ideas and I just want to improve. Otherwise I don’t think you improve.” Given everything that’s on his plate, I ask whether we’ll still see him on the trails this year? The answer is predictable from the indefatigable Ying. “I will have less focus on trail running but I will still run. I’ll do both. Of course.” Yes, of course.

Rachel is a Hong Kong-based freelance journalist from Australia who only discovered her love for trail and ultra running four years ago. Twitter: @raejacqueline / Instagram: @raejacquelinehk / Blog: a-little-rae-of-sunshine.com

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

TRAINING REGIME Ying’s coach, Olivier Baillet — from Beyond The Line — admits that the athlete’s case is very special — Ying being first and foremost an elite trail runner who races every weekend, and with Ironman aspirations in the background. The coaching challenge is to account for Ying’s trail-running priority, and therefore restrict the quantity of long and hard cycling sessions. Being a lifeguard, Ying mainly swims in open water — which limits the hard sets usually done in the pool, these normally being a prerequisite. Monday AM: 1h run, pacing improvement — 10km, at a 4:05 pace, finishing with 5 x 200m all out PM: 1h 10min bike — long hill repeats, with 4 x 8min of climbing Tuesday AM: 2h bike, muscular endurance — 5 x 12min sub-threshold, plus 30min tempo at end Post bike: 30min run at Ironman target race pace PM: 1h swim — 30 x 1min 35s, open water Wednesday AM: 1h swim — 6 x 400m sub-threshold PM: 1h 30min bike, spinning recovery (optional)

Thursday AM: 5h bike — including 3 x (40min Ironman race pace, 20min half-Ironman race pace) Post bike: 30min run, from easy to progressively harder Friday AM: 30min run — easy, with some sprints PM: 1h swim — 20 x 50m, very fast

Saturday AM: Aquathlon race — 1,500m swim, 7km trail run, 7km road run Post race: 25min swim, recovery

Sunday AM: 2h bike, time-trial simulation — 4 x 10min Olympic triathlon race pace PM: 30min swim — recovery with sprints

Exclusive Launch in Hong Kong

Race Directory

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The MT-2 guarantees great durability, and, thanks to its dependable rubber surface, amazing grip. This pair’s quality build and unique 3mm drop provides comfort, performance, and versatility. The MT-2 boasts a breathable mesh, stronger midfoot overlays with a roomy toe box, whilst the outsole uses multi-directional lug traction, forefoot flex, and mud-release features.

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| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

Trail Blazer: KK Chan

PROFILE Race News

TRAIL BLAZER: KK CHAN By Rachel Jacqueline Photos by Sunny Lee Legend, master, inspiration: No name in Hong Kong trail running is more revered than that of KK Chan. Rachel Jacqueline meets the man behind the legend.

Running has changed my life view and made me realise what is impossible is actually possible. Over the years I’ve had the chance to see more, experience more, and know more people from all walks of life, and then I’ve been lucky enough to be able to pay that forward. Running has enriched my life. — KK Chan

PROFILE

Trail Blazer: KK Chan

ithin just 20 years, Hong Kong ultra running has emerged from the periphery — once only a sport for passionate misfits and type A’s — to be enjoyed by the masses. Throughout this time, one race has remained a constant on the city’s ultra running calendar: the Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker — growing steadily by the year. And at the heart of the Trailwalker, encouraging the uptake of running by locals for the last 20 years, has been one constant figure: Chan Kwok Keung, known simply as ‘KK’ Chan.

Together with team Cosmoboys, KK has won the Oxfam Trailwalker an unprecedented three times. And that is just the beginning of his Trailwalker victories; he’s been the first runner-up, or category champion, more times than you can count. Overseas, KK and his team have been Trailwalker champions in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, and first runners-up in Spain. In solo races, he’s finished the Marathon des Sables four times and was the first runner from Asia to finish the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run in under 25h. To top it off, he’s run all 2,500km from Hong Kong to Beijing, in the name of charity. Still, his individual success is only a fraction of this story. As a zealous ‘sharer’ of knowledge and founder of the Trailwalker Teaching Room, he’s coached hundreds of other towards achieving their own running goals.

At 55, KK’s showing no signs of slowing down. To the contrary, having just retired, and as such with more free time on his hands, he’s just getting started. This April, he’ll be heading back to the Sahara for his fifth attempt at the MdS, leading the way for his team of 14 Hongkongers. THE BEGINNING: A FIREMAN DISCOVERS THE TRAILS

To understand what drives KK — running, dedicating all his free time (without financial reward) for others’ self-improvement, and creating the most comprehensive system for running in Hong Kong — you must first understand that KK is a profoundly disciplined person. A feature definitely

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

observable in his defined brow and measured smile, but, above all, made evident by his career choice: KK was a fireman. He was a fireman before he was a runner, and the level-headed approach required by the profession seeped into every aspect of his life.

He holds his beliefs proudly and steadfastly — but that’s because he’s researched them, tested them out, and knows he’s right. Some call it stubbornness, but KK thinks of it as efficiency. “I believe in not wasting time. If you want to be the best, do better,” he states matter-of-factly. Growing up KK admits he “didn’t like the mountains; I didn’t like the idea of getting dark skin.” But he always enjoyed sharing and helping others, and was always active. Becoming a firefighter was the obvious choice. After a stint at Wan Chai Fire Station, in 1993 he was transferred to Sai Kung where his duties expanded to include mountain rescues. KK took it upon himself to explore the surrounding trails. It was out of duty, rather than desire, that KK first found himself on the trails. But with each run he changed, enjoying the explorations more with every step. “I enjoyed getting better, and the new challenges that awaited me in the mountains each day,” he says.

It was during a run in 1995 that he first heard about the Trailwalker. He had stumbled across a group of hikers in training on their way to Wong Tai Sin. Intrigued, he followed them to learn more. By the end of the journey, his mind was made up—he would take part in the race the following year. He gathered teammates from the Fire Services Department and studied the MacLehose Trail intensely in preparation. In 1996, his team finished in 18h 35min. It was a good time, but KK knew they could do better, and so they returned in 1997 to finish in 17h 20min.

But this still wasn’t enough for KK. He had a dream. He believed the local Chinese, with the right training and commitment, could be the champions of Trailwalker.

THE ‘CRAZY YEARS’ AND THE TRAILWALKER PHILOSOPHY Given the prevailing standard of local runners, KK’s dream seemed unattainable. “It wasn’t just a lack of skill — no one could compete with the Gurkhas, they were athletes. As a normal citizen, how could you compare with that?”

“But, then I thought, they’re humans after all, they’re not God. And reflecting on it further I realised that the method for the locals was not good enough. At that time they had heavy rucksacks and big boots, they’d stop and sit on the trails for rests.”

And that was just the beginning of KK’s damning assessment of the runners’ style of the day. He believed there were fundamental flaws in the way people trained and competed in the Trailwalker, and he admits going “a little crazy” figuring out how to unlock them.

First, he realised the superhuman Gurkhas had infinite reserves of endurance. “But stamina wasn’t just something you had, you could train it,” he says. So KK and his charges put in long, arduous days in the hills over the weekends. During the week, they had to run any part of 100km they hadn’t run over the weekend, focusing on building strength on the uphills. Meanwhile, on downhills, KK urged his charges to see how “soft and tender” they could possibly run. Training in the hot and humid environment over the summer months was also an important part of the equation. He explains: “The weather in Hong Kong is very different from Europe, where the body temperature can become almost boiling. Without the long day training in the hills, the body finds it hard to adapt.”

Which leads to his second philosophy: Avoid injury, at all costs. “Although there were many successful runners back then, they were always injured, which meant they never progressed. Plus, running should be about the long term, right? Otherwise, what is the point?” As such, KK studied hill running relentlessly, and quizzed the experts. The result is an approach that involves “keeping the

Trail Blazer: KK Chan

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

PROFILE

I wanted people to realise that if you were disciplined, worked together with others, worked hard, and if you have the same mentality and share in the same goals, you will also win in your daily life.

â&#x20AC;?

PROFILE

Trail Blazer: KK Chan

In solo races, he’s finished the Marathon des Sables four times and was the first runner from Asia to finish the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run in under 25h.

muscles around the kneecap loose,” a particular running style unique to KK and his team, as well as a specific recovery-and-injury-prevention protocol.

Third, KK mastered the art of pacing — and this is what he believes sets the Cosmoboys apart. “Back then, the runners just didn’t know how to pace themselves. Too fast, then too slow. Not consistent,” he explains. KK spent hours learning the trails intimately, studying every corner, twist, turn, and footstep — etching these particular features into his ‘memory.’ (To this day, he’s known for accurately predicting teams’ finishing times in the Oxfam Trailwalker.) Fourth — and perhaps most significantly — he realised the importance of team dynamics. “Not everyone is strong. But if you work together as a team, you can do amazing things.”

For example, “there may be one strong member in the team, two average, and one weaker. Strongest will take most of the responsibility — share his knowledge and

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

strength. He will also convince the other two guys to give their strength to the other. If they cannot accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the problems will come up on the race day.”

Finally, KK believes in commitment and discipline. Every member of KK’s teams is required to commit to oneself and to one another. Discipline is the fabric that weaves his teams together. Self-discipline, he explains, “is essential not just for being a successful runner, but also being a successful human being.”

Indeed, in many ways his philosophy is not just a handbook for Trailwalker, but for life. “I wanted people to realise that if you were disciplined, worked together with others, worked hard, and if you have the same mentality and share in the same goals, you will also win in your daily life.” By 1998, Cosmoboys became the first local Trailwalker champions, finishing in 15h 25min. The following year, in 1999, they smashed their time to finish in 13h 54 min. They won again in 2000.

TRAILWALKER TRAINING ROOM The first time Cosmoboys won in 1998, people called KK ‘lucky.’ It annoyed him. He was adamant he had created a wellthought-out, fool-proof system for success — he wasn’t simply ‘lucky.’ “From that point forward, it wasn’t about winning, but about proving that my philosophy was right: My attitudes towards training, the relevant skills, the injury prevention, and the discipline.”

Finally, with three years of cumulative success behind him, KK’s system was accepted as local running lore and the Cosmoboys were heralded as legends.

Over the years, he expanded the Cosmoboys team, and they continued to be successful, both in the Trailwalker and as individual competitors. But of course, KK was not content with simply winning. He believed that anyone — provided they had the right training and mentality — could finish the Trailwalker in sub-20h. And so began the Trailwalker Teaching Room (or TTR for short): A way to teach people both

Trail Blazer: KK Chan in theory and practice how to replicate Cosmoboys’ success.

In 2010, just over 100 people turned up. Five years later, the 2015 team gathered more than 400 eager attendees.

Completely enamoured with ultra racing by 1998, KK started looking for other challenges. He came across the Marathon des Sables in a running magazine. Set in an alien Saharan landscape, it captured his imagination and he knew at once he had to go.

“When you live in Hong Kong you are so spoilt. Everything is so easy and everything is right there. At MdS, it’s so difficult. You have to take care of yourself. Everything is out of your control and your comfort zone. And no matter what happens you have to finish it.” In true KK style, he fixed his mind on going, despite the HKD $50,000 cost. He finally secured a place through the Hong Kong Cancer Fund after weeks of trying (“I had to knock on their door three times”), convincing them he would raise funds for the entry. He sold his car and borrowed money from the bank. He shrugs off his fanaticism. “If you’re committed to do something, there is no excuse.”

Finally there, he spent the time moving slowly soaking up the landscape and picking up rocks, unfazed by where he was placing. By the third day, while everybody else’s bags were lighter, KK’s was heavier. The peculiarity was noticed by one of KK’s tent mates, no other than the esteemed Simon Murray. Murray was bemused by KK’s antics and set him a challenge. “If you can go faster and finish as the first man in Asia, I will make up your fundraising for the Hong Kong Cancer Fund to HKD $500,000,” he said. KK paused before accepting his offer

to confirm the plausibility: He was some 163rd out of 700 or 800 runners, and ahead of him was a Chinese runner and a Japanese runner in “40-somethingth position.” Three days of running remained. He reluctantly threw away his rocks — apart from a few — and accepted the challenge. Because he had taken the first three days easy, “I found I had a lot of energy.” On the long 100km day, KK was the first of the ‘regular’ runners through the finish. Progressively, KK made his way past the Japanese contender. Murray proved good to his word and made the enormous donation once back in Hong Kong. “The experience taught me even more about endurance and pacing, as well as the power of fundraising,” KK explains. He took these lessons home to share with others and to ultimately prepare for his next adventure.

“I never wanted to be a leader. But I wanted to know everything there was to know, and then I wanted to share. I wanted to do well, but it wasn’t about winning for the sake of winning; you have to put the thoughts of winning aside.” RUN FOR BEIJING KK’s next major challenge occurred in 2008 as part of the Run to Beijing. “My key motivation was to take part in a really long, hard, challenging journey, but the other motivation was to fundraise for the needy.” The challenge raised over HKD $1 million for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake. The preposterous notion — 55 days of back-to-back marathons — was exactly KK’s kind of challenge: “An unbelievable idea that was totally achievable.”

PROFILE

What was perhaps more crazy was the fact that KK and the team devised, orchestrated, and carried out Run to Beijing within a little over six months — something that could not have occurred without help from girlfriend Yvonne Lo and another friend Kimmy Yu. The experience itself can be summed up in one word: painful. “The road was broken, horrible road, like doufu fa. And lots of lorries would pass on the busy road, tooting their horns as they passed.”

Despite the pain and the injuries, KK and the team completed what they set out to achieve, and the experience taught him amazing lessons about the human body. Today, KK has also become known for his qualities as a ‘healer’ of various running injuries. “When you run as much as I have, you come to learn so much about the body and how it works.” THE FUTURE

Last November, all-local Hong Kong Chinese team 2XU UFO, including original Cosmoboys’ Law Chor Kin, crossed the finish line of the Oxfam Trailwalker in 11h 58min in a historic sub-12h performance. Not only was KK’s dream fulfilled yet again, but a new benchmark in Hong Kong trail running was reached — one that ultimately began with KK’s first race 20 years before.

Cosmoboys also fielded four teams, while 11 more grew out of TTR — just a fraction of the 2,000 odd runners KK has coached over the years. And KK? He took part in his 20th Trailwalker, finishing in 14h 15min. It will certainly not be his last. “Cosmoboys signifies taking a long journey with a team — and 20 years is only a part of the long journey,” he says. “As long as I can make sub-18h, I will still keep running the Trailwalker.” He shakes his head. “Actually, I’d like to still be able to do sub20h when I’m 80.” We can believe it, too. Rachel is a Hong Kong-based freelance journalist from Australia who only discovered her love for trail and ultra running four years ago. Twitter: @raejacqueline / Instagram: @raejacquelinehk / Blog: a-little-rae-of-sunshine.com

TRAINING

10 Tips for — Trail Running — Success

Photo: Claus Rolff

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TRAINING

TIPS

FOR — TRAIL RUNNING — SUCCESS BY STONE TSANG

ith his numerous trail-running podium finishes — both local and international — and being among the top-10 men within the Ultra-Trail World Tour ranking for the past two years, Siu Keung ‘Stone’ Tsang needs no introduction. In Asia, one can say that Stone Tsang is synonymous with success in the sport of trail running. In this issue, Tsang shares with Asia Trail readers some indispensable tips for reaching success in the very competitive trail-running arena.

TRAINING

10 Tips for — Trail Running — Success

01 ·Set a realisable goal and a training plan for your target race according to your lifestyle, strength, weaknesses, current fitness, and known limitations. ·Writing down the plan will motivate you to run. ·Recording your training will help regulate your run.

tions should have shorter durations. ·Quality vs. quantity: Too much foot mileage certainly makes our body feel tired and exhausted, and also takes time to recover, which will influence your next training session. Alternatively, quality trainings save time, are easier to recover from, but have all of the good training effects. ·Always listen to your body and adjust your training program accordingly. Don’t worry to take a day off, or slow yourself down when not feeling right — otherwise it will be easy to get injured, and thus you’ll need more time for recovery.

TRAIN THE RIGHT WAY

BE PATIENT

·It’s necessary to perform different types of training in one cycle — this will allow you to run faster and longer. ·Basically, there are three main training areas: 1) speed and endurance (tempo, long hill reps, race-pacing runs); 2) power run and running economy (short hill reps); and 3) endurance (long run). ·Other key areas, though ones which you do not need to do during every cycle, include: 1) strength (lower limb, core, and jumping exercises); 2) recovery, which is as important as training (hiking, easy run, biking, swimming); 3) speed downhill run; 4) trail-running technique improvement; 5) night running; and 6) practicing with trekking poles.

·Be tolerant with yourself. Increase mileage gradually, never do big jumps. ·Being patient will help you avoid injuries and sickness. If hurt, seek treatment and adjust training program — as is the case with injuries in other sports, continue doing what you can so that you don’t lose too much condition when you finally recover; cycling is a good effort if you can’t run.

PLAN YOUR OWN WAY

BE VARIED ·Change your training pattern and exercise types in each cycle. The improvement will be limited if your body adapts to monotone, changeless training. For example, consider changing the reps, time, distance, and overall routine.

RUN SMART ·Don’t run easy sections too hard; the long run should be low-intensity; and hard sec-

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BE DISCIPLINED ·Yes, training is tough, but there’s no excuse to quit — except if you’re really not feeling good. You have to be tough and believe in yourself. Keep a strong and open mind!

BE MOTIVATED ·Making your training fun is very important in terms of motivating yourself to move on, and for making your running career last long. For example: Run with friends, run different routes, run with a map to explore new trails, run to work or run back home after work to let trainings fit into your lifestyle, and reward yourself after your runs. ·Setting new targets and challenges for yourself — or joining new races around the world — every year is important, and

exciting. ·Share your feelings and experiences with friends and family, and try to have them involved in your trainings or races, their understanding and support will give you extra motivation.

KEEP YOUR NUTRITION IN CHECK ·Eat healthy. ·Consume recovery meals within 30min after a run, to have a better recovery and to be ready for the next training session. ·Practice nutrition during your training, so that you’ll experience less problems during the race.

BALANCE YOUR FAMILY, WORK, AND RUNNING ·Joining less races — by planning a target race and a few training races — will spare you time for other areas in life, and will put less pressure on you. ·Earn your family’s support, otherwise you can’t run completely happy. Share with them your training and thoughts, spend time with them, especially during holidays, and invite them to some of your races to let them see and feel your passion for the sport. ·Remember, quality trainings over quantity — make each training session specific, so that you save time. ·Make your training fit your lifestyle — for instance, train before or after work, or consider running to your place of work, or back home after work, etc.

REMEMBER TO TAKE A BREAK ·Plan a long break into your whole yearly training plan — it is essential to refresh and recharge yourself, so that you can reach another peak. ·Pauses will also benefit your well-being, providing a good balance for your work, family, and running — so that you can run happier, better, and easier.

THE NORTH FACE ULTRA ENDURANCE HKD 1,090 The North Face’s Ultra Endurance — with its lightweight protection, able to provide a stable run with unparalleled traction — is designed to tear up trails. Made with breathable and lightweight fabrics, providing a comfortable and sturdy fit, and a Vibram Megagrip rubber sole, delivering superior grip, traction, and durability on all types of surfaces. The shoes’ cradle technology offers extra heel stability (8mm of heel-drop) on uneven terrain, whilst their patent-pending Snake Plate provides lightweight heavy-duty forefoot protection.

Store address: Shop 205, Level 2, K11 Art Mall, Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloon L2-07, Level 2, Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon Shop 505, Level 5, New Town Plaza I, Shatin, New Territories Shop 1222-1223, 1/F, Tuen Mun Town Plaza, Phase 1, Tuen Mun, New Territories Shop Unit F60, 1/F, PopCorn, 9 Tong Yin Street, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories Shop 116, Level 1, Metroplaza, Kwai Fong, NT 4/F., SOGO Department Store, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong G-2, G/F, Nan Fung Place, 173 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong http://thenorthface.hk

Facebook: The North Face Hong Kong

Tel: 21470800 Tel: 28265228 Tel: 26091110 Tel: 24683320 Tel: 27797900 Tel: 24997826 Tel: 28313980 Tel: 22593133

Instagram: thenorthfacehk

GEAR

TRAIL GEAR & NUTRITION SOLUTIONS TESTED

ULTIMATE DIRECTION SJ ULTRA VEST 3.0 UltimateDirection.com | USD 124.95 Thanks to a combination of robust and lightweight materials, the latest version of one of the most popular trail vests has even more storage at almost half the weight (275g). We particularly like the straps’ soft mesh, providing comfort and stability. The simple, yet effective, pole holders on both front straps make it easy to pull in/out. This vest has a good carrying capacity for up to 100km races.

ULTIMATE DIRECTION MARATHON VEST UltimateDirection.com | USD 69.95 This minimalist vest (only 140g), designed with breathable materials, allows you to secure a 2L bladder along with one soft flask, or bottle. The large zipper front pocket easily fits a smartphone, and the two extra pockets offer space for carrying gels and bars. A perfect vest for runs in the coming hot and humid weather; conditions that require carrying lots of water.

OXSITIS HYDRAGON PULSE 7L Oxsitis.com | USD 135 This ultra-light hydration bag (weighing 175g) is fashioned with Velcro sides, thus offering superior stability by letting you optimise your lateral adjustment. Our reviewer found the bag very comfortable with two 500mL flasks in the front pocket (the bag can also support a bladder in the back). Equipped with plenty of pockets — including one waterproof pocket for your smartphone, and an innovative front system for carrying foldable poles. SUUNTO AMBIT3 VERTICAL Suunto.com | USD 469 The Vertical comes with a more streamlined design, meaning good-bye to the bulky antenna along the band. While aesthetically much nicer, the more minimalistic design also means a better fit on women’s smaller wrists! By basing the elevation measurement on barometric pressure, the Vertical is an update to the Peak model, though unfortunately with half the battery life (up to 12h). One cool feature we enjoyed is the display tracking your elevation profile progress on the pre-programmed route. If you are about to get your first GPS watch, or are changing your old one up, seriously consider this Bluetooth-connected device.

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GEAR

MERRELL ALL OUT CRUSH Merrell.com | HKD 990 These flexible shoes perform well on loose dirt, mud, and hard-packed trails with their deep 5mm Merrell-designed lugs. The 6mm drop, offset to the flexible sole and soft foam, provides good cushioning for a well-balanced, smooth-riding, minimalist trail shoe.

MERRELL ALL OUT TERRA LIGHT Merrell.com | HKD 1,090 A sleek-looking trail shoe, in the lightweight category (250g), mounted with the amazing Megagrip Vibram sole and a decent cushioning (6mm drop). Made with a comfortable and breathable upper, you can be aggressive on tough terrain without compromising toe-protection. Our reviewers unanimously agreed that this durable pair is the right shoe choice for technical trails.

SALOMON WINGS PRO 2 SalomonRunning.com | HKD 1,260 Designed for technical trails, the Wings Pro 2 (335g at size 9) offer a 10mm drop to comfortably hold and protect your feet as you’re conquering undulating trails and technical downhills. The shoes live up to their description and feel comfortable and sturdy, giving you great grip whilst you’re descending gnarly downhill sections — so much so that the reviewer increased his speed with confidence.

GEAR RONHILL WOMEN’S TRAIL CARGO TANK Ronhill.com | HKD 510 This fashion tank for ladies offers an excellent support thanks to its stretch-fabric. Designed especially for trail terrain, we liked the tank’s storage capacity — equipped with lots of pockets (one on shoulder, and two on waist) and loops for carrying up to five gels.

RONHILL TRAIL FUEL TWIN SHORTS Ronhill.com | HKD 639 These trail-runner-designed shorts are made up of a stretch-woven outer layer and a supportive next-to-skin inner portion. The pair doesn’t pretend to provide compression, making the soft fabric very comfortable. The expandable back pocket can fit a wind jacket. The pair’s breathable stretch and moisture management make these shorts a dependable choice. OOFOS ORIGINAL SANDALS oofos.com | USD 49 A sandals’ take on HOKA’s extra cushioning. Once they’re on, you’ll want to run with these sandals (our reviewer tried, and it’s actually not that bad). Long-lasting and light, these sandals will help you accelerate your recovery by absorbing impact like no other shoes, providing exceptional comfort with their patented arch support.

APSU SUPPLEMENTS Apsulute.com | HKD 290 (60 tablets) Balancing work, training, and nutrition is not easy. Apsu multivitamin supplements — made from real fruits and vegetables — can help you sustain your energy and focus, quicken muscle recovery, improve your digestion, and boost your immune system. Formulated to ensure that you can do what you enjoy doing.

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ULTRASPIRE LUMEN 170 UltrAspire.com | 170 lumens HKD 950; 600 lumens HKD 1,490 A waist-level light has several advantages on the trails: By keeping the light lower, it better illuminates unseen obstacles, maximising your visibility in foggy conditions — which will increase your confidence during night-running. For ultra races (where often carrying two lamps is mandatory), the Lumen 170 is great combined with a reliable headlamp. Also, the Lumen 600, not tested by our team, seems to be a great alternative to a headlamp.

GEAR OVERSTIM.s GATOSPORT CHOCOLATE CAKE OVERSTIMs.com | HKD 150 This chocolate cake — conceived with athletes in mind — tastes delicious, and, being highly digestible, can be consumed up to as little as 1h before a long training day or race. Preparing it is easy — just needs to be mixed with water and placed in the oven for 30min. And you can store any leftovers in the freezer for your next race. One portion will provide long-lasting energy (500 kcal).

JOURNEY BAR GoneRunning.hk | HKD 26 With five different bars to choose from — including Sea Salt, Coconut Curry, Sesame Ginger, Pizza Marinara (our favourite!), and Rosemary — these savoury bars actually taste like real meals, making them the perfect choice when you’re craving something more than a sugary snack on your long trail runs. And no wonder, as these nutritious bars are made with whole grains, almonds, and real herbs and spices. Gluten-, GMO-, and soy-free, these vegan bars — containing an average of 9g of fat, 24g of carbohydrates, and 7g of sugar — offer a good alternative to other snack bars.

THE NORTH FACE TEE SHIRT BETTER THAN NAKED TheNorthFace.hk | HKD 450 This tee shirt is not only lightweight, with minimal drag, but also very comfortable when running on the trails. Its ventilated design keeps you cool during your run, and its well-fitted shape makes it wearable on social occasions, as well as for running.

THE NORTH FACE JACKET BETTER THAN NAKED TheNorthFace.hk | HKD 890 This good-looking ultra-light jacket provides an athletic fit, which makes it perfect for training runs or races where you might need to take off your jacket and store it in your backpack. The jacket also provides a very useful pocket for those wishing to carry gels or energy bars, and includes body-mapped ventilation, so that you don’t overheat during your runs.

FIRST STEPS

Should You Go

Vegan? By Joshua Steimle

n iconic American ultra marathoner for nearly 20 years, Scott Jurek runs to “access a state of being, a zone.” In 2015, this adept of veganism broke a legendary record, the Appalachian Trail (3,510km; 157,000m D+). “I am the living example, like many other elite runners, that being vegan is perfectly compatible with very top-level sport. You find everything in plants, including excellent protein.” Scott Jurek, the Green Samurai. From the book Grand Trail (en. grandtrail.info). Photo: Alexis Berg/Grand Trail

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FIRST STEPS

hen back in 2007 I became an endurance athlete, I knew next to nothing about nutrition. I don’t mean what you consume while training or racing — I mean general nutrition, the everyday stuff you eat. I knew that eating lots of fruits and vegetables was generally better than relying on a diet consisting solely of ice cream, but in between those two extremes was a large grey area of ignorance. I started educating myself because I wanted to improve my performance in endurance sports, and, vice versa, because participating in such events increased my desire to learn more about overall health. The more I learned, the more interested I became in a vegan diet. (Note: I’m not a full vegan, yet — I refer to myself as a quasi-vegan.) Along the way, I’ve encountered many questions about my eating preferences. Here are some of the most-common ones. How do you build strong muscles without meat? Don’t you need protein? Elephants, rhinos, hippos, cows, and a number of other animals don’t consume any meat — yet they are undoubtedly large and strong. Protein forms a small percentage of dietary needs, and plants provide plenty enough. Eat beans, nuts, lentils, hummus, etc., and you’re pretty much covered protein-wise. Meanwhile, meats come with many side effects — consider: “Research conducted at Harvard School of Public Health has found that eating even small amounts of red meat, especially processed red meat, on a regular basis is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.” Don’t you need dairy for calcium and strong bones?

There are at least 20 plants out there that give you more calcium than dairy, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, peas, beans, and lentils. These plant foods also offer other benefits — like fighting cancer — while dairy products come with a range of negative side effects for people, animals, and the environment.

Realistically, how can you complete a long race — like a 100-miler — on fruits and vegetables? There’s just no way. In 2015, Scott Jurek set a record for running the entire length of the 2,189mi Appalachi-

an Trail in 1,112h 7min (just over 46 days). He is also a two-time first-place finisher at the 135mi Badwater Ultramarathon. He won the 153mi Spartathlon in Greece three times. And he’s vegan. Other notable vegan athletes include tennis-great Venus Williams, Olympian Carl Lewis, professional triathlete Hillary Biscay, professional triathlete and ultra runner Brendan Brazier, US Master’s Running Champions Tim Van Orden, and ultra man Rich Roll. And there’s even vegans who are professional bodybuilders.

Want more evidence? Do a Google search for ‘vegan trail runners’ and you’ll get plenty of results. Whether or not vegan athletes have an advantage over those who consume meat is debatable, but it’s hard to argue that a vegan diet hinders performance.

Don’t you get tired of eating salads all the time? The funny thing is, I don’t. At home, we eat a large salad every day, with homemade dressings. Sometimes I get tired of a dressing and then we don’t have that one for a while. But we eat many things in addition to salads, including vegan curries, chili, lasagna (with cashew cheese), and soups. We eat lots of fruit — fresh and dried. Eating vegan is anything but boring — in fact, I feel like since going on a quasi-vegan diet (we’re not quite 100% yet, we still eat fish, occasionally), I truly, for the first time in my life, appreciate food.

Was it hard to switch? Don’t you miss meat? Everyone is different, but for me it was very hard for the first three weeks, and then it was as though somebody flipped a switch. Suddenly my cravings for meat and dairy went away, and the vegan food tasted better. I still have cravings once in a while, but they’re not too strong. If I ever give in to them (I’ve got a few strikes), I’m usually disappointed, which has made it easier and easier to stay away from meat. What about honey, and wearing leather shoes? I eat honey and I use leather products. I’m not 100% vegan. You don’t have to either be 100% vegan or not try at all.

I think going vegan sounds great, but how do I do it? I just don’t think I can. If you don’t think you can do it, cheer up, because it’s actually not that hard! Think about it this way — unless your diet consists purely of dairy and meat, chances are you’re already 50% vegan! To start, just drop those two or three things and don’t worry about anything else. More importantly, before you start, create a plan for what you will replace those foods with. For our family, the primary task with going vegan has been to invest time trying out lots of recipes. Some work, some don’t. Others — like our vegan mac and cheese — took substantial tweaking to get right. There are plenty of vegan cookbooks out there, as well as free vegan recipes online — so it’s not too difficult to find ideas to try. Does going vegan automatically mean being healthy?

Not at all. Many french fries and potato chips are vegan, but they are certainly not healthful. Has going vegan worked for you? Are you stronger or faster?

There are a lot of variables at play, so I can’t definitively say that I’ve seen dramatic performance gains, although I think I can attribute some gains to my diet. What I can say is that since modifying my diet I rarely get sick, and when I do, it’s mild and I recover quickly. I’ve seen the same phenomenon with all the members of my family. I can also say that I generally feel better — and if I stray from the diet, I feel worse. Is going vegan right for you? There’s no reason you can’t try it out for a few months, and go back if it’s not a good fit.

For more information and support, here are some of my favourite websites related to endurance sports and plant-based diets: NoMeatAthlete.com, RichRoll.com, GreatVeganAthletes.com. Joshua is the CEO of MWI (mwi.hk), a digital marketing agency, and a writer for various business publications including Forbes and Entrepreneur. He lives and runs in Hong Kong. You can contact him @joshsteimle or josh@ mwi.hk.

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ASK THE COACH

What Are Junk Miles?

What Are Junk Miles? By Andy DuBois

Photo by Alexis Berg

‘Junk miles’ is a term that is poorly understood — are these the runs you do as a commuter to work? Are they the social runs you do with a friend that is much slower than you? Or are they something else altogether?

don’t compromise our hard-training sessions.

So surely, then, any miles we do must be good for us? Unfortunately, no. Whilst a large percentage of our training should be at a lower intensity, the 20-30% that’s run at a higher intensity contributes far more to our fitness than the easy miles. That’s not to say the 7080% of our training miles aren’t helpful — they most certainly are, but we need to make sure the easy miles

What this means is that junk miles are less about how many miles you run and more about the intensity you run them at. The most-common mistake I see in runners’ programs is easy runs being run too fast; and as a consequence, harder runs not run hard enough. Those faster, easy runs are junk miles — they don’t contribute positively to our training. The intensity is usually not

here is a reason that most of the elite distance runners — from 800m up to ultra marathon distances — clock up big miles every week in training. The more miles you run, the better your running economy, endurance, and aerobic capacity. Keep in mind, there does exist a point at which more miles does not bring about any noticeable improvement in performance, only increases the risk of injury — but most non-elite runners are nowhere near this level.

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So, what does all this have to do with junk miles?

Any runs that compromise the effectiveness of the higher-intensity sessions can be thought of as junk miles — i.e., they bring about little benefit, and probably are detrimental to our overall training. They may also increase the risk of injury.

ASK THE COACH

acute enough to bring about any of the higher-intensity training benefits, and not low enough to maximise aerobic capacity or develop fat burning.

Elite marathoners who can hold a 3 min/km pace for the marathon often do their easy miles at well over 4 min/km, yet I see plenty of 5 min/km marathon runners doing most of their long and easy runs at well under 6 min/km. Intensity matters, and if the easy runs are run too hard, then they compromise the quality runs, that is, those runs in which the biggest training gains are made. Let’s look at a few examples to help understand what constitutes junk miles:

• The commute run that starts off easy, but then, as you realise you are feeling good, you pick up the pace to see if you can break your record for reaching your workplace. Next day at your speed session, your pace is right down because you are tired from the commute. However, the commute wasn’t hard enough to bring about any significant training benefits, and now, since you’re worn out, your speed session isn’t going to be hard enough either.

• The easy run that starts off easy, but since you are feeling confident, you decide to have a go at that Strava segment and try to beat your mates’ time. Turns out, you can’t — and now you are tired going into your tempo run tomorrow. • The run you do with a mate that you weren’t going to do — because you are feeling tired and today is your rest day — but which turns into an all-out sprint at the end, leaving you sore for the next few days. • That extra run you squeeze in, to bring your weekly mileage up to a nice round number, when instead you

should have been resting after a hard week’s training.

• Forcing yourself out the door to do your prescribed run when the aches and pains in your legs suggest that a day off would be a much wiser course of action. Some runs you may think are junk miles, but which aren’t, include:

• A very easy run, with a mate, that gives you another 10km in the legs but doesn’t affect your speed session the next day.

• A longer, very easy warm-down after a speed session.

• The commutes to/from work, provided they are completed at a very easy intensity and don’t affect your higher-intensity sessions.

When it comes to junk miles, it’s usually about intensity — keep the intensity down, remembering that it’s the extra kilometres in the legs that help develop aerobic endurance and running economy. Can your run be too slow to offer any real benefit? Yes — but at least it won’t negatively affect your key training sessions. So, from a training point of view, an elite marathoner running with a friend at a 7 min/km pace isn’t going to benefit much — but, on the other hand, running that slow won’t negatively affect their central training sessions or increase the risk of injury. How slow is too slow depends on what you are training for, but for your easy runs, it’s better to err on the side of feeling a little too slow than too fast. Andy is an award-winning personal trainer and elite endurance athlete specialising in ultra running. You can find more useful info on his ultra running coach website (www.mile27.com.au).

WOMEN’S CORNER

Get the Right Trail Training Strategy By Corinne Williams Photos by Alexis Berg

rail running is the perfect union of freedom and wild nature with the body in motion. The dirt grinding beneath shoes, feet jumping over downed logs, and friends splashing through rivers often feel more like fun than racing. To truly appreciate a sense of freedom on the trails, you must prepare your body to handle the challenges of the wild nature. Training isn’t always fun, and if done right, it can at times feel miserable.

Good race strategy begins with a training plan — and a reliable training plan includes more than running. Do more than just running to gain an added boost and strength come race day. Cross-training should include endurance-building cardio, injury-prevention exercises, weight training, and stretching. The better prepared you are on the day of your race, the greater the joy and the more outstanding the outcome. Cardio Endurance

Running more is the best way to prepare your body for the challenges of trail running. But sometimes adding too many miles, too quickly, can do more damage than good. There is a fine balance between pushing the body to its limits and pushing the body beyond what it can endure. Nevertheless, it is important to add cardio and endurance training to high-mileage training. Swimming, cycling, spin classes, and indoor rowing can increase your fitness levels while giving your joints and muscles a break from the repetitive nature of running. Some of the strongest, fittest people are

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triathletes. And while you may have no desire of attempting a triathlon, you should want to develop a well-balanced approach to your cardio fitness, and adapt this to trail running. Increased levels of varied endurance training throughout the day will assist you in tackling the varied terrain that you will encounter at your race. While the variation in endurance training keeps you excited about the many upcoming training days ahead, the cardio variety increases endurance capacity while decreasing risk of overuse injuries. Injury-Prevention Exercises

The key to becoming a better runner is to keep on running. To keep running healthily, injury prevention is key. Such measures include any motion or training that improves running posture and running form. Strengthening and stabilising every joint of the body — from the toes to the knees, hips, core, back, and shoulders — is important in improving a proper running posture. When your stance breaks down, chances for injury increase. Bad running form, over many miles on the trails, will lead to an increased chance of chronic injuries, and thus slow you down. Cross-training can be injury preventative, and can be practiced before, during, and after running. Before your run, injury prevention can include any dynamic stretching aimed to prepare the body for the run ahead. Dynamic stretching, done correctly, sets the body for good running form, while warming up the joints and muscles prepares you for the upcoming run. Examples of dynamic stretching include: high-knees, butt-kickers, and leg-swings.

During the run, focus on swinging your arms forward and backward (with the focus on the elbows going straight back), pay attention to your hips’ level (not dipping up and down), and keep your abs in (picturing the pelvis holding marbles that will spill if you release your abs). After your run, injury prevention can include any ankle, hip, or core exercises, all part of your strength-training regimen. In your training plan, aim to include an hour of injury-prevention and body-weight training, five days out of the week. There are a variety of resources available online offering more-specific injury-prevention exercises for your particular needs. Weight Training

Simply put: Stronger muscles will lead to better running performance. Weight training can include pumping iron in the gym, or using your own body weight and some fitness bands at home. While at the gym, don’t shy away from heavy weights — but remember to always work towards proper form. If you don’t feel comfortable in a weight room, resources such as personal trainers at the gym, the Fitness Buddy app (www.Azumio.com/s/FitnessBuddy/index.html), or sites like BodyBuilding.com, can all help get you started. Gym time may seem like the antithesis of why we run on trails, but it is important to recognise how the gym can help maximise your outdoor experience. For time-crunched runners (or those looking to definitively stay out of the gym), a few fitness tools at home plus your own body weight can provide suffi-

WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CORNER

WOMEN’S CORNER

cient training. A home fitness gym needs no more than a fitness ball, a heavy kettle bell, some resistance bands, a yoga mat, and a mirror. The mirror is not only there for checking out your rock-star body, but also for assuring that proper form is always used when performing each exercise. It really doesn’t matter where you go for your weight-training regimen, just do it and adapt it to your running needs. Stretching

To run well, you don’t need to be as flexible as a yogi — but you should be able to touch your toes. While training, try the Sworkit Pro app (Sworkit.com) before going to bed — the program will help

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

stretch, pull, and relax your aching muscles, without over doing it. Tightness in the hips can lead to an inefficient running stride, and will heighten the chance for repetitive motion injuries. Make stretching a part of your bedtime routine for better sleep quality and a faster recovery. Stay Active

Cross-training includes any activity other than running. Rock climbing, jujitsu, karate, hiking, and even walking are all excellent examples of cross-training for endurance runners. The important thing is to stay active and build enough strength to keep your body moving forward come race day. Every day, set aside time for

something other than running.

The best exercise for becoming a better trail runner is to run trails. By adding the right amount of cross-training to your current running plan, you’ll train your body to be even stronger and better able to handle the challenges of the wildest trails. The better prepared you are for those trails, the more joy you will experience running wild. Corinne Williams is an avid ultra runner based in Japan, and can be found running wild with Women Out On Trails every week.

GEEK RUNNER

Unleashing the Power of Self-Talk

Unleashing the Power of Self-Talk By Karen Lo Photo by Alexis Berg

re you aware that, throughout the day, we engage in an infinite number of internal conversations? Whether we speak out loud or mutter words under our breath, in sport psychology this behaviour is termed ‘self-talk.’ Seen as merely a daily occurrence, the power of self-talk is often underestimated by many. However, research has found that although it is purely a dialogue we unconsciously carry on with ourselves every day, it is, in fact, the key to cognitive control. Self-talk serves four important purposes: 1) helps us focus on goals; 2) improves concentration; 3) introduces optimistic thoughts; and 4) increases confidence. Studies have shown that self-talk can be delivered in the form of an instruction, or an encouragement, and that it can be practiced regularly and become habitual. This article will outline the impact of self-talk statements, highlight the importance of positive self-talk, and give tips on how trail runners can utilise self-talk to maximise their sport performance.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

“Motivational self-talk promotes positive affective states and increases confidence.” Photo: Sunny Lee

Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviours First, we need to understand the power behind self-talk. This involves knowing how our thoughts influence our feelings and behaviours. Below is a life example illustrating the powerful influence of our cognitive processes on emotions and behaviours:

Picture yourself being alone in your own apartment one night, and just as you are about to fall asleep, you hear a loud thud. How does this make you feel? Let’s say your initially feel scared, or anxious. Why? Is it because you immediately assume that a burglar was trying to break into your apartment? If this is the case, it indicates that your anxious feelings were based on your assumption of this negative possibility. Your anxiety will probably lead you to walk cautiously out to the living room to check if everything is all right.

You can see how the thought of the burglar caused you to feel scared, which then led you to perform the behaviour of actually walking into

the living room.

If your neighbour had been away on a trip for a few days, and you were responsible for taking care of his dog, the thud might have caused you to feel annoyed, because you additionally assumed the possibility of the dog running into some delicate furniture. You might decide to carry the pet back to your room to prevent him from getting into any extra mischief. In this case, you can see how the thought of the dog causing damage makes you feel annoyed, which triggers the behaviour of carrying him back into your room.

This example demonstrates that it isn’t the thud itself that produces the feeling, but, rather, what one thinks about the sudden sound. This implies that our beliefs about certain situations cause us to feel and act in particular ways. Likewise in sport, athletes comprehend situations differently, which leads them to feel and behave in a variety of ways. For instance, many athletes are easily affected by bad weather, poor calls, or opponents’ skill levels — all of these can cause negative thoughts and self-

talk to surface, causing athletes to experience undesirable feelings and engage in disadvantageous behaviours. In sport, to give our ‘A game,’ we must understand and utilise the power of positive self-talk to effectively control our emotions and behaviours.

Types of Positive SelfTalk

There are two types of positive selftalk: instructional and motivational self-talk.

Instructional self-talk is techniqueor tactics-oriented, and helps with your focus and skill execution. Examples include reminding oneself about important things through short commands, like ‘Straight back,’ ‘Stay low,’ and ‘Chest out.’ Motivational self-talk, on the other hand, is a thought that promotes positive affective states and increases confidence, like ‘I can do it,’ ‘I’m ready,’ or ‘Power up.’ Both types of self-talk, if executed correctly, will have positive effects on our feelings and behaviours.

GEEK RUNNER

Unleashing the Power of Self-Talk

Build Awareness:

Bring This Awareness To Your Running:

Notice Your Choice Of Words:

Make The Self-Talk Personal:

Start attending to your inner dialogue. According to research, a technique called the Paperclip Technique is an effective way to help build awareness. This method involves pocketing paperclips in one pocket while walking on the street. Every time you notice yourself talking, take a paperclip from the first pocket and move it to another. You will soon realise your own self-talk frequency over a certain period of time.

Once you have started being mindful of the number of times you talk to yourself, try to be aware of how you talk to yourself in sport. What do you usually say to yourself at the start line? Do you ever motivate yourself when the pain kicks in? Do you say negative things to yourself when you unintentionally drift off course, or when other competitors outrun you? Going over what you have said in previous races is a good start. If you remember that the things you have said were not that helpful, consider changing your dialogue for your next race. Think of positive cue words that are meaningful to you. Try to build a list of instructional and motivational words that you can use at different checkpoints of the trail. If you already have a lot of information about the trail you will be running on, you can plan your self-talk list around it. At the 25mi mark, for instance, you might know you will be running uphill. If uphill isn’t your forte, some motivational words such as ‘Let’s go, you can do it!’ will keep you going and give you that extra boost of energy. At the later stages of the trail, you might need to remind yourself to take steady, quick strides. As such, your word of choice could be ‘Steady.’ Start off with a list of words you might potentially use first, and match them with the situations you can use them for. It doesn’t have to be inspirational, nor does it have to rhyme. It’s more important to understand what types of self-talk you need and what words will work best for you. Whether or not you end up chanting a poem along the trail, or have one cue word on repeat, does not really matter — as long as whatever you do is beneficial to your own performance.

Self-talk is self-coaching. Coach yourself into becoming a better and more positive runner by utilising instructional and motivational self-talk, and be mindful of when you use it. Start developing the correct mindset as it will definitely have a positive effect on not only your level of performance but also your general well-being!

Karen is the first Certified Consultant of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology in the greater China area. Follow her Facebook page, where she trains people on mental toughness: Facebook.com/InnerEdgeHK.

References

Bunker, L., Williams, J. M., Zinsser, N. “Cognitive techniques for improving performance and building confidence.” Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (1993): Mountain View, California. Hardy, J., Begley, K., Blanchfield, A.W. “It’s good but it’s not right: Instructional self-talk and skilled performance.” Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 27 (2015): 132-9. Sommers-Flanagan, J., Sommers-Flanagan, R. “Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice.” John Wiley & Sons (2004): Hoboken, New Jersey. Hardy, J. “Speaking clearly: A critical review of the self-talk literature.” Psychology of sport and exercise 7 (2006): 81-97. Zinsser, N., Bunker, L., Williams, J. “Cognitive techniques for building confidence and enhancing performance.” Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (2006): New York, McGraw Hill.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;¢ MAY / JUNE 2016

NUTRITION

HOW GUT BACTERIA AFFECTS OUR OVERALL HEALTH By Katia Kucher

or years, I have been a big fan of probiotics. We know that consuming probiotics improves our digestive and immune systems. In the last few years, more studies have shown that probiotics have lots of other benefits that can make a huge difference in our overall physical and mental health.

Scientists measure the ‘will to live’ through a very interesting experiment: They take a young rat away from his mother, throw him in a pool of water, with no way out, and see how long it takes him to stop swimming in circles and give up. This is a test to measure how long it takes an organism before ‘giving up on life.’ Don’t worry — they don’t let the rat die. A few years ago, they did the same test and discovered that rats which had been consuming probiotics suffered less anxiety and despair after being separated from their mother, and they didn’t give up as quickly on their ‘will to live.’

Gut bacteria is essential to our body’s homeostasis — as such, we are home to trillions of different bacteria which help us break down the food we eat and absorb nutrients. Now we also know that these bacteria are responsible for a lot more than just helping our digestive system. Recent studies have shown that gut flora has a major impact on fat loss, inflammation levels, and even depression and anxiety.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

Fat Loss: The presence of gut bacteria hugely affects our body’s insulin sensitivity, which is responsible for the way our system responds to carbohydrates and how effectively it turns them into fat. By increasing our insulin sensitivity, we make it easier to burn carbs. When our body doesn’t have enough good gut bacteria, this creates a lot of health issues. There’s actually a link between low bacteria diversity and obesity. In another experiment, scientists pulled gut bacteria out of obese mice and injected them into the stomachs of regular mice. Having the gut bacteria of obese mice increased the mice’s body fat even though their diet didn’t change. In studies on humans, low gut bacteria led to fat storage and poor insulin sensitivity. Also, low levels of gut bacteria diversity is not only linked to obesity, but heart disease, arthritis, and depression.

Depression and anxiety: Our brain and belly are intimately linked together. We all know how stress has a huge impact on our digestive system — but now we know that it works both ways. Studies performed on both rats and humans showed that after a month of taking probiotic supplements, both rats and humans displayed a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms. In humans, the levels of anger, distress, hostility, and depression also decreased significantly. As such, increasing the good gut bacteria improves anxiety levels by changing the way

we process emotional information. Meaning that we pay less attention to negative words and thoughts. Visibly, probiotics help improve the functioning of our digestive and immune systems, as well as stabilise our emotional levels. The impact on our immune system in particular is very important, as probiotics help lower the risk of catching colds, stomach flus, and many other illnesses. In order to take advantage of healthy gut bacteria, we need to follow some easy steps — yes, eating yogurt everyday is helpful, but not enough. Aside from taking daily probiotic supplements and eating yogurts with biolive cultures, follow these five steps to increase your gut health: 1. Fill up on fibre. 2. Maintain a healthy weight. 3. Be careful with antibiotics, which indiscriminately kill both good and bad gut bacteria. 4. Get plenty of sleep — this helps the body produce the hormones melatonin and prolactin, which improve bacteria balance. 5. Eat fermented foods.

Food has an immediate effect on your intestinal environment. You can replenish your bacterial flora within 3-4 days by eating a probiotic-rich diet.

Top Probiotic-Rich Foods

NUTRITION

YOGURT:

KEFIR:

KIMCHI:

There are tens of billions of bacteria per every serving of yogurt. Make sure you read the labels, as some brands have more live and active cultures than others.

A dairy beverage with even more probiotics than yogurt. Fermenting goat’s, cow’s, or sheep’s milk with kefir ‘grains’ makes kefir. Kefir has been known to also reduce lactose intolerance.

Made by fermenting cabbage, cucumber, or radish, it is a spicy, sour-tasting traditional Korean dish full of good bacteria, and is also a great source of fibre.

06 06

SOUR PICKLES:

KOMBUCHA:

SAUERKRAUT:

Salty pickles are a great source of probiotics. Look for pickles in water and sea salt, not vinegar. Vinegar prevents the good bacteria from growing. Plus, pickle juice is an excellent source of electrolytes to help recover from long runs.

It is a result of sweetened black tea fermented with a mushroom-like colony of bacteria called SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). Kombucha tea is a potent source of probiotics.

This popular fermented cabbage is a great side dish. When buying sauerkraut, make sure it is not pasteurised, as this process will destroy probiotics.

08 08

SOURDOUGH BREAD:

MISO:

TEMPEH:

Bread with a yeast-derived bacteria lactobacillus. Another bonus: It is low on the glycaemic index, which will not cause sudden energy spikes and crashes.

Miso paste is a result of soybeans fermented with brown rice. With 160 strains of probiotics, miso is an abundant source of lactobacillus acidophilus.

It contains more fibre, protein, and probiotics than tofu. Though like tofu, it is made from fermented soybeans. This is a great alternative to meat for thoserunners who prefer a vegetarian diet.

NUTRITION

MISO SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS: • 1/2 cup raw sauerkraut • 1 cup of fresh, fermented beet root • 1 stalk celery • 4-5 small- to medium-size pickles • 1 large (or 2 small) carrot • 1/2 large cucumber • 2 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen dill • 3 heaping tbsp miso paste — you can pick from white, red, or brown miso • 4 cups of filtered hot water • Any other ingredient of your choice, raw or cooked: like whole-wheat pasta or potatoes

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

DIRECTIONS: 1. Julienne vegetables with a knife.

2. Combine all vegetables and dill in a bowl. 3. Mix miso paste with 1/2 cup of water until dissolved — add into bowl.

4. Add remaining 3.5 cups of hot water to the mix. (You can add some sesame seeds for extra flavour and nutrients.) 5. Stir and enjoy!

Katia is owner of d.BeFit (dBeFit. com), is a NASM-certified personal trainer, a NASM Sports Nutrition Specialist, as well as is TRX certified.

Is your nutrition performant enough? Go for quality!

____________________ Nuria PICAS

Winner of the ULTRA TRAIL WORLD TOUR (2015) Winner of the GRAND RAID DE LA REUNION (2015)

Sébastien Chaigneau _______________

Winner of the HARD ROCK 2013 Winner of the TRANSGRANCANARIA (2013, 2012)

Since 1982, OVERSTIM.s, a French brand specialized in high performance sports nutrition, offers a complete range of HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS. Why the best runners and ultra-trail runners in the world trust OVERSTIM.s® ?

P The widest selection in the market covering your needs Before, During and After the effort. P Organic and Gluten Free products available including liquid gels. P High quality ingredients. P Made in France.

Can Caffeine Improve Trail-Running Performance? By Michelle Lau Illustration by Kirk Wescom

affeine may be the most widely used ergogenic aid (a substance used for a competitive advantage) in the world, and is becoming increasingly popular among elite and recreational athletes seeking to improve their performance, from caffeinated supplement intakes to caffeinated sports products.

Caffeine is found naturally in the beans, leaves, and fruits of a variety of plants. The most common dietary sources of caffeine include coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and supplemental sports foods like gels and shots. The ergogenic effects of caffeine on athletic performance have been shown in many studies, including its broad range of metabolic, hormonal, and physiological effects on the body. Previous beliefs that caffeine increases fat utilisation during exercise and spares muscle glycogen are now considered unlikely to be the key mechanisms of coffee’s performance-enhancing effects. How Does It Work? Caffeine intake has been shown to improve endurance performance in athletes through its role as an adenosine antagonist, increasing the presence of stimulatory neurotransmitters and producing adrenaline, which improves alertness, vigilance, as well as mood and cognitive processes during and post exercise. It may also reduce the perception of one’s effort — making exercise ‘feel’ easier — and pain, resulting from alterations in the central nervous system, further improving endurance-related exercises like trail running. How Much and When? Low to moderate doses of caffeine (1-3mg per kilogram of body mass) are ergogen-

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

ic in some exercise and sport situations, including endurance events, stop-and-go events (e.g., team and racquet sports), and sports involving sustained high-intensity activities lasting from 1-60min (e.g., swimming, rowing, and middle- and distance-running races). Lower doses can be just as effective as higher doses during exercise performance without any negative aftereffects, and the benefits do not lead to further enhancement in performance when consumed in higher doses (above 9mg per kilogram of body mass).

Caffeine is rapidly absorbed into the body and has a half-life of approximately 6-7h, with peak blood concentrations appearing around 45-60min. Therefore, caffeine intake 30-60min prior to exercise, spread throughout the event, or consumed late in the race when one starts to fatigue, might be beneficial in maximising exercise performance. Moreover, after a period of cessation, resuming caffeine intake at a low dose before exercise provides the same ergogenic effects as acute intake. Caffeine can be taken gradually at low doses to avoid tolerance resistance during the course of 3-4 days, just before intense training to sustain exercise intensity. What about Dehydration? It is often suggested that caffeine intake causes dehydration due to its diuretic effect, and that as such its consumption should be avoided or reduced to maintain fluid balance. However, available research does not support caffeine-induced dieresis during exercise. In fact, numerous studies have failed to show any change in sweat rate, total water loss, or negative change in fluid balance that would negatively impact performance. As such, concerns regarding caffeine-induced dehydration are

unwarranted, particularly when ingestion precedes exercise. Therefore, moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages daily can contribute to overall fluid balance and does not compromise bodily hydration status.

So What’s the Verdict? Caffeine has a proven performance-enhancing benefit for endurance sports, like trail running, but this depends on various factors such as the physical condition of the athlete, their exercise regimen (i.e., mode, intensity, duration), and dose of caffeine they are consuming. Moreover, everyone responds differently, some feel energised while others do not experience any perceptual changes, and some might even experience side effects like anxiety, irritability, headaches, and heart palpitations. Given the varied responses between athletes, it is important to trial caffeine in training before introducing it during a race. If you are considering using it as a supplement, start at a low dose (1mg per kilogram of body mass) in training, then manipulate the dosage (seeking the lowest performance-enhancing dose for you) and timing (30-60min pre-exercise; halfway through an extended training; or towards the end of a prolonged session), and try to develop your own personalised protocol. How Much Caffeine Is Safe for Intake? A healthy adult can safely consume 300400mg of caffeine daily. To put it in perspective, a cup of brewed coffee has about 100mg of caffeine, a shot of espresso has about 75mg of caffeine, and energy drinks range from 45-160mg of caffeine per 250mL.

NUTRITION

Photo: Alexis Berg

When used properly and within the recommended dosages, caffeine can enhance your performance and enjoyment. Indulging in a caffeinated beverage before hitting the trail does have its benefits, but it is important to make smart choices. For example, at 120 calories with 10g of protein, 75mg of caffeine — that is, your typical 350mL lowfat latte — can be a healthy pre-training energy boost! Michelle Lau is a qualified nutritionist and nutrition educator who specialises in sports nutrition and weight management. Her mission is to improve the health and well-being of people with different health/ nutritional needs and goals and ultimately lead them to a healthier and happier life! For more health and nutrition tips, she can be contacted on nutriliciousss@gmail.com or follow her on instagram@nutriliciousss.

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE?

Espresso

50-60mg per cup (50ml)

Coffee Filter Energy Drink

150-170mg per cup (125ml)

Tea Cola Soda

30-50mg per cup (200ml)

Dark Chocolate

45mg per 30g

50-60mg per can

40-50mg per can

Race News

Race Directory

Where To Race In Asia DATE

RACE

DISTANCE

LOCATION

WEBSITE

1/5/2016

4 Deserts Deserts Race Race Series Series -4 Sahara Race Sahara Race

250km

Jordan

4deserts.com/sahararace

15km, 21km and 42km

Indonesia

1/5/2016

7/5/2016

8/5/2016 8/5/2016

14/5/2016

15/5/2016

Cameron Highlands 60km Run Challenge

Gede Pangrango Marathon

The North Face 100 Ultra Challenge Beijing

Torre Nick World Chichibu Trail Run

Tokyo Nariki Forest Trail Run

Malaysia Eco 100

30km and 50km

China

Japan

25km

Japan

50km, 100km and 100mi

Malaysia

thenorthface.com.cn/tnf100

trainic-world.com

kfctriathlon.jp/html/event_trail.html#nariki_trail

asiatrailmaster.com/events/

k-y-trail.com/doushi

Round the Reservoir - Shing Mun

8km, 12km and 28km

Hong Kong

racebase.asia

Totsukawa Trail Run Pulag 100K Trail Ultramarathon

run 14km or kayak 7km + run 7km

Hong Kong

Japan

japan-trailrun.jp/totsukawa

kotmtrailrun.com

112km

Philippines

Hardcore 100 Miles Trail Ultramarathon

100 miles

Philippines

21/5/2016

Great Wall Marathon

8.5km, 21km and 42km

China

Ultra Trail Mt. Guguan

| ASIA TRAIL â&#x20AC;˘ MAY / JUNE 2016

runlightpaddle.weebly.com/

35km

20/5/2016

gedepangrangomarathon.com

Japan

15/5/2016

21/5/2016

2009tonton.blogspot.hk/2015/10/cameron-highlands-60km-run-challenge.html

20km and 42km

Run Light Paddle : Dragon's Back

20/5/2016

22km, 50km and 100km

Malaysia

Doushimura Trail Race

15/5/2016

60km

36.4km, 44.9km, 91.5km, 107.9km

Taiwan

frontrunnermagph.com/2016-pulag-100k-trail-ultramarathon

http://www.beclass.com/rid=1837bb556779bebd2765 http://great-wall-marathon.com/

A 250km journey in the Gobi Desert - 4 Deserts Race Series - Gobi March.

DATE

RACE

DISTANCE

LOCATION

WEBSITE

21/5/2016

Hasuu Tasu Night Trail Race

18-20km

Malaysia

borneoultra.com/hasuu/

21/5/2016

Ijen Trail Running

10km, 21km, 42km and 70km

Indonesia

ijentrailrunning.com

Bhutan

global-limits.com

50km

Japan

mt-hiei.com

20km and 60km

Japan

21/5/2016

22/5/2016 27/5/2016 28/5/2016

Runners Wild - Bario Sarawak

Ultra Trail Nam Cat Tien Bhutan -The Last Secret Shangri-La Marathon

28/5/2016

International Trail Run

29/5/2016

Osorakan Trail

28/5/2016

29/5/2016 29/5/2016 4/6/2016 4/6/2016 5/6/2016 5/6/2016 5/6/2016

12/6/2016 12/6/2016 12/6/2016 17/6/2016 17/6/2016 19/6/2016 19/6/2016 25/6/2016 26/6/2016

The Great Relay - Kuala Lumpur Northeast Sunset Run Kushigata Wind Trail Mt.Awa Vertical Kilometer

50km

3km, 10km, 21km, 42km and 60km 200km

21km, 42km, 50km and 100km 50km and 100km 15km 30km 5km

The Cordillera Mountain Ultra

4km, 21km and 50km

Charming Trail

6km, 22km and 50km

Tsurugisan Super Rindo Mountain Marathon Mid Summer Race 1 Tai Tam Okuhida Trail Run Sugadaira Skyline Trail Run

Torre Nick World in Hanno-Ogose Trail Run Mongolia Action Asia 3 day Ultra Marathon Oxfam Trailwalker Australia (Brisbane)

4 Deserts Race Series Gobi March Echigo Country Trail

The Beast Trail

SpaTrail Shima to Kusatsu

19km and 53km 10km 32km

6km, 21km and 42km 30km and 50km 60km and 100km 60km and 100km 250km 50km

12km, 26km, 50km and 100km 38km and 72km

Malaysia

Vietnam China

Malaysia

Hong Kong Japan Japan

Philippines Japan

Taiwan

Hong Kong Japan Japan Japan

Mongolia Australia China Japan

Taiwan Japan

runnerswild.com

runvietnam.org

shangri-la-marathon.com/race-information tgrkl.com

osorakan-trail.com xterace.com

trailrunners.jp/ trailrunners.jp/

http://cordilleraconservationtrust.ph/ cordillera-mountain-ultra/ courant-marin.jp/naka charmingtaiwan.com xterace.com

actrep-sports.com sugadaira-trail.jp

trainic-world.com

actionasiaevents.com

railwalker.oxfam.org.au/brisbane/ 4deserts.com

trailrunners.jp/

beasttrail.taiwanbeastrunners.com spatrail-shima-kusatsu.jp

Market place

ACTION X www.actionxstore.com

Causeway Bay Flat A, 1/F, Po Foo Building, 84-94 Percival Street, Causeway Bay

Discovery Bay North Plaza, Shop G16AG16C, G/F, 92 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay Sheung Wan G/F, 28 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan T: +852 3102 2977 Daily: 11:00 - 20:00

ROUND THE WORLD www.roundtheworld.hk

Shop A, 51 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan T: +852 2745 6988 Mon-Sat: 11:00 - 20:00 Sun: 10:30 - 19:30

STARLIGHT Sports Shatin Shop 284, Level 2, Ma On Shan Plaza, Ma On Shan, Shatin, N.T. T: +852 2613 8995

Tseung Kwan O

LANTAU BASE CAMP www.lantaubasecamp.com Shop J, Sea View Building, Mui Wo, Lantau Island T: +852 5463 6060

Mon-Fri: 8:30 -19:30 Sat-Sun & PH: 8:00 - 19:30 Closed on Tuesday

Shop B05, Level 1, Nan Fung Plaza, Tseung Kwan O, N.T. T: +852 2410 9096 Mon-Sat: 11:30 - 21:30

PRo Runner Shop L1A, Fitfort, North Point T: +852 2327 0488 Mon-Sat: 12:00- 21:00

GONE RUNNING

www.gonerunning.hk

Unit 8B, Trust Tower 68 Johnston Road, Wanchai T: +852 3461 9792 Mon-Fri: 12:00 - 15:30, 17:30 - 20:30 Sat-Sun: 12:00 - 18:00

| ASIA TRAIL • MAY / JUNE 2016

ALL WEATHER www.allweather.hk

13 1/F Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon T: +852 2384 8890 Mon-Sat: 15:00 - 21:00

OVERLANDER www.overlander.com.hk Base Camp@ Causeway Bay 3/F Gold Swan Commercial Building, 438–444 Hennessy Rd, Causeway Bay T: +852 3695 0871

Base Camp@Mongkok Rm 12-23, 12/F, Hollywood Plaza, 610 Nathan Rd, Mongkok T: +852 2117 1810 Packcity (Mongkok) Shop 229, Level 2, Trendy Zone, 580A-F Nathan Rd, Mongkok T: +852 2116 2707

GigaSports Unit 1, Level 8, Megabox, 38 Wang Chiu Rd., Kowloon Bay T: +852 2629 5009 Shatin Shop 536, Level 5, New Town Plaza, Phase 1, Shatin T: +852 3427 9626 Tseung Kwan O Shop 1129, Level 1, Phase II Metro City Plaza, Tseung Kwan O T: +852 2628 9902

Tsuen Wan Shop UG57, Citywalk, Tsuen Wan T: +852 2117 1720

Mon-Sat: 11:00 - 21:30 Sun: 11:00 - 21:00

PATAGONIA www.facebook.com/ patagoniahk Tsim Sha Tsui G/F 25 Ashley Road. T: + 852 3622 2373

Mon-Sun: 11:00 – 21:30 Shop OT224, Level 2 Ocean Terminal T: +852 3188 2400

Mon-Sun: 10:30 – 21:30 Kowloon Tong Shop L2-06, Level 2 Festival Walk Tel: +852 3105 1223

Mon-Sun: 11:00 – 21:30 Causeway Bay Shop 730, Level 7 Times Square T: +852 2506 0677

Mon-Sun: 11:00 – 21:30 Central Shop 2, 46 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central. T: +852 2155 9567

Mon-Sun: 10:00 – 20:00 Shatin Shop 516, Level 5, New Town Plaza Phase 1 T: +852 3188 8138

Mon-Sun: 11:00 - 21:30

PASSION RUN 2160 Rama4 Rd., Klongtoei Klongtoei Bangkok, Thailand 10110 T: +662 6729141 Mon-Fri: 11:00 - 20:00