Trans NT 52 (and a bit)

The race profile

Ben, one of my new running friends from the Namibian desert race, persuaded me to stop off in Hong Kong on my way back to the UK from Australia, with the promise of taking me on a run in the HK hills. Little did I know exactly what was instore for me.....and I don't just mean all the unrest and violence, but a scenic (if rather undulating) crossing of the whole of the New Territories (the bit of HK that is on the mainland, next to China). I obediently signed up for it with blind trust, and it was only when I read the specific race email from the organisers just before I left Australia, that I realised it was going to be a mere 52km long with over 3000m of elevation gain (and I guessed that those were actually conservative estimates).

I met Ben at registration (I've never caught a taxi to a start line before but when needs must 😊 ), we got our numbers, handed in kit bags for the finish and headed up to the start.There as no check of our compulsory kit but we were told that this would happen at some point during the event. It was a decent walk to the start line, so an ideal time to eye up how large/small other people's packs were...and freak myself out slightly about the fact that it was early morning and already felt quite warm, though thankfully less humid than it can be in Hong Kong.

Up on Ma On Shan ridge

We started (with a countdown in Chinese) on a paved road, but there was no gentle easing into it, as we went straight up a hill. At least this slowed down some of the usual speedy starters so I could weave in and out of them and catch back up to Ben. I knew that we had to climb all the way up onto the ridge line (that my cousin had pointed out way above her house the night before), but before we did this, there was a sudden sharp descent (and you guessed it, many people flew past me again). Soon enough we were onto trail and climbing up and up onto the top of the Ma On Shan ridge.

The first steps

It was too steep to run but this meant we had enough breath and energy to chat as we power hiked up, along with another running friend of Ben's. When we finally topped out (only rather warm and sweating), the views were fantastic...but I hardly had a chance to look at them because the boys were off and running. They knew the trails really well, but as it was my first time there, I was desperately trying to look under my feet as well as around at the scenery as it was just stunning. I could see across to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island to the south and to the Chinese mainland to the north (I cunningly tried to slow Ben down by asking him to point out the sights....such as the highest point on HK island, where I'd been the day before).

More steps

Some sections were rather rough and rocky underfoot, whereas others consisted of some of the endless steps that I'd been warned about. The word "steps" described a multitude of terrain underfoot as there were manicured paved steps, rough rocky steps, built up steps, and also what obviously had been dirt steps shored up with wooden edges, but the rainy season had washed a lot of the soil away leaving wooden ridges designed to catch your toes and send you flying if you weren't careful!! I worried that I was slowing Ben down as we climbed up and down (there was almost nothing flat at all) but he said that he was happy to chill out and go my speed, which was great for me as the miles ticked by much more quickly when we could chat as well as run. 

As we ran into the first checkpoint, I was shocked to hear that I was the 3rd female, but then again, we still had a long way to go and I often take such comments with a pinch of salt as they've been wrong before. Still, it was a nice thing to hear as I filled up my drinks bottles and took on some snacks. Although still undulating, the next section was on more runnable trail as we remained somewhat higher in the hills than we'd started, and I really enjoyed the scenery (well apart from when a monkey jumped across the trail at about the level of head and nearly took me out). I was so relieved to see the monkeys, as I had worried that some of the rustling noises I'd been hearing were due to snakes and other nasties. 

We passed a lady in this section and though she then came along with us a bit for the chat (I think she was definitely more suited to the downhill sections than me), she then dropped back and so we thought we had a decent gap as we tucked into the bananas and drinks at the next checkpoint. From there we had a lot of descending to do, though some of it was actually on tarmac road, as we'd dropped to the level of urban living, and then skirted round a reservoir. From memory, I thought the next checkpoint was by his reservoir, so although Ben seemed to have dropped back slightly on the trail, I just presumed he was seconds behind me and I'd see him at the next CP. 

Unfortunately my memory was playing tricks on me and there was another hot climb and steep road downhill to go. I wasn't convinced that I was still on course as it seemed to take a very long time to reach the CP and there were a lot of walkers around but few or no runners.....but finally I spotted a marshal waving me in. There was some proper food at this aid station rather than just snacks so I ate some of that and unloaded my pack for the kitcheck (it did seem rather odd to be producing my headtorch in the head of the midday sun!!!!). 

Staggering up more trail

Ben didn't appear so I wondered if I had missed him and he was actually ahead of me, so after eating and drinking sufficiently I headed off. The next section involved lots of climbing as we had to go over the highest point of the course (just shy of 1000m), which I would definitely have preferred earlier on when I was fresher and the weather cooler, but I'd been told that a lot of the climbing was on road so I figured I'd be able to make decent progress.

It appeared that this information was also rather misleading, as although I started up a road (passing a couple of guys), the route then turned off onto a narrow track. This rough track climbed up and up, becoming more and more overgrown. It then started to curve round the side of some of the hills and I really did start doubting myself. The markings in trees were few and far between, I often couldn't see exactly where I was putting my feet (hence a few minor ankle rolls on rocks) due to the long grass, and there were a couple of creek crossings. Add in the fact that I didn't see another person for almost 10k, and I really thought I'd gone off in totally the wrong direction, though I couldn't fathom where I'd taken such a wrong turning.

Climbing out in the sunshine

Suddenly I joined a bigger trail, the trees and grass thinned out, and I was climbing up in the hot sunshine again. I spotted a photographer who reassured me that I was going well, and I spotted another couple of runners ahead of me. I was moving at a better pace then them, so the long ascent meant I gained several more places, and we even managed short bits of chat. One guy tried to encourage me to push on to close on the leading lady, but I figured that she was long gone (she was a local runner.....and also the course record holder) and I was really getting rather hot and tired!

Yeah....reaching the summit domes

And another descent

Finally I topped out by the large domes and started the steep descent. Now I was on tarmac, but unfortunately it was so steep and twisty that I was constantly braking as I pounded the pavement. I was signposted off the road onto trail and then eventually reached the final CP. There was a whole family manning this aid station, and they did laugh when I said I'd like a cup of ice......preferably filled with gin and tonic.....so I made do with water, coke, fruit and nuts and headed off!

Having a laugh with my new chum :-)

In my head the final section was a nice runnable trail 5k, but again, reality was rather different. Yes, there was some initial runnable trail, but then there was some steep road to descend (and my legs were so tried by this point that they kept threatening to give out on my), some more paths to climb up, and then an inordinate number of stone and metal steps down into town to the finish line. I caught up with another British runner for the final few kms and so we managed to keep each other going (just about). A few hundred metres from the finish a guy powered past us (he was one I'd overtaken just before the course's high point) and I marvelled at the strength/control he had left in his legs to be able to descend all those steps at such a speed.

Beers with Ben

Prize-giving

Finally, we rounded a corner and crossed the finish line, to be handed a well-earnt beer and our drop bags from the start! I'd finished in a much quicker time than I'd thought I could run, and it was lovely to be congratulated by the winning lady who said that it was a very tough course for a first run in the HK hills, and by the time Ben arrived I had recovered enough to thank him for a beautiful day out - wonderful scenery, great company and (mostly) lovely trails......though I'd be glad not to see any more steps for a while :-)