Hong Kong cross-country trekker Wong Ho Chung (also known as Sir Chung) made his debut in this year’s event, and completed the race in 77.5 hours, ranking first in Asia and eighth overall.
During the four-day trek of TDG, Mr. Wong could only afford two hours for sleep and two hours for replenishment.
He was constantly staying in a high-altitude environment of generally more than 2,500 metres (8,200 ft), experienced altitude sickness, and once suffered from visual and auditory hallucinations due to exhaustion.
He endured unbearable heat, sudden hailstorms, violent wind, and rain to complete the “Journey of the Giant.” It was said to be 330 km (205 miles), but Mr. Wong actually counted 350 km (218 miles). Because the race spanned day and night, many checkpoints were temporarily diverted away from residential buildings in order not to affect the local population, making the actual distance longer.
Many people are curious about what equipment athletes can bring to such an arduous event. Mr. Wong mentioned that the designated equipment for TDG includes just cups or personal eating utensils, two emergency thermal blankets, phones, two headlamps, backup batteries, and passports.
Apart from the designated equipment, participants can also prepare whatever they think fit and put it in a towing bag (TOR bag) and be transported with the participants to the six checkpoints about 50 kilometers apart. The items in his TOR bag are also very simple, including hiking poles, mid-layer thermal clothing, waterproof jackets, waterproof pants, waterproof gloves, hats, replacement shoes, and socks.
From the Start, He Set his Own Pace, Not in Any Hurry to Overtake Others
Starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10, Mr. Wong ushered in a sunny day. At first, he chatted with a Cantonese-speaking lady who was also participating in the competition. The lady went ahead of him, but he just kept to his own pace and never worried about surpassing others.Even with Altitude Sickness, Stay in ‘Flight Mode’
Right from the onset, Mr. Wong expected to face altitude sickness during the trek. It is not easy for Hongkongers who have lived at low altitudes for a long time to climb around 25 mountains, often at altitudes of over 2,500 meters (8,250 ft). When altitude sickness is difficult, don’t give up easily and stay in “flight mode,” he said.He stayed at a house on top of a 2,520-meter (8326 ft) mountain for three days before the race, but this was far too little to adapt to the environment. In such an endurance race, he still encountered altitude sickness. It really felt strange when he ascended to over 2,700 metres (8,910 ft) for the first time. The pace became terribly slow, he was panting, and his heartbeat increased. In order to fully adapt to the high terrain, at least two weeks of training in the mountains are required. The pre-race training this time was obviously insufficient and put his body through a much sterner test.
On the second day of the race, Mr. Wong felt exhausted under the scorching heat. He talked to his wife Viann, “I can’t reach the halfway point with ease. My energy is almost gone and I’m worried that I won’t be able to finish the race.” The running team assistant Ryan reminded him to look at other players’ faces, which looked in worse shape than his. He then realized that when he felt the strain, so was everyone else. He encouraged himself to keep moving forward and find his own rhythm.
In order to maintain high efficiency with minimal energy usage, he gradually found the balance between exercise intensity, sleep, and nutrient absorption. For him, the strategy was to run at a low intensity, taking a small supplement every two hours, a big supplement every ten, and catching up on sleep every 20 hours was the best to keep the balance. If there were no emergencies, he was able to continue moving forward relatively smoothly.
Rest at the Right Time to Avoid Visual and Auditory Hallucinations
On the third night of the 60-hour race, after going through four hours non-stop on a 2,500-meter (8,250 ft) mountain, Mr. Wong described it as, “Looking at the undulating landscape, even though they appear as just natural ups and downs on the altitude chart, I first thought I was climbing up and down the hillocks at Pat Sin Range, but it turned out to be more like climbing eight Tai Mo Shan”—both are mountain features in Hong Kong.
He only rested for 1.5 hours after 60 hours of cross-country running. He felt exhausted and the most terrifying thing was the hallucinations. He described that he was only relying on reflective road signs to guide the way. Suddenly a mist drifted over, and drizzle began. The rain wet the bigger leaves of the plants, making him think they were reflective road signs. At that time, he could not distinguish the reflective road signs from the leaves and kept going the wrong way repeatedly. he shared, “I have already experienced visual and auditory hallucinations. My eyes were blurred, and my ears could not hear much. Sure enough, lack of sleep is affecting my IQ, and I have even lost my basic self-care ability and sense of direction.”
It was followed by a 1,500-meter (3,300 ft) descent. It took him two hours to get to the next checkpoint, and he rested for 40 minutes before starting again. During the rest, he became so confused and even unconsciously put raisins into the cup of milk. Looking in retrospect, he can hardly figure out why he did such a thing.
During a Storm, He Wanted to ‘Cuddle a Cow to Keep Warm’
On the fourth day, when victory was in sight, there were two more mountains left to the finishing line. But just like the story of the journey to the West, M. Wong still had to face a final test.Along the way, he saw a cow near a big rock taking shelter from the rain. He just wanted to rush over and “hug the cow to keep warm.” Finally, he gauged the distance and felt it was a bit far, so he decided not to waste time and continued running down the mountain to the nearest checkpoint to take a rest. After resting and recuperation, he could really continue to the finishing line.
The rainstorm on the final stretch really woke him up. “Although I have some experience running through the mountains in Europe, I never expected that the biggest test would come at the 340th km (213th mile) [mark]. I almost forgot that mountain trekking is full of challenges by its very nature. It is precisely because I can solve and overcome these challenges that I find this sport so interesting, and it also demands the best of my perseverance at the same time.”
Mr. Wong lamented, “The mountain road itself is always rugged, and so is life. Be grateful, and don’t complain. The storm reminds me of that.”
