TransLantau by UTMB (first ultra) 2023 Edition

I'm guessing some of you felt the same way... after tackling a few trail half or full marathons, you just crave more. I was in the same boat. After my first trail half marathon (with three more already planned for the first half of 2023), I started seeking a bigger challenge. I checked out some major races around Taiwan and decided on the TransLantau in Hong Kong by UTMB. Three reasons: it's just a quick, cheap flight from Taiwan; the route and profile seemed intriguing (compared to Jeju Island UTMB); and I wanted to experience one of UTMB's famous big races. It didn't disappoint, but it wasn't perfect either :)

TransLantau is happening on one of the Hong Kong Islands around November. The race takes place on Lantau Island, where 90% of the area is a National Park. You can pick from four distances: 20K, 50K, 100K, and 100M (which is actually 140K in this case). I went for the 50K, which already seemed like a huge challenge to me (I still can't figure out how people manage 100K and more :)), but I signed up and started training by upping my mileage, especially on trails.

Before November, the longest run I did was 26K in Shifen. To push myself further, I decided to sign up for my first full road marathon (the EVA Marathon)... just 3 weeks before the UTMB. My plan was to use the marathon as a long training run and just aim to finish. With a 6-hour time limit, I took it easy and finished in 5 hours and 30 minutes. Going at a slower pace helped me recover quickly for my first ultra, and when I headed to Hong Kong, I felt pretty good (still a bit scared though:)).

A week before the race, UTMB held an online briefing about the race, rules, and route for everyone taking part. It was my first time hearing the race director talk about the whole route, the rules, and answering some questions. As I listened, I realized the route was going to be tough. He pointed out two parts of my 50K that were described as "very technical," and said we'd "run slower" than expected, especially since the elevation gains didn't seem that big. That got me a bit worried. Plus, the organizers sent an email a week before about the potential medical risks of ultra running, which made me even more nervous...

I got to Hong Kong a couple of days ago in the evening. The next day, I did some sightseeing before heading to the venue to pick up my starter pack. It's the usual stuff, but you can pay extra for a cup. Then, I went back to the hotel to get ready for the 10 AM start the next day. Not sure why they changed it from the original 6 AM start when I signed up.

The next day, getting to the start line was a bit of a hassle. On Lantau Island, only the blue taxis are allowed, and there aren't many of them. With so many people around for the race, I couldn't snag one. At the hotel, a staff member pointed me toward two ladies heading in the same direction, so I ended up sharing a ride with them and another person to the start line. It turned out the girls were just there to support their friend running the 100K that day. We got to the venue way early (like an hour and a half before the start), and after I dropped my bag, the weather took a turn, and it started pouring. Luckily, the rain stopped 15 minutes before the start and didn’t come back for the rest of the day!

The start was split into 3 waves, and I was in the 2nd one (probably because of my current UTMB Index). The first 3km were easy, flat, and on a normal road, but like always in these races, the crowd didn’t spread out enough before we hit the trail, so we ended up in a traffic jam. But hey, that was the only one in the whole race! About 5km in, we hit the first big climb, which was surprisingly easy for me, and the views from the top were amazing! After that climb, I headed to the first aid station, which was pretty busy and a bit chaotic (only two toilets and really crowded). But I didn’t need much there, so I took off pretty quickly.

On the way to the next checkpoint, my left knee started hurting, and I still had over 30km to go. That got me worried, but I just slowed down and headed to the next checkpoint, which was 1km in and 1km back. I realized the pain didn't really bother me, especially when I was climbing hills, so I decided to keep going.

Right before the toughest climb of the day, the organizers threw in a last-minute aid station, which ended up being super helpful. The next climb was pretty brutal, both physically and mentally. The peak was mostly covered in clouds... here's the last photo I took before I was wrapped in clouds for the next 2 hours...

Like I said, for the next 2 hours, it was just a grind with no views, just trailing behind the guys ahead of me. But when we finally got down to the lower parts of the biggest mountains, we had a great view of the huge apartment buildings and HK airport.

The way down wasn't super technical, but it was still really long... like, really long. My legs were getting wrecked, and I knew I still had a lot ahead of me, including one big climb and one really steep descent. Before I got there, the sun went down, so I had to turn on my headlamp. On the plus side, the pain in my left knee was gone. On the downside, my stomach decided to shut down, and I couldn't eat anything solid. With a few hours left to go and not being able to eat properly, I was a bit worried.

After the next big climb, I ran into an Australian who lives in HK. We spent the next hour chatting about other trail races, trail shoes, and stuff like that while tackling a really technical and steep descent. At least it went by quickly, and we pretty much made it to the last aid station for the 50k race together. I took a break there, refilled my bottles, and drank as much coke as I could, no solid food though. There are still 10km left, and according to the pre-race briefing, that part doesn't have much elevation but is very technical. Plus, I have to do it in the dark.

After jogging with a few other runners through the small town and meeting some folks cheering us on, we hit the real trail and parted ways with the others. Looks like I'll be on my own for the next couple of hours or so.

It was rough, dark, my stomach was acting up, and my legs were really feeling those 40+ km... but I just kept pushing through this super tricky section with lots of rocks and streams. Still, I enjoyed it! Especially the moments when I could see the main HK island and take in the night view of the whole city, plus a fireworks show at HK Disneyland! :) I took some time to soak it all in and take a break there. I knew I'd be way ahead of the cutoff, and my place didn't matter to me. I felt good (aside from the stomach issues ;)), really good :)

The last part of the course was a paved path with ups and downs, and the final descent was just a bunch of steep stairs. At the end, you hit the promenade along the beach and the last 500m to the finish line, which I actually managed to run! After 49km and 2700m of elevation, I finished my first ultra!

just over 11 hours.... 440th overall (out of over 800- around 90 DNF)... I can't complain... I was happy:)

After the race, it took me another hour to chill out enough to eat anything solid. Finally, I was ready, but the only place still open was McDonald's near the ferry terminal! At that point, I was like, whatever, I can eat it! :)

Surprisingly, I felt pretty good the next day and still had the energy for a full day of sightseeing in Hong Kong.

First Ultra done... I am ready for next one:)

Here some summary of whole event which I think was organized very well. Saying that I won't probably come back soon (not for 50km). I may come back but when I will be ready for longer distance and can take on 75 or 100... time will tell:)

Review:

1. I really enjoyed the route; it was diverse and engaging. Certain sections were quite technical, requiring a slower pace, but overall, I found it very appealing. It was a bit disappointing that the highest point of the race was cloud-covered that day, leading me to spend 3 hours simply gazing at the trail. The route was also well-marked, and in some areas, volunteers were present to assist.

2. Aid Station: Aside from the first one, which seemed a bit disorganized (likely because many people arrived simultaneously) and was located in a somewhat unusual spot, all the other aid stations were excellent. They offered a great selection of food and drinks, and the staff were extremely helpful. A big plus for the additional station added at the last minute just before the big climb! That was a great help (I believe not just for me:)).

3. Starting Package: I think it could be a bit better for what you pay. But hey, I'm not in it just for the freebies and swag :) I'm happy with what I got. As a finisher, I received a nice medal and a sleeveless warm vest. I also liked their t-shirt, but next time I'll need to pay more attention to the sizes ;)

4. Venue: I’m not sure if it was just me (I wrapped up at 9pm) or what, but after I was done, all the vendors and sponsors had cleared out. Plus, the day before, when I went to grab my starter pack, only two were up and running (Encore and Naak). I ended up buying a headlight since they had a sweet deal on it with a set that included a nice power bank.

Here's my take on my first UTMB trail run: it was an awesome event! I haven't done any other UTMB runs yet, but for Asia, this one is pretty impressive. The route was especially fantastic—I loved how diverse and challenging the trail was!

Practical info:

1. Hotel - I believe the best choice is to stay on Lantau Island and either take a taxi from the hotel or a bus from the terminal (near the cable car station). Alternatively, you can stay on the main island and take a ferry to Lantau (the ferry terminal is a 10-minute walk from the starting line).

2. Transportation - Hong Kong has three different types of taxis, each servicing specific areas. Lantau Island is only serviced by BLUE taxis, and there aren't many of them. Plan accordingly if you intend to stay on Lantau Island and consider carpooling with others if possible (this is what I did).

3. After the race - I finished late, after 9 pm, so some food places were already closed. The organizers provided some food, but I had stomach issues and lost my appetite almost entirely. If you want to eat, your best bet is near the ferry terminal (there's also a McDonald's there, which many runners visited). At the ferry terminal, there is also a bus station that will take you to the subway or into the city.