Race Media

 Jacky Leung on upcoming Asian Skyrunning Championship in Hong Kong.

1. MSIG Lantau 50 is selected to be the Asian Skyrunning Championship this year, will you train differently?

This course is hilly with 3500m accumulative elevation in 54km. There is big climbing of double peaks after first half of runable but hilly trails. I will especially focus on stairs climbing on this course.

1. 今年「MSIG大嶼山50 」被選為「亞洲Skyrunning冠軍賽」，請問你會為這場比賽做不同的準備嗎？

這場比賽位處海拔3500米，賽程全長54公里。前半段比較易跑，但仍是較崎嶇的山徑，之後則要應付兩座高峰。所以在這場賽事上，我會集中訓練攀爬梯級的能力。

2. How will your experience of joining Skyrunning events help you prepare for the coming 2016 MSIG series? Anything specific that you could share with us?

It's technical for worldwide Skyrunning race. The experience of joining Matterhorn Ultraks in Zermatt gave me insights about fast uphill and downhill ability of athletes along technical trails at high altitude. For HK MSIG series, there is a mixture of terrain including soft trails, rocky trails, stairs and pavement. Athletes need to be all-rounded with good pre-race planning and skills during running on so much different kinds of terrain.

2.  你之前參加Skyrunning 比賽獲得的經驗，對準備2016 MSIG賽事有甚麼幫助？有特別的策略跟我們分享嗎？

參加世界性的Skyrunning比賽，需要運用一定的技巧。之前在瑞士策馬特參加的越野賽， 讓我進一步了解在高海拔路徑快速上坡和下坡的技巧。在香港舉行的MSIG賽事地形則比較複雜，有泥路、山路、梯級和行人徑，所以運動員要掌握多方面的事前準備和技巧，才能在比賽中應付各種不同地形。

3. What got you into running?

Running gives me a channel to explore my mind and to recognize my body. I learn controlling my mind to be balanced during every step of running especially when we feel very exhausted. Also, it gives me so much opportunity to learn planning and to work out strategies for specific targets. Running gives me pleasure.

3.甚麼原因令你愛上越野跑呢？

越野跑給予我重新認識和探索身心的途徑。尤其當身心疲累時，向前跑的每一步都要求我保持身心平衡。同時，我也學會了如何制定目標、計劃和策略，越野跑帶給我很多樂趣。

4. What makes you keep running? What is your motivation? 

I can feel instant freedom and pleasure during running on trails with so much beautiful scenery around. There is satisfaction when I achieve a better time during each run with injury free. There is always improvement and new apperception about rhythm, balance and control during each running even on the similar courses. Running tunes myself being more self-disciplined and makes my living more simple and regular. It can also build up self-confidence and positive self-esteem.

4. 請問是甚麼讓你堅持越野跑呢？你的動力又是甚麼？

當進行越野跑時，被身旁美麗風景所包圍，那一刻彷佛重獲自由，使我感到無比快樂。而在沒有受傷的情況下，如果獲得好成績會有更大的滿足感。每一次跑步，即使在同一條路徑，都會發現自己一直在進步，如對跑步節奏、身心的控制和平衡等方面都有更深入的了解。越野跑能促使我的生活變得更規律，同時提升個人的自信和正能量。

5. What is your best part of trail running experience? Did you have fun?

The best part of trail running is being inspired and to inspire people to step out their comfort zone for dreams or targets. This inspiration can encourage people to look for improvement and better standard of life. Although the processes of practicing or racing are tough or emotional, I have a lot of fun and learn a lot about life during the processes. 

5. 你最難忘的越野跑經歷是甚麼呢？你能從中獲得樂趣嗎？

越野跑能不斷激勵我，以及激勵大家挑戰自我、追求目標和夢想。人們可以從中得到自我提升，從而獲得更美好的生活。雖然練習和參賽的過程十分艱辛，但我仍從中體會到許多生活樂趣和意義。

6.  How you overcome the difficulties of trail running?

 I have to evaluate effectiveness of my training or racing every time so that I can accumulate experience of encountering specific problems of my body. Before the next run, I will prepare strategies and to rehearse the self-help process in my mind. With mental rehearsal, it will make me feel much better with proper execution of strategies during very difficult moment.

6.  請問你是怎樣克服越野跑當中的困難？

每次訓練和比賽後，我都會對自己作出效率評估，從而累積經驗，了解我的身體出現特殊狀況的應對。在越野跑前，我會先準備相應策略和想像屆時自救的過程。透過以上的想像，即使在越野跑中遇到困難，我仍能從容面對。

7. How to balance the daily work and pre-race training?

 I have to set up a solid timetable and an achievable training schedule for specific races. For example, I would wake up early for morning run before working and then go for another session of running or workout after working hours. The most important is to sleep early for the next training session of early morning.

7.  請問你是如何平衡日常工作和賽前訓練？

我平日會制定一個固定時間表，而為特定比賽則會制定可行的訓練表。例如，每天早上我會一早起床，在上班前進行晨跑；放工後，我亦會跑步或者進行其他的鍛煉。最重要的是每晚需要早睡，才能使第二天早上的訓練計劃順利進行。

8. How do you encourage your family, friends or other people to join trail running and inspire them to get into our mother nature?

I usually get them to go do some easy hiking first to let them reconnect with nature. I would also share some trail running skills and injury prevention skills to them during my trail running workshops or social run. Most of them need encouragement of partners or family and regular training to fulfill their personal achievement and satisfaction.

8. 你是如何鼓勵家人、朋友或者其他人參加越野跑？又會如何鼓勵他們接觸大自然？

通常我會鼓勵他們參與簡單的行山活動，讓他們重新接觸大自然。在我的越野跑workshop和日常的跑步活動中，我會向他們分享越野跑以及預防受傷的技巧。他們多數需要透過朋友和家人的支持，加上定期的訓練來達成個人目標和滿足感。

Photo credit to Sunny Lee for HK photo.