Vibram Five Fingers Spyridon Quick Review

Vibram Five Finger Spyridon Quick Report. Meant to go out for a quick 10k, but ended getting a bit lost and doing 28k taking close to 4:00. Here's the report:

Asphalt: [v] check
Pot Hole: [v] check
Sidewalk: [v] check
Gravel: [v] check
Monkeys: [v] check
Diamond Hill: [v] check
Concrete Staircase up: [v] check
Concrete Staircase down: [v] check
Single Track Trail: [v] check
Large Stones on Trail: [v] check
Trip over Root x 2: [v] check
Trip over Speed Bump: [v] check
Climb over Fence: [v] check

Summary: Of all the shoes I've worn, this one is PERFECT for Hong Kong! Very stiff and sturdy on the toe tops and arch support. Wearing toe socks make it even more comfy! I feel the LS version really beats the velcrostrap hands down. Everything I hit over or ran by felt like a knife cutting soft butter.

I think everyone will agree that Shui Sham Po, Monkey Long a** hill, Diamond hill, Shing Mun Reservoir Trail, Raleigh Wilson Trail, and sections of MacLehose Trail - I've covered all bases. I would have definitely raced with these if they were available before the HK100.

As an 'official' Vibram Team Tester, I give my full approval with this shoe type for most terrain in Hong Kong. The littered stone you might find on KOTH: Lantau or HK100: Section 4 might still have issues, but we'll see...

I think it's a good shoe to wear for my Ironman 70.3 Singapore. The feet feels quite tired on asphalt.. I think this could help!

Too bad I won't be doing any more trail races until fall...

Maclehose Oxfam Trailwalker Training Stage 1-2 (Early and Rainy)

I went out on a training run very early. I would say I woke up at 3AM. Here is the highlights of my run. I was overall happy with the run since I didn't twist my ankle or fall down a stream

MacLehose Stage 3,4 [May 2/9] TrailRunning

Trail Running is a great way to quickly complete stages of the Hong Kong peaks and have enough time to do other things. Don't get me wrong, I think hiking is great as well to embrace the beauty. I'm just on a tight schedule. The first run was with the Hong Kong Hiking Meetup Group. It's a good mix of people because there are hikers, walkers, and runners. We did some 15 minutes of Tai Chi before starting stage 3. The trail is difficult; I believe Lantau and Sunset peaks are more difficult.

It's pretty much a "hike" going to the top, there are short distances to run but most of it is "short". Forget about running when it rains, it is quite dangerous from my experience. Once you hit the top, you head down and climb up all over again.

 

Stage 4 was only attempted on May 9th. The idea was to leave early and run stage 3 and meetup the "Meetup" group at stage 4. It didn't quite work that way. The terrain was very slippery and my running buddy got lost but was able to meet 10 minutes ahead of me at entrance of stage 4.

Stage 4 was muscle spam stage. I wasn't able to complete without stopping and stretching/resting. We were not able to catch the Meetup team because the fact that we got lost and I was just dead sore. It took 3 days to recover from my wounds.

Lantau 2 Peaks Run #2

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30385181

I found some other facebook runners around Hong Kong and one of them mentioned that they would run from Mui Wo to Big Buddha; eat and run back. Well, running that much in one day is too much for me; so this week, I gave it a stab to run it backwards. I initially thought I would try to end up near Discovery Bay... but, well - getting lost in the beginning changed my mind. I woke up early again (5:30AM) and headed toward Tung Chung; I arrived an hour earlier than last week since I don't need to wait for the boat. Once in Tung Chung..



I started to run and realized that I was going the wrong way! It is always difficult to remember which way to go when you try to visually stamp it on your forehead via google maps; next time I should bring a map.. but it'll just get wet and the sweat/rain and the fact that most of the runs are on trails make it more difficult to figure things out.


I located the point of entrance after running 4k later. I figured it would be straight in and up. Well, my mistake since after seeing public bathrooms... there is a big fork in the road. I used my best logic and decided to go straight. Try #1: Dead end; met a lady who told me it's near the bathroom and back I went. Ok try #2, let's try left turn (direction of the cable cars).. found a small "village" and cemetary only to find another dead end.

Tried another road but led to a mean unleashed barking dog. 3k later, I was on the right track... 400m and 3.5k later, I linked up with the Lantau trails.




It's now 2k and another 430m up to the first peak. The wind was so strong.. I video taped some parts of it and you can hear the wind just howl.




Everything was very cloudy and luckily I took some pictures of the Buddha and surrounding areas before the massive cloud mist rolled in.



Sunset peak was no different..


Although this peak is shorter in height, the run up to this peak is a little longer and steeper. I thought I was at the top; but, it kept on going higher. Just like the run up to Ngong ping, the run down is similar with woods, even including green moss.


After hitting pavement, I knew it was mostly downhill with a faster pace to finish up in Mui Wo.


For those interested in racing a similar course across Lantau 2 Peaks, try: Map.

Lantau 2 Peaks Run #1

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29642506


I haven't ran long distance since my Standard Charter Hong Kong Marathon (2/28/2010). I felt that it was time to grind away and after doing some hill running in Boracay, Philippines; it was time to do a long run. I've been doing some research on Lantau Island and there are great hiking trails - one which is called Lantau Trails that is around 70k. I am obviously not ready for 70k.




My goal is to get an early start and take the ferry from Hong Kong to Mui Wo. It takes close to an hour. I met a guy on the ferry that will bike from Mui Wo to Big Budha. He biked 1000k around the country of Taiwan. Crazy? yet awe inspiring..



I started to run and asked the biker how to start up to Lantau Trail. He was spot on and I found the signs. After the concrete sidewalk run up to the park, it was all trails with lots of "forest".


I tried to run as much as possible, but it just got harder and harder. Finally, I was out of the tree line and was forced up the hill to Sunset Peak.

I passed hikers of three and didn't look back. First peak completed; then now to the harder Peak - Lantau Peak, very slippery going down.. Once I hit the road, It was so foggy - I felt I should go south: wrong! Came across some road workers and tried my best speaking Ngong Ping. They pointed the way I came.. dang, back up the "hill". I entered the left side of a park, right next to the exit and headed west.


Unfortunately went south and ran on more trails only to realize that I was going the wrong way. Luckily, this path reconnects with Lantau trail and it was actually very enjoying. Much more flat trail running the just steps. After a while, I heard conversation again and met up with the 3 hikers from before. This part of the run, is mostly walking up stairs and it gets hard! I was fortunate to have company to the top.


Took pictures and got 2 mars bars from one of the hikers. Very windy at the top. Going down hill was steep and left the 3 hikers in the "dust". I wanted to go to Big buddha, but the visibility wasn't worth it. Got on the bus.. as I waited, I saw the 3 hikers pass me.