Women's Five 5K - NOV 2017

Crossing the finish line of a 5K feels pretty awesome when you thought your running days might be over.

A little background: I ran my very first 5K ever in 2006 (long before I had this blog) and finished in 30:41. It was haarrrddd, but amazing. A lot of running has happened since that first 5K (improved my 5K time to a 26:38 PR and ran 13 half marathons), including a knee surgery (the kind that comes with a high recommendation to cease running). I rehabbed and ran for about a year before bam! My knee got pretty cranky.

I might be crazy (what runner isn't?), but here I am celebrating another 5K and it feels just as awesome as the first time.

The Women's Five is a new race for women only in Hong Kong. It holds two events, one in the spring and one in the fall. In addition to the race, women can sign up for a five week training program that offers training meet ups, yoga sessions and even a social movie night.

This was my first official race in Hong Kong (I did a fun Zombie 5K that was untimed) since running a 6K race in 2015. Needless to say, I was excited. I did the whole flat-runner race outfit on IG, but I'll just share here too.

Race #OOTD: bra (Lululemon) socks (Feetures), shoes (Mizuno Wave Sky),
water bottle (Simple Hydration), tank and shorts (Athleta), headband (BAMRbands)

The race was held in Ma On Shan which was kind of far away from me in Discovery Bay, but by hired car it ended up only taking 30 minutes. I had lots of extra time to pick up my bib, check my bag, find the toilets and mingle with the other ladies that were there early.

The start line and staging area was held on the YMCA track. There was plenty of room to warmup and stretch. After a nice big pep talk from the race director, the race started (almost) on time. I was anxious to get started and get rid of my nervousness.

The course was an out and back. After leaving the track area we followed the sidewalk down to the Ma On Shan promenade. It was not a closed course. There was a bit of dodging people out walking and running in the neighborhood and on the promenade, but it wasn't bad. Some parts were crowded and some parts were wide open.

Getting to the turn around felt like it took forever. I think it was partly because I was probably running too fast. I was excited to be running in a race and it was flat, so I think I went a little crazy. I took one walk break before the turn around and another after.

Hitting the turn around helped me mentally big time. The motion of running felt easier, as if I suddenly had gotten lighter on my feet. I was still breathing heavy and starting to feel the humidity, so I told myself to keep it steady so I could cruise to the finish.

At the finish line, they had food and water. After everyone came in, you could get your results printed out. I was pretty excited to see my time ---> better than my first 5K.

I hung around to watch the awards be handed out and enjoy some celebratory time with the other ladies.

I have spent most of the year patiently building up my running time and distance using intervals and keeping my fingers tightly crossed in the hopes that I could run 5Ks again.

I'm not ready to give up running yet because of events like this one. The energy, the excitement, the support. It is all just so addictive. I know my fellow runners know what I'm talking about, but if you are new to running I hope you get to experience the happy vibes that come from running a race very soon!

I am so THANKFUL to be able to run!


Do you remember your very first race?
New runners, when are you running your first race?
What are thankful for right now?

Today I'm doing the link-up with Patty, Erika, and Marcia for Tuesdays on the Run! 

National Take a Hike Day

It's National Take a Hike Day and to celebrate I hiked our little neighborhood trail.

source

mrC is on a trip and I was expecting a delivery (that had a mandatory signature required), so I set out early to be back in plenty of time for the delivery window. This round-trip hike to Lookout Point is about 3K and takes about an hour (depending on how much time I take at the top or taking pictures along the way).

I like this trail because it is a loop that I feel comfortable doing on my own and it's challenging enough to be a good workout. The challenge is all in the beginning on the way up. I forget how many steps there are, but it is about a 200 meter climb.

Like many trails in Hong Kong, it is maintained. The steep path to the top has been reinforced with concrete to help fight the erosion process.

While I was hiking I thought about the things I love about hiking (that also sound a lot like the things I love about running).

1) The journey - Every hike that I do is a journey. It's almost always a fitness journey, but usually something else too. Maybe it's a journey to meet new people and break out of my introvert shell. Sometimes it's a journey to challenge myself to do something I didn't think I could do. Often times, I don't know what the journey is until it's over and I can feel that I've been changed in some way.

2) The solitude - When I hike alone I enjoy listening to only my footsteps, hearing only my breathing, letting my thoughts wander. It's not lonely (especially for someone like me who needs time to recover from social activities), rather it's peaceful. I like not having to worry about holding a conversation. It's an easy way to work through things that are weighing on my mind. Hiking alone can be very therapeutic.

3) Nature - I love being outside. When I'm hiking, I get a chance to see (I mean really SEE) all the things that can often become a blur when we speed by in cars or buses or when we're running: the new colors, the new blooms, the sounds, the smells. There's something strangely calming about the wildness of nature. Coming upon a waterfall, birds bursting from a tree or even a lone buffalo sitting on the trail, you just never know what you're going to see.

4) Relationships - opposite of hiking solo, it's fun to hike with a group, meet new people and get to know them. For me it is easier to bond with others while I'm doing something with them ---> maybe this comes from always being on a sports team? Working toward the same goal means we are instantly in it together and there for each other. I've made good friends this way through running, and now hiking.

5) Rewards - Of course I love what I get out of a good hike. The best rewards are the views from the top, but the views along the way can be equally breathtaking. My favorite views are of water, but there's something about looking back at how far you climbed that is just as beautiful. Then there's also the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a really hard hike. The kind of hike that leaves me feeling like I should have earned a medal for completing it. It's hard to top that feeling.

One nice thing about hiking close to home is that you don't need much. Even though it's November, it was still 74 degrees at 7am, so water and a sweat towel are a must. I like carrying lighter hiking gear in my Athleta drawstring bag (affiliate).

Will you be hitting a trail today? If so, where?

I'm linking up with Lacey and Meranda and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0!

What's in the race SWAG Bag?

I don’t know about you, but I think race SWAG bags are kind of a big deal, especially after receiving  one with really good stuff in it. I love getting a nice tee, but my favorite SWAG bag had feetures socks, a water bottle and a yoga mat!

What's in that bag can kick race day off with a bang!

Most of the race swag bags I’ve received have been for bigger races and are usually handed out at an expo - where you can pick up even more goodies, right? The race I ran in Dubai did not give out a bag, but I got a nice finisher’s medal. My Shenzhen, China race gave out a drawstring bag with Chinese snacks inside and then another goodie bag after the race.

I’m about to run my second race in Hong Kong (Women's Five 5K) and had to pick up my race bib and SWAG bag a week prior. (I don’t remember having to do this in the US, but maybe I did). The first race I did gave out goodie bags after the race. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share what was in my Hong Kong SWAG bag.

There was the usual hodge-podge of assorted sponsor goodies. Some very useful dry shampoo. Some tea packets. A de-stress ball. A magazine.

I always find some things that I like more than the others.

Like, a headband that can be worn multiple ways.

A tea light candle (this was on my shopping list) plus 100HKD to spend in the shop on more.

A free yoga class pass (that I really hope I use because the studio is in Central and would probably take as long to get there as the length of the class).

The drawstring bag itself is for bag drop on race day and can be re-used. I like that.

Notably, my race bib was NOT in my bag. Turns out that certain numbers were not ready for pick-up. Fortunately, it wasn’t a wasted trip and I was still given the SWAG and I can get my bib on race day.

What’s the best thing you ever found in your race SWAG bag?

Hiking: Lantau Trail Stages 3 and 4 (Lantau Peak)

It was time to cross more Lantau Trail sections off my to-do list and this time it was going to be some hard hiking.

My most recent hike on the Lantau Trail (stages 9 & 10) was long but easy. No real climbing involved. My very first hike (stages 1 & 2) was a mix ---> one stage involved climbing Sunset Peak, the second highest peak in Hong Kong, but the other was an easy walk.

I wasn't sure if I was ready for stages 3 & 4, but I also knew I would suffer from FOMO if I didn't go for it. I hadn't done a hard hike in a few months, so I didn't know how my body would react. It's a lot like returning to the long run: you have a solid base, but it's been awhile since you upped the mileage.

Anyway, I went for it and here's what happened:

1) There were three solid climbs. THREE. Every time I looked up, I thought we only have a little more to go, it's straight UP, but we're almost there. Then another climb would appear. Actually, having the 600 meter climb from Pak Kung Au broken into parts like that gave us built in walking breaks along the way.

2) I stood on the second highest peak (934 meters or 3064 feet) in Hong Kong, Lantau Peak. The views from the top are just breathtaking. Even the overcast, slightly hazy day didn't take away the magnificence of what my eyes could see.

And behind us, was Sunset Peak (the third highest peak in Hong Kong) on stage 2 of Lantau Trail. Been there, done that, I thought to myself. I could also see the airport from the top, so I texted mrC since he was there doing some database work in the airplane.

3) Making our way down toward Ngong Ping and the end of stage 3 was easier on the quads, but harder on the knees. The challenge is that the man-made rock steps are not the same distance apart. As we got further down the mountain, we started passing large groups of hikers making their way up from the other side (the harder side if you ask me).

The archway marks the end of stage 3.

4) At the start of stage 4 is the Wisdom Path (right past the large archway). 38 wooden columns line a path forming the symbol for infinity. Each column is inscribed with a verse from the Heart Sutra prayer. We took a short rest/snack break here.

The trail continues to Ngong Ping cultural village where the Tian Tan Buddha Statue sits. The village was crowded with visitors, which is probably why we found a lone buffalo hiding out in a quiet spot. I don't know why these big creatures fascinate me, but they do.

The rest of stage 4 has been diverted a couple of times by landslides, so the end of the hike is simply following Ngong Ping Road to Sham Wan Road. Nothing picture worthy from there, so here's one of the group that stood on Lantau Peak that day.

This post is part of the Friday Five 2.0 link up with Lacey and Meranda and Rachel. Head over to check out some more awesome posts.


If you're a hiker, what is the highest peak you've climbed? I think my highest peak is Mt. Batur in Bali.

My Dragon Boat Paddling Lesson

Dragon boat racing is a big deal in Hong Kong.

When we first moved to China, we learned (and celebrated) about the traditional Chinese holiday - Dragon Boat Festival ---> commemorates the drowning of Chinese poet Qu Yuan, who, according to popular legend, drowned himself in Hunan province 2,000 years ago in protest to what he saw as corrupt rule. As local residents rushed to rescue him, they loudly beat drums and threw dumplings in the river to drive away hungry fish. Eventually, dragon boat racing, with its pounding of drums and flurry of paddles, became a traditional activity on this day.

Then after moving to Hong Kong, we saw dragon boat racing for the first time in Discovery Bay.

Last weekend mrC and I tried dragon boat paddling for ourselves. We attended a Dragon Boat Fun Day (Spousal Edition) hosted by the American Women's Association's Dragon Boat Team.

First I have to say, that I love the passion that these ladies have for dragon boating. Their energy was definitely contagious and set the tone for a great event.

The event was held at Stanley Beach (on the south side on Hong Kong Island) where the team holds practices. After a brief explanation, we were handed paddles, divided up into three boats and pushed out onto the water.

The first part of our lesson, was learning the proper paddling technique. It didn't take long for the amateurs to get wet during this part!

After some paddling practice, we had some fun races against the other boats. The race went like this: everyone would paddle a set number of strokes (say 50) and the winner was the boat who went the farthest.

We had a ton of fun learning how to paddle dragon boats. It's too bad that Stanley Beach is such a long haul from Discovery Bay. I think it would take me longer to get there, than the length of the practice sessions!

After the paddling session, about half of the people in the top photo walked to Stanley Market for a little Mexican food and post-paddling drinks. It was a great night!

Have you ever gone dragon boat paddling or watched a dragon boat race?

Hiking: South Lantau Country Trail (Pak Kung Au to Mui Wo)

I love seeing waterfalls on the hiking trail. I read somewhere that the South Lantau Country Trail is known for its waterfalls. I didn't think much about the weather going into the hike, but we hadn't had a lot of rain lately. That made finding good waterfalls a little harder, but I did find some. Small ones.

I didn't have to search for the sea views. They were plentiful and gorgeous as always. I don't think I'll ever get tired of views like this.

The hiking part was relatively easy. The trail was a combo of dirt and rocks ---> meaning you have to pay attention. There weren't any big climbs but there were some spots where it felt like we were doing a bit of light bouldering.

We took a little snack break at Nam Shan (there are also toilets). Then we picked up the Lantau Trail (stage 1) and followed it (backwards) to Mui Wo. It was only about 2.5 more kilometers into the village. We had a large group, but the The Kitchen was able to accommodate us for a shared lunch.

Getting there: I took the DB01R bus from Discovery Bay to Tung Chung where I met the AWA group at Starbucks. We caught a bus (3M, 23 or 11) to Pak Kung Au where we jumped on the trail.

Want more Lantau Island hikes?

Hiking: Tai O to Tung Chung

Hiking: Tung Chung to Tai O

Hiking Discovery Bay: Lookout Point Loop

Hiking: Mui Wo to Discovery Bay

Hiking: Tiger's Head - Lo Fu Tau

Hiking: Lantau Trail Stage 1 and 2

Hiking: Lantau Trail Stages 9 & 10

What do you like to see when you're out the trail?

The Infected Zombie Run 5K in Discovery Bay Recap

I'm so excited to write a race recap ---> even if it was an un-timed fun run!

It was almost two years ago when I ran my last race in Shenzhen, so I was pretty excited to finally be in a place where I could run again. So over Halloween weekend I ran The Infected Zombie Run 5K.

The Infected Zombie Run 5k is a charity run for an organization called Soap Cycling. This organization recycles hotel soaps and distributes the new soap to children in disadvantaged communities around the world, especially Asia.

This event was a perfect way for me to see how I could do in a 5K event. 1) It was right in our neighborhood, 2) mrC was available to join me adding to the comfort factor (and he invited his co-worker who was in Hong Kong), and 3) since it was a fun run, I figured there would be a lot of non-competitive people running.

(I had originally planned to wear a costume, but it was way too warm for my idea. Instead I went for Halloween colors in my black shorts and orange racer back (affiliate).

The theme of the run is to escape zombies that have invaded your neighborhood. Here's part of the email we received prior to the event:

Dear Runners,

A zombie virus has emerged and spreading rapidly across Discovery Bay, putting the entire human race at risk of extinction. Details of the evacuation are as follows:

Each runner received a belt with three flags attached. Each flag represents a life. As you run, zombies (volunteers dressed in zombie makeup wearing red shirts) try to take your flags. The goal is to finish with at least one flag (that means you lived).

This was the first time the Zombie Run was being held in Discovery Bay. It had a few hiccups (it didn't start on time, the organizer tried to explain the rules and route to about 150 people without a micro/megaphone and the set up at the finish had people stopping before the final loop through the park), but most people were happy to overlook these bits and have fun.

The course was a simple out and back with a loop through the park at the end. The Zombies were waiting for runners along the promenade and in the park. It was quite fun trying to avoid them. I actually had all three flags when I entered the park, but the zombies waiting there were much more eager to grab them.

At the halfway point, runners received dog tags. One dog tag was placed in a draw at the finish line for a chance to win a prize. mrC's co-worker won a t-shirt, but it was too small, so he gave it to me ;)

The goodie bags we received included several coupons, a race tee and a sweat towel (which comes in handy living in Hong Kong).

Even though we had to run up and down two hills, the race went really well for me. My knee felt good and I saved my walks for when I needed them (up the big hill) and when I ran out of gas near the end. I don't think much about my times anymore, but I was excited to see that I had negative splits for the first time in FOREVER.

I really hope this event returns next year. Until then I will be looking forward to another 5k in Hong Kong sometime soon.

Have you ever run a Zombie Race?

Hiking: Lantau Trail Stages 9 & 10

Hiking has become one of my favorite non-running activities.

The 70 kilometer Lantau Trail has always been a bit intimidating to me. Maybe it's because I can see the peaks and ridges looming over life on Lantau Island. Or maybe it's because I remember hiking stages 1 and 2 back in January.

I'm glad that I didn't pass on the invitation to hike stages 9 & 10 with the AWA hiking group because it was a fabulous coastal walk. These stages of the trail done together make a longish hike, but it's an easy one with only a few climbs of less than 100m.

Stage 9 began at Shek Pik Reservoir. To get here we took Bus 11 from Tung Chung. We crossed the road to take in the views across the reservoir. The blue sky made a spectacular backdrop for the Big Buddha sitting up between the two lower peaks.

We hopped on the trail at marker L089 heading toward the village of Shui Hau where we would transition to stage 10.

As we walked down toward the coastline, it didn't take long for us to get some amazing views of the sea and the Soko Islands on the horizon.

We passed two notable campsites along the trail: Shek Lam Chau and Lo Kai Wan. Shek Lam Chau was basically just a sign along the trail. I think there was a path that led down to a camping area on a beach. At Lo Kei Wan campsite there was a toilet so it was a good place to take a break. It was right off the trail and on the beach, but sadly the beach was not clean at all.

Most of stage 9 was easy walking along a dirt path or large stones. There were some small climbs and descents, but it was mostly flat and hugged the coastline. It was also fairly shaded, so this would be a good hike to do in the summer.

Just before reaching the village of Shui Hau, the trail turned more concrete and we came upon our first group of local buffalo having a bit of a siesta.

After transitioning to stage 10 via the small village, we walked for most of the 6.5km along the water catchment. It's mostly all flat with not much to see, but it's quick and a good section for chatting.

We did pass through a village cemetery section on our way up to the water catchment. We saw these stone urns lined up in bunches in a few places.

At Lantau Trail marker 113, the end of stage 10, we crossed the road and headed down to walk the last bit of our hike along Cheung Sha beach.

Another interesting sight on stage 10 was our second buffalo sighting on the beach. These three appeared to be people watching and probably taking in the beautiful views just like we were ;)

At the end of Cheung Sha beach there is a choice to walk around on a path or do a bit of bouldering to get to Lower Cheung Sha beach. Our group is the adventurous type, so we climbed.

The climbing is fairly simple to start, but eventually requires some scooting under ledges and climbing down through holes. Teamwork got us all out on the other side.

The last bit of walking along Lower Cheung Sha beach took us up to a cluster of restaurants where we filled ourselves on some good Italian food at Lantana. We took bus 11 to get back to Tung Chung.

What do you do when you are not running?
What kind of hike do you prefer - easy or difficult?


Other hiking posts:

Hiking: Tai O to Tung Chung

Hiking Discovery Bay: Lookout Point Loop

Hiking: Mui Wo to Discovery Bay

Hiking: Tiger's Head - Lo Fu Tau

Hiking: Lantau Trail Stage 1 and 2

Today I'm doing the link-up with Patty, Erika, and Marcia for Tuesdays on the Run!