4 TRAIL ULTRA LOOP: ULTRA-MARATHON’S BELATED FULL-SCALE DEBUT AFTER COVID-19 SENDS RUNNERS ON FERRY AND MTR TRAINS

271 trail runners from the UK, Japan, Nepal, Taiwan and mainland China start 146km route from Tai Mo Shan early on Friday
They will tackle all four of Hong Kong's major trails, plus legs by ferry and train, before the fastest reach the finish on Saturday morning

The 4 Trail Ultra Loop (4TUL) got under way at Tai Mo Shan early on Friday morning, with elite runners from the UK, Japan, Taiwan and mainland China running the 146km ultra-marathon that graces all of Hong Kong's four major trails.

This year marked the first time that runners were able to start a timed race together. Previous editions were either an individual challenge or virtual races because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The route, which spans 189km including a distance spent on public transport, was created by Kenneth Seto in November 2020, when 25 runners managed to finish within the 36-hour time frame.

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"I previously did all of the Hong Kong Four Trails over four weekends," Seto said.

"For most of us, it is not possible to complete them in a short time. So I designed a route for people to experience a part of all four of the Hong Kong trails."

This year, 271 people were set to take part, including Nugo Yamanath Limbu, a Hong Kong-based Nepalese runner who last year completed the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (298km) in 56 hours and 29 minutes.

The fastest athletes are predicted to cross the finish line late Saturday morning.

The race starts on the MacLehose Trail at Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest peak, and the first section is a 25km run to Tuen Mun Pier.

A unique quirk of the race is that even though runners could choose whether they wanted to start at 6.30am, 7am, 7.30am or 8am, all 271 of them had to board the 10.20am or 10.30am ferry to Tai O.

"This means that runners really need to plan their time so that they can make it to the ferry," Seto said.

"Fast runners can opt for a slightly later start time, but slower runners will need to start earlier."

Runners then jump onto a ferry to Lantau Island, where they run through Man Cheung Po before following the coast to Mui Wo. They then board another ferry to start the Hong Kong trail and head up The Peak.

Athletes join the Wilson Trail on Hong Kong Island and follow it to the Tai Koo MTR station where they board a train to Lam Tin before scaling Tai Mo Shan again.

If participants miss the last train (00.43am) from Tai Koo, they can take other modes of transport but will incur a one-hour penalty.

Those who complete the full 146km 4TUL are crowned One Go champions and, as it is an International Trail Running Association race, results go towards their global rankings.

There is also a Half Loop and Warrior option, in which the race is trimmed down to 66km and 100km respectively.

Seto himself was a keen ultra-marathon runner and completed the 4TUL in under 30 hours in 2020 but has since had to stop running because of a recurring ankle injury.

"I started focusing on organising races because runners need goals, but I couldn't run, I didn't have a goal."

Seto switched his job from a general manager for designer fashion brands to making ultra marathon routes full-time under his new company, No Race No Goal.