Gone Running/Joint Dynamics Team #HK100 2025 🏁 Race Report
Posted on January 30 2025
What a result from our Gone/Running/Joint Dynamics Team @HK100ultra!!! 🎉🎉🎉 We finished Second Team Overall!!!
🏅Local hero Cheung Man Yee made it to the podium again! She maintained an average heart rate of 139bpm throughout the race and as a result @blueye_meow secured 9th position with an impressive finish time of 13:20:06! Fantastic! 🎊🎊🎊
Four Trails #HK4tuc movie star, Will Hayward, was ready to get a new PB at HK100 this year. @drvertigo says, “I’ve been chasing a sub-16 hours finish at HK100 since I first ran it in 2013, but every year the “Gold Award” seemed to get further away, as I took almost 20 hours two years ago, and 18.5 hours last year. I assumed sub-16 was never going to happen. But never let your dreams die!” With an average HR 114bpm throughout the race, he finished Overall 206th in a time of 15:54:08 achieving his sub-16 goal! Congratulations! 👏👏👏
His #HK4tuc co-stars, Nikki Han and Hyun Chang Chung, also joined the race! @nikki.han.12 finished Overall 45th in a time of 17:16:34! Amazing job! 🔥🔥🔥 @changorun completed the ultra marathon in a time of 14:03:23 securing Overall 61st place! Well done! 🙌🙌🙌
🏅 Winning team of the Oxfam Trailwalker 2024, Ryan Whelan faced the #HK100ultra Grand Sam challenge! @ryan.whelan86 maintained an impressive average heart rate of 151 bpm over the three days, clocking an average pace of 6.26 km/hr to attain an amazing time of 12:26:24 (23rd Overall). Thus in the Grand Sam he earned a spectacular 🥈 2nd place finish in the Grand Sam! 🎉 🎉 🎉
This is his story. "When it came to sign up time for HK100 having missed out the previous year through injury, the Grand Sam, consisting of running all three days excited me the most. I had never done a stage race before but having done well in my first couple of 100 mile races, I was intrigued to see how well I could do at 192km with sleeps in between!
Mileage had been good the few months prior so my plan was start the first day, The Third a little bit slower than I normally would run a 33km, and take things a little slower on the last climb. Although it gave my grand Grand Sam opponents a couple of minutes, I wanted to save some in the legs for day two, The Half. The plan was similar, go a bit slower than a usual 50kmer and back off a bit towards the end. Although I raced well I was 4th in the Grand Sam standings going into the last day. Even though I was on Grand Sam course record pace, the competition most notably from The Mainland had risen considerably.
Unlike the solo days where the podium is top ten, it is top 3 for the Grand Sam podium. I knew i had to execute perfectly to get back in the top ten. Knowing all grand sammers would be suffering second half, I opted to start a lot slower and make sure I had a strong finish. From 67th overall placing at the first check point, I moved into 37th by the half way point. The pacing strategy was working, but i still had some grandsammer in front of me and presumed i was sitting in 3rd / 4th. after a serious caloties intake (I do love my choc Oatley) and a deep heat rub of the fatiguing legs it was GO time for a strong second half. I left myself fresh enough that was able to run monkey and grassy hill as well as taking a suprise PB on needle hill. After a solid Tai Mo Shan taking over some Grandsammers, it was probably my favourite downhill dash to route twisk knowing the three days racing were complete
After an anxious wait at the finish, organisers Janet and Steve called my name to the stage - I had made podium and to my delight made it to 2nd place, 6 minutes head of 3rd.
It was fantastic to take part in Hong Kongs premier trail running event for all three days. The support on trail, especially from the Gone Runners really does help to keep up motivation. For anyone thinking about this crazy challenge, I would highly recommend it. Sign up early, Start training early and get used to running course recces on back to back days. Nutrition over three days was very important and try this in training and see what works for you."
Ryan’s OTW Teammates, Alex Neyrinck and Lodewijk Vriens, also were on the course setting amazing times and PBs! @lodewijk.runrunrun mentions: “The finish, crashing through the tape at 11:03 was not on my bingo card for 2025…Nearly an hour off my best time”. He finished in an astonishing Overall 9th place with a time of 11:03:09! 🎊🎊🎊 @alex_neyrinck was not far off his teammate! His third time running the @hk100ultra, he finished 14th overall in a time of 11:15:18! 🥳🥳🥳
This is how Alex reflected on his race! "After a successful win at the Oxfam Trailwalker 2024 with fellow team members Jeff Campbell, Ryan Wheelan and Lodewjik Vriens, some well-needed downtime was required to focus on the upcoming HK100. After 2 weeks of lighter training, it was time to get back in race shape.
Generally, training went well, with some good weeks of volume, elevation and strength training alongside other JD/GR team members. Taper arrived quickly, and again, this went well, without feeling sick or injured. The night of the race, I felt prepared. Strangely, I woke up at 2 am drenched in sweat and shivering. A first for me. I didn’t read too much into it and managed to get back to sleep. I woke up feeling good, but in the back of my mind was wondering what happened! The race plan was to start more conservatively until CP4 (YUNG SHUE O) and then put the hammer down the rest of the race.
The start went well. As usual, you have many runners that set out fast. I managed to hold back a little and not get carried away, maintaining a relatively low heart rate whilst moving well. I also consciously chose to power hike most of the first hills, to save some energy which I knew would be needed for the later part. A group formed after CP1 (Ham Tin) – made up of Lodewijk, the leading women (Sunmaya, Veronika, Hau Ha) and local legend Wo Ho Chung. We continued to move well and eventually caught up with Jeff Campbell after the Pak Tam Au Climb. The first casualties from going out too fast started to show, as we passed the previous record holder, You Peiquan, who seemed to have given up at KM33. Although it was cool weather, you could definitely feel the heat when in the sun! This group stayed more or less together until CP4.
The Checkpoints went really well, thanks to my amazing wife and later on some friends who joined. The goal was to stop as little as possible, and I would say that this target was achieved throughout the race. Probably less than a minute per CP.
CP3 to CP4 is a rather flat runnable section, and personally, I really had to hold on to Jeff, Sunmaya, Veronika and Lodewijk. If I hadn’t held on, the race would have taken a very different turn for me. Leaving CP4, the real climbs started but so did the cramps. This was very early for cramps, and I wondered if the events of the night before had anything to do with this. Or perhaps, was it a pace that was maybe a tad too quick?
From CP5 onwards, Lodewjik pulled slightly away from me. This was the last of him I’d see, although he was only 4 to 10 minutes ahead. I was battling cramps, but still moving relatively well and overtaking the odd runner that was blowing up. I knew the next sections were complicated and I tried to settle into a rhythm and continued on the fuelling strategy to try and overcome these cramps. To be honest, they never really went away but were tolerable on hills, which is what most of the second half is made of anyway. The downhills were a real hindrance though, which is a shame as it's usually an area that I gain a bit of time on.
Having thought of stopping a few times, I entered CP8 determined as ever. The goal was to get as high as possible on Tai Mo Shan before sunset. I continued pushing but was eventually caught up by Sunmaya, powering up Tai Mo Shan as the night crept in. I managed to keep up with Sunamaya until the downhill, but this was the last time I would see her. Impossible to keep up. The cramps were just too much going downhill. I looked down at my watch and realised that an 11h15 was possible. This was something I thought impossible a few years ago! I crossed the line in 13th position (male) and had really given everything in me.
I think this race was probably one of the toughest for me. Simply based on the level of cramping and the sustained pace I needed to maintain to reach this time. A lot of lessons learned, but I’m confident now that a sub 11H is achievable with the right training, team, crew and conditions!
A huge kudos to all the other teammates and runners, who went through their own journey and a massive thanks to all the brands & friends that believe in us. Having my wife at the Checkpoint supporting me is also priceless.
Nutrition:
• 1 Umara Gel (30G) every 30 mins • 1 Umara Sachet (90G carbs) every hour (mixed in 500ML of plain water) • Plain Water • Coca-Cola"
Arnaud Mauduit, was targeting a time of 12hours 45minutes to set a new PB. @arnrunhk with an average HR 145bpm achieved Overall 44th in a speedy time of 13:34:53! @arnrunhk says he will be back next year to try again! 💪💪💪
Dennis Theodosis and Chamelia Suhra , were at the starting line again at 8:00am. @dennis.theodosis finished overall 228th with a great time of 16:45:59! @chameliasuhra worked her way over the finish line in a time of 18:33:20 achieving Overall 86th! Well Done!🎉🥳🙌
Last but not least, All-Year finisher John Ellis ran #HK100 for the 15th time! @johnellishk forgot to stop his watch at the end, but he achieved an amazing overall 33rd position in a time of 13:17:34! Strong! 👏🎊💪
Congratulations to our @gonerunning_jointdynamics team achieving amazing results @HK100ultra!!! 👏🎊🎉
📸 Amazing photos credit to @johnngigphoto, Andy Chau & Kelly Scott Morris
#gonerunning_hk #gonerunning_jointdynamics #hk100
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