The upcoming Oxfam Trailwalker, a challenging journey of 100 km with rugged mountain paths and no end in sight, must be completed within two days, day and night. Most people hesitate at the thought of walking 100 km on a mountain, and finding a "brave companion" is no easy task. 60-year-old Chung Han Keung has always had a dream of challenging the Trailwalker with his two daughters. He completed the trail with his older daughter in 2013 but had switched to a support role due to a knee injury in recent years. This year, he is taking on the challenge anew with his younger daughter, Chung Hoit Ying (Racy), as a first-time participant. The 300,000 steps over 100 km are not only an accompaniment but also a joint challenge for father and daughter. ● Text/Photo: Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter Yip Sze Man
We met at the Shing Mun Reservoir minibus station. As soon as we got off, we saw Chung Han Keung and his daughter Racy, both holding hiking poles, along with a group of carefree monkeys. Chung Han Keung, who considers the MacLehose Trail his home ground, suggested taking photos near the BBQ site of the Shing Mun Reservoir on the sixth section. The relaxed hiking atmosphere in autumn set the stage as he recounted his 17-year journey with the Trailwalker to the reporter.
Chung Han Keung has participated in the Trailwalker many times, and this will be his 5th time participating, with his first being in 2007. At that time, his church friends initiated a team, and as a first experience, he wasn't very familiar with the equipment, jokingly saying, "I thought wearing thicker socks would be enough," only to get blisters before reaching the East Dam. "That first year, I finished in over 35 hours, needing team members to support me to the finish line." He continued the challenge the following year but one teammate had to drop out halfway due to lack of training, and they completed it in about 32 hours as a team of three. His third Trailwalker, two years later, he formed a team with parents from his younger daughter's primary school choir, taking three inexperienced members to the challenge and finishing in over 29 hours, marking their fastest time yet.
By the 2013 Trailwalker, he finally fulfilled his wish to complete the 100 km Trailwalker with his older daughter. He smiles at the memory, "She had previously mentioned accompanying Daddy, but she wasn't 18 at the time. When she returned after graduating at 20, she kept her promise to join me." That time, leading a team of first-time participants, they finished in 35 hours and 28 minutes.
Racy, the younger daughter, had been part of the support team since she was young, though she never practiced together but offered mid-way support and walked parts of the trail. She laughs, "Walking one or two sections didn't feel particularly tough, but 100 km is not something I'd participate in. My sister told me not to join, saying she never went hiking again after that event." Chung Han Keung can't help but add with a laugh, "It's just her taking care of me." This time, her sister joins their mother in supporting the duo.
A Commemorative "Climb to Six" Realizing a Dream with Daughter
So why did Racy "take the plunge" this time? "He occasionally mentioned it (Trailwalker) as if it were his biggest wish. It seemed impossible before, but after hiking a bit lately, I thought it might be a challenge worth taking." Coincidentally, "last year during a hike, I came across an event check-in point for the Trailwalker, took a photo and sent it to him. He started asking if I'd be interested in trying it." He'd mentioned not doing it again because of his knee injury, "but I said if his knee could still manage, I'd do it."
With this condition, they found friends who had never participated before, formed a team, and started practicing before applying in June, hiking about once a week, gradually increasing the distance and difficulty on the MacLehose Trail. 26-year-old Racy, who runs long distances and dances, noted the similarities between long-distance running and hiking, "Both are about endurance, willpower, and comparing against oneself."
When asked why Chung Han Keung was drawn to participate again, he energetically replied, "The main reason is turning 60, wanting to do something memorable, possibly something I won't do again." Therefore, even the team name was based on the Chinese zodiac, forming the "Tiger and Rabbit Alliance" with another father-son pair aged 60 and 26 respectively.
Chung Han Keung jested that nothing is absolute, he couldn't fully commit this would be the last time, but admitted physical conditions aren't as they used to be. "With my age, based on training, I'm the slowest, but I have more experience than them, knowing what situations to look out for at certain spots, but speed-wise, they wait for me."
The Trailwalker requires teams of four, experiencing everything together, no matter if it's heaven or hell; it's both an angelic and devilish journey that can draw out the best and worst in human nature: support versus strife? Chung Han Keung candidly shared that the most important thing is having a common goal, "The mentality is always to finish, and the most important thing is for the 'Full Team' to complete. In terms of time, the faster the team completes, the better, but it's not something to force. If you can't climb fast, you just can't, and I'm okay with that." He recalled seeing participants arguing in the first section due to inconsistent speed, "I just want the whole team to finish together. Our team doesn't push ('Chur') time; of course, the young ones want to be a little faster, but I've already told them Uncle can't 'Chur' anymore." He chuckled.
Discoveries Made in Months of Mountain Training
Asked if they had new discoveries about each other over the months of training, the soft-spoken Racy pondered and said, "I noticed he is very organized, logging the details of each training session into an Excel sheet, even from a decade ago, noting times, how many hours each section took, and who participated." She joked that because of this record-keeping, they found out this year's teammate had trained together over a decade ago, "It was my classmate, but because his dad knows my dad, they trained together over ten years ago, and that's where the photo was found, they didn't even remember." Indeed, it's Chung Han Keung's attentiveness and leadership that gives the formation of "Tiger and Rabbit Alliance" its special meaning.
"Did the mountains reveal a different side of Racy, like independence, etc.?" Chung Han Keung immediately laughed, "We don't need to be on the mountain to see that side." He continued, "After long hikes, I feel she has capabilities. Training did work; she might not always listen, but she's more compliant on the mountain." Racy smiled and responded, "That's true, after all, I have less Trailwalker experience."
Racy straightforwardly said once she decides to do something, she commits to it, "Before deciding, I would think it through, which is why over the years, despite being asked many times, I hadn't participated due to lack of confidence and resolve to train." This time, to fulfill her father's wish, she practiced diligently to ensure the entire team could complete the 100 km together, even reducing running and halting dance practice to avoid injury.