REDFERN CLAIMS BEST INTERNATIONAL TIME AT HK4TUC
Contributed by Marie Boyd, AURA member
The Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge is not your average ultra event; it’s created a little bit differently and features just a small number of participants, each one individually accepted after applications open.
Stephen Redfern from Engadine, NSW keenly put his name forward earlier last year for the HK4TUC, which was created by Andre Blumberg who wanted to put on a race that brought back the basics of running and allowing each participant to challenge themselves to the limits.
Traditionally run every year on the Chinese New Year weekend, this year it also happened to take place on the weekend of Australia Day – fitting for the two cultures to collide this way, as well as having an Aussie in Redfern finish on the podium.
Before we get onto the event, Redfern finished 2nd out of the whole field, with a time of 54 hours 46 minutes.
The four trails that make up the HK4TUC are:
- Maclehouse Trail, 100km with 4500m+ elevation from Tuen Mum to Sai Kung.
- Wilson Trail, 78km with 4300m+ elevation from Nam Chung to Stanley Gap Road.
- Hong Kong Trail, 50km with 2300m+ elevation from Shek O to The Peak.
- Lantau Trail, 70km with 3300m+ elevation from Mui Wo to Mui Wo Postbox.
Because the event is self-supported, each participant must make their own way from the end of one trail to the start of another, and this can include a private car or taxi drive, some train rides, whilst the last is a ferry ride.
This year, there were a total of 33 starters and it was the highest recorded number of female participants – in total it consisted of 7 finishers, 5 survivors, 21 retirees.
Redfern said it in the lead up to the HK4TUC, he felt it would be his biggest race to date since starting his running journey six years ago, and so the personal development and growth began with a few planned preparations including the UTMB in August, then the 24hour Championships in October.
“My biggest preparation was heading off to Hong Kong on two occasions to recce the trails,” he said.
“I could get a real feel for the trails, how they were marked, and also the logistics of getting around – one of the things I had to organise for myself was catching three trains to get across the harbour whilst on the Wilson Trail, and catching a ferry to the start of the Lantau Trail.
“To achieve what I achieved, those two trips were invaluable and made it super comfortable for me to do the race – on the day of the race, I didn’t have to overthink about the terrain, about the logistics of getting from one trail to another, the navigation of the trails; all of that really came into play.”
Despite all of this, there was the added challenge on race weekend with torrential rainfall and thunderstorms, however Redfern was thankful he conducted the recce runs so he didn’t have to think too much about the other factors that normally come in to play like which way to go, and keeping an eye out for markers.
In the direct lead up, Redfern said he was astonished at the amount of preparation he had to go through.
“I never thought trying to organise a race of this size was so hard, but it was like effectively having to sort out gear and nutrition for four races in one,” he said.
“Four changes of running gear, enough nutrition to last four races, three pairs of shoes, then all the spares and ancillary gear as well – then to be able to get all of this into one travel bag to take over to Hong Kong and trying to not be over in baggage weight.”
On race day, he had a solid performance throughout the entire weekend despite the Wilson Trail being the most technical and difficult of the four. He found himself slightly ahead when making it to the ferry to head to the last leg of the race at Lantau Trail, and had to wait two-and-a-half hours for the next one. Being mandatory to use the 3am ferry, Redfern took some much needed rest and then boarded along with five other runners.
“It was certainly an equaliser,” he revealed.
“There was only 70km to go once we got off the ferry, and three of us went straight onto the trail, but it included two of our biggest climbs from the 285km mark.
When it came to his recovery, he said it was the first time he really had to realise how much the HK4TUC took a toll on his body.
“Recovery is very noticeable, I had a day-and-a-half in Hong Kong before flying home and I pretty much didn’t leave my hotel room,” he explained.
“I was focused on getting my energy back, and it was hard for me to get that motivation to get out of the room and get a proper meal.
“To be honest, I was really happy to be home with great, home cooked meals, but physically I finished the race feeling really good; there was no soreness in the legs, even the next day there were no problems at all.
“From an energy point of view, I knew I had depleted everything out of my body and it was like that for a few days; after going for my first run, which was about a week after the finish, I learned a really big lesson.”
Redfern admits it was too early for him to go out for a recovery run, saying as soon as he put one leg in front of the other for a light run, he knew it wasn’t going to work.
“It was a good lesson for me to discover that, and it just meant that I needed to give myself a few more days of proper rest, active recovery and replenishing my energy,” he said.
“What I found was that my body was still burning even though I was doing nothing; for instance I’ll have a great meal and feel great, but three hours later my energy will sink low again.
“Again, it’s all about learning – if you do a run and you don’t take something new away from it, then you’re not learning. Ultra running is always about discovery, each run is different and that is one of the things that makes our sport so enjoyable.”
Redfern’s favourite memory of the 2020 HK4TUC was coming into the finish line and touching the green post box, where there was an abundance of media and crowds cheering him on.
“The HK4TUC is not something that can easily be forgotten,” he said.
“The experience is unreal – everyone is there filming or taking photos, cheering you on, congratulating you, it’s a race that I am definitely glad I ran in.”
Redfern’s time of 54 hours 46 minutes was the best from an any international participant, and it was the fourth fastest time.
Pictured: Stephen Redfern almost at the finish line of the 2020 Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge. Photograph – PhotoGuava.
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