Standard Chartered’s annual marathon will be upon us in less than two weeks. But it’s not the only competitive running event that our city plays host to by a long shot. In fact, with competitive running fervour at an all time high in recent years, there are countless competitions for runners of all ages and abilities. So whether you’re a seasoned pro or a marathon novice, lace up your running shoes and check out these popular Hong Kong races!
Boasting over 70,000 participants in 2017 alone, Standard Chartered’s annual marathon has established itself as one of most successful Hong Kong races. The flat-terrain event, which takes runners through the heart of Hong Kong, sees many international marathoners and athletics enthusiasts descend on the city to compete. But if you’re not a professional, don’t worry. There are plenty of family- and handicapped-friendly options too.
Distances: Marathon, half marathon, 10km, youth dash, family run, wheelchair race
Date: 21 January 2018
The aptly named Barclay’s Moontrekker trail race doesn’t just challenge participants with difficult terrain, it asks them to traverse across the wilderness in almost complete darkness. Runners can choose from two distances, the Moonlit 30 and Sunrise 43. Both cover roughly the same route, and the goal is to reach the summit of the 934-metre Lantau Peak in time to enjoy a glorious sunrise.
Distances: Moonlit 30km, Sunrise 43km
Date: Around October
Launched in 1986 as a special fundraising event, Oxfam Trailwalker is now among the most popular Hong Kong races each year. Participating teams of four take on the challenge of completing the 100km Maclehose Trail – which runs across the entire New Territories – in under 48 hours. As you can imagine, the biggest difficulty is the need to push on without any sleep. Don’t attempt this one unless you’ve completed significant training.
Distance: 100km
Date: 16-18 November 2018
The Spartan Race definitely isn’t one of your run-of-the-mill Hong Kong races, it’s an endurance test designed to push you to your physical limit. The upcoming Spartan Sprint event in April features a six-kilometre obstacle course that will see participants leaping past burning logs, climbing up walls and pulling themselves through mud in the famed wire crawl.
Distance: Spartan Sprint: ~5km
Date: 14 April 2018
Matilda Hospital’s annual sedan chair race isn’t the most challenging or the longest by any stretch of the imagination. What it is, though, is fun. Held around Halloween each year, the charity race sees participants team up in groups of seven (including one passenger) to race around Mount Kellett while carrying a traditional sedan chair. Many dress up in creative costumes, and there are tonnes of fun prizes up for grabs.
Distance: 2.1km
Date: End of October