Episode 67 - Luci Friend

Having been working his way up the rankings since 2022, Marcus finally scored his first ultra win at the HK50 last month (part of a double win that weekend because he also won the mixed pair race at Fish'nSheep 25 the following day). So you'll hear all about his HK50 plus his experiences at HK4TUC and 9 Dragons earlier this year, including a terrible shoe mishap. We think you'll be inspired by his adaptability and ability to balance chasing results with finding enjoyment on the trails. Followed by Jenny and Michael's usual chat at the end which this time covers the Moab 240, Moontrekker, and the impact of "silvergrass season" on Lantau races.Photo credits (Instagram profiles): @marcus.chun_run, @actionasiaevents, @alanliphotography, @jenny_buckhk, @violanalanphotos, @hk4tuc, @the9dragonsultra, @victorchwoo, @runaroundofficial#hongkongtrailrunning #hongkongtrailrunners #tph #thepeakhunter #trailrunninginhongkong #hktrailrunners #hktrailrunning #hk4tuc #9dragons #moab240 #moontrekker #lantau #silvergrass

This episode feels like being on a rollercoaster! Aurore shares with TRAHK the anguish of suffering from RED-S, which is an important lesson for all endurance athletes to pay attention to. She was overjoyed to recover just in time to run the TDS where she finished 4th. She also talks about what it's like to be in the Salomon team and why she loves Lantau Island so much. Since she moved to Hong Kong in December 2025, we can now claim her as a Hong Kong-based athlete who has the third-highest ITRA score (741) of women based in Hong Kong. With the usual wrap-up by Jenny Buck and Michael Gay at the end. photo credits (links to Instagram pages): @salomonrunning @auroredacier @jenny_buckhk @jo_lodder @actionasiaevents @the4tigerschallenge @loic_the_trekker @kenichi9639 @mt.fuji100 @sportograf #hongkongtrailrunning #hongkongtrailrunners #trailrunninginhongkong #hktrailrunners #hktrailrunning #salomonrunning #tds #lantau #4tigers #9dragons

Sometimes back-of-the pack runners have stories to tell that are just as good (if not better) than elite runners, and Luci Friend demonstrates this perfectly. Having several ultra DNFs to her name (and only one official ultra finish) didn't stop her taking on the South Downs Way 100 miles race in the UK this June. She not only finished but wasn't last - just! We hope everyone will find inspiration from her "why not give it a go" attitude. With the usual wrap-up by Jenny and Michael at the end. Photo credits @jenny_buckhk, @actionasiaevents, @centurionrunning, and Luci Friend.#hongkongtrailrunning #hongkongtrailrunners #trailrunninginhongkong #hktrailrunners #hktrailrunning #centurionrunning #southdownsway

Fresh from the French Alps where she did well in the challenging 90km Marathon du Mont Blanc, Roberta Wong tells Jenny Buck how that went, plus shares a lot of wisdom that she's learned from races in the past few years. Her positivity is infectious so this should be a good mood booster, especially for those of us who have endured the month of July in Hong Kong! Then Michael Gay joins Jenny for their usual wrap-up/grumble about the heat, rain, and injuries.Photo credits: @robertawongrbt, @arn.run.hk, @314degreeskelvin and @kenluike.#hongkongtrailrunning #hongkongtrailrunners #trailrunninginhongkong #hktrailrunners #hktrailrunning

Usually on a podium in Hong Kong races, Angie tells us about both of her podium finishes in Japan (Fuji100 and Aso Volcano), how being a cancer survivor has helped her mental attitude when running, and what's next for her. Hang on at the end if you want idle chat from Jenny and Michael about what they have been up to, why there's a rickshaw in a Tudor house in the UK, plus a weighty discussion about suffering in general.Photo credits to: @maxlaiphotography, @thenorthfacehk, @aso_fields_running, @yan.gie, @jenny_buckhk and Michael Gay.

Man of the moment Kose Rodarte, fresh from a number of wins this season and recorded just before his podium finish at the Mt Fuji 100 Kai (70K), opens up about the reason he’s so dedicated to his running and why he wears glittery makeup at races. His name means someone who brings light or happiness, and his refreshing openness and passion for running will certainly bring some light or happiness to everyone who watches or listens to this podcast. Yes, that’s a bold claim but we think it’s true! Enjoy. Hang on at the end for Jenny and Michael catching up on what they have been up to, and hear about how a salmon climbed both Lantau and Sunset Peaks.Photo credits to @kr_dear_runner, @jenny_buckhk and @droneandslr

Fresh from completing the 2026 HK4TUC as a "survivor" only a few days earlier (in 67hrs 22mins), Natalie Webster tells us about her incredible journey from 50km to 298km within a short time span, her unusual nutrition strategy, and how she coped with a knee problem during the challenge. Her enthusiasm, gratitude and positivity are infectious - we think you'll enjoy this one as much as we did! Then Jenny and Michael's wrap-up touches upon Michael's reasons for retiring from the challenge himself, 75km into the Maclehose Trail.Photo credits to @violanalan, @ccubeandrew, @rundeful, @sportiemoment, ykwong1611, @rd_tomo, @jenny_buckhk and Nat Webster.#hk4tuc #hktrailrunning #trahk #fourtrails #hongkong #hongkongtrailrunners

Fresh from running over 3000km from Bejing's Great Wall to Hong Kong across 60 days with Jo Lodder, John tells TRAHK about how this incredible achievement was possible. He goes into detail about some of the challenges encountered, and also tells us about his passion for wanting to show his students (and their parents) that it's possible to be strong both physically and academically whilst caring for the less fortunate members of society. Learn how John became almost superhuman in the second half of the journey! Then Jenny Buck and Michael Gay recap the interview with some discussion of HK4TUC hopefuls.Go to runchina.run to donate to the cause John and Jo were running for, which provides wheelchairs to disabled people in Hong Kong.Photo credits: Many thanks to John Fan, Jo Lodder, Jenny Buck, William Ranieri, Tom Kelly, YK Wong & Veronika Leng.

This one is a bit longer than usual because Richard has his fingers in so many pies in the Hong Kong trail running world! He's a filmmaker and broadcaster as well as a runner: he has been on both sides of the camera at HK4TUC, being one of the contributors to the Four Trails movie in 2021, then a runner and finisher in 2023. More recently, he has been a reporter at the WMTRC, in between finishing two 100-mile races within two months of each other, the UTMB and the Diagonale des Fous. Richard beams positivity about all his endeavours - we hope you find it infectious and that his wisdom will help all of you get through some tough challenges in the near future! Hang on until the end if you want to catch Jenny & Michael's gaffe where they both forgot about Ruth Croft... You can find Richard's superb drone videos on IG @the.drone.runner.

Fresh from completing a mammoth cycling challenge, ex-Hong Kong ultramarathon runner Thorsten tells Jenny about his 7-month journey from Harrogate to the Himalayas. Now living in the UK, Hong Kong trails are where Thorsten learned to get comfortable being uncomfortable, which helped him a lot during his 10-hour days cycling through deserts, mountains, and crazy roads in India. An epic 14,000km with over 100,000 metres of elevation across 20 countries. You'll hear about some of the highs and lows of his trip and what lessons he has taken away from his journey. His challenge was a fundraiser for two fantastic causes which you'll hear about during the interview, and you can find links to his donation pages in his IG bio: https://www.instagram.com/thorstenbruce.adventurer.coach/ (along with some superb videos which he created every few days on the road)This podcast is also available on YouTube (we highly recommend that because it contains a lot of great photos!): https://youtu.be/oK12GUoR-fE#ultramarathonrunner #nepal #HK100 #teamfear