In Hong Kong’s race to nowhere, resident Chamelia Suhra has fun running 194km without stopping
- Suhra runs for 29 hours along Bowen Road loop to claim city’s version of the backyard challenge
- A race without a finish line, competitors keep going until there is only one left
Hong Kong resident Chamelia Suhra outlasted the competition during the city’s version of the backyard ultra, going non-stop for 29 hours to win the toughest race there is.
The 44-year-old went for an hour more than rival Alice McLeod, racking up 194km (120.5 miles) along a 6.7km loop of Bowen Road.
With an hour to complete each loop before she needed to be back at the start line, Suhra said every moment of her time on the course “was good fun”.
“I very much enjoyed the camaraderie between competitors,” she said. “The spectators were great also.”
The Indonesian said unlike her normal races she had not “set out with a plan”, rather she wanted to see how quickly she could settle into a decent pace.
“I do wonder if not having stressed over a race plan maybe helped me,” said Suhra, who typically completed a loop in about 45 minutes. “I was definitely more relaxed than usual for a race. I always had 15 minutes or so to relax, stretch, eat, chat and visit the loo.”
As well as the camaraderie she shared with other runners, she said her support crew were crucial to keeping her spirits up during the event, which started on April 7.
“This is a great race for me as a long-distance runner and I find the format of this race very interesting and challenging,” Suhra said.
“I knew this was going to be a tough race but I never thought about quitting. I have thought about quitting other races, but this one was fun. I was having a pretty good time and I was happy with my pace and mindset.”
This never ending concept originated in Tennessee, and Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra. At one stage winning the Hong Kong version gained entry to the US event, although that is no longer the case.
“Perhaps I will get there in the future,” Suhra said.
The event has been mimicked the world over. The record for time spent on the course is more than 100 hours. Typically, in Tennessee, the race lasts for at least 60 hours.
“Ultra running is so different to trail running,” Suhra said. “You need more endurance to maintain your pace and it’s definitely more mentally challenging.”
