Race Media

An experience that’s changes your life! - Yunnan Action Asia Ultra Marathon (60km / 100km)

"Look, 3 days. I have not actually done ultra events before so it’s my first time. From my point of view, you know with the expectations that I was ready to struggle with this and it was really going to be tough for me. I found that the trails were fantastic, they were so well set, so well organized. The scenery was off the chart. From my point of view, running in Hong Kong on the road was just nothing on what we saw today when you got these views and you see these fantastic mountains and these lovely villages as every time we went through, it has just made it for me. A very well organized event, the lodging was fantastic, yeah, look it’s rustic and it actually works and it has a fantastic hot shower, we sat around the fire every night and everybody got along so well and it’s amazing that you’ve met 60+ people that you have never met before and never seen before in Hong Kong and you become life long friends just on one 3 day weekend so I just cannot recommend it enough. But I mean there are fantastic folks here and everybody got along so well. Very well done Michael on the design and well done to the whole team as the event from my point of view, great time. Thank you so much. Yes, absolutely I would recommend to my friends. I know a number of people from United States and from different countries around Asia and to do this sort of thing in Lugu or whether we go to Nepal or Mongolia in the future Action Asia Event. It’s just that experience that you just can not take away. That is something that changes your life and that is really special. Thank you again", said Murray Sargant dripping in sweat at the finish line on day 3.

Jennifer Theunissen also commented saying "Oh just the way the scenery was amazing, the people and the organization Action Asia was fantastic. And just being able to challenge yourself to do something that you don’t think you can do. It’s something that you will never forget and I’m gonna come back and do it again. Absolutely I would recommend this to my friends. Come along next year with me. (yelling at her friends at the the finish line to join the next race!!).

Standing with his Khata around his neck Victor Yeung was full of smiles saying, "The best part of the weekend of course was the first day. I was very exhausted because of the altitude, but I enjoyed it very much. I’ve done Action Asia Events’ oversea races for few years. I’ve done the Nepal one and I did mongolia race last year. I plan to go back to the Mongolia Gobi desert with Action Asia this year and I’m recommending to all of my friends."

Daniel Hornstein just moments after crossing the finish line of Day 3 said "Challenging myself to run a extremely tough course I think and meeting new people. It was fantastic. I would say the first climb of the first day was the toughest and the best because I was unfit and it was huge, challenging, pushing myself going over 3100m. I would absolutely recommend it to all of my friends as it was my second Action Asia race and I did Lijiang last year and the Mongolia Action Asia Events is next on my calendar, definitely, yep, yep."

Loving the snow, Celia Miklavec commented, "The snow I really liked it. It was unexpected, special and I like this atmosphere when you have snow all around you. It’s very quiet and I wish there’s more. I definitely would recommend this type of Action Asia Event to all of my friends as I did Mongolia last year as well. It was very social too, a good mix of sport and socializing."

Juliane Lacroix taking photos with others said definately will recommend to friends saying, "Perfect I really enjoyed it. We went from sunny to snow to sun again. My first ultra marathon experience on 3 days and will be back. The view was incredible. Good things yes, I will definitely recommend this location to my friends for the next Action Asia Events as it’s a beautiful part of China, the mountains and the people were nice, the villages we were walking through. I might leave China by the end of the year but I wanna come back and do the 100k, probably try to run it."

Race Director & Course Designer Michael Maddess was motivated by the feedback saying, "A moving experience working with Yi, Mosuo, Naxi and other local villagers speaking different dialects. A true cultural experience, incredible motivating staff of all ages working so hard preparing over 100km of single track trails and then a freak snowstorm that was once in 20 year storm forcing last minute changes and still fantastic feedback from a moving large variety group of different nationalities. Not only did many first time hikers and runners overcome their personal challenges to inspire not only themselves, but others and congratulations also to Sherrin Loh for creating different personal challenges during the event and overall winner Ng Wai Hei supported by MSIG development plan to represent Hong Kong in the Skyrunning world championship as what a better way to start a training program by sending him to over 3000m on a technical challenging mountain course to gain valuable experience. Still unfinished business with trails we could not use due to snow so watch out for the next date scheduled in Yunnan. See a lot of you in Mongolia, Nepal and other locations soon.”

Over HKD 9000 was raised for the local Mosuo culture museum and local children school supplies of the area where the event took place. Keep an eye out on the Action Asia Events website for the next upcoming event at http://www.actionasiaevents.com/our-events/upcoming-events/