Superwoman in the hills

She was the fifth woman who finished the 165 km Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji challenge in Japan in 2019. In the latest event, she won woman’s champion in HK50 - Hong Kong Island. She also broke a record when she became the first female Hong Kong runner who completed the 298 km Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (HK4TUC) this year. But Dr Cheung Man-yee is not a full-time runner. She is an orthopaedic doctor of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital who runs to and from work.

Keen on sports since her childhood, Man-yee took up trail running in 2017. She has been participating in local and overseas events and has made an enormous progress since then. “Trail running is now my favourite sport,” she says. “It’s so fun and enjoyable.” Man-yee caught the trail running bug when she went hiking with friends and became more and more competitive at the sport. This month, she represented Hong Kong in the Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.

Internship is ideal race training

Trail running is usually in tens of kilometres which takes perseverance. Man-yee describes herself as someone who refuses to give up, and says she keeps going even when getting tough in the hard miles because she believes that she will reach the destination with her strong will. “When I cross the finishing line, the feeling is indescribable and unforgettable.” She says she is deepening her love for a sport that is physically draining but hugely rewarding.

The best training Man-yee received before setting her new record at the HK4TUC (MacLehose Trail, Wilson Trail, Hong Kong Trail and Lantau Trail) was not on trails but in the hospital, where she worked overnight and was on call around the clock through her internship. In the face of heavy workload and different diseases, she admits she once felt down and wondered if she would be up to the job. As time passed, however, she grew mentally and physically, and learned to stay awake and stay calm. “I realised I had to stay calm and keep a clear mind, no matter how exhausted I am, because the life of the patient is in my hands,” she reflects. That training gave her the mental strength to rise to the challenges of work as well as trail running.

Inner strength built from running

Trail runners are more prone to injury than other sportspeople because they move fast over rugged terrain. “Bruises and abrasions are inevitable, but I also suffered a severe ankle sprain that forced me to stop running and recuperate,” Man-yee says. Her time in recuperation not only allowed her to think about how she could learn from the experience to reduce future injuries but also gave her a better understanding of patients with sports injuries, so she could comfort and encourage them better.

Trail running has also improved her self-confidence. “I used to have self-doubts but trail running gave me inner strength,” she says as she prepares for a sunset run in the hills. “The more I run, the more confident I become – no matter whether I am running in competitions or at work.”

Interview video