Work and life CPA runners THE THRILL OF THE RACE About 500 CPAs ran at the Standard Chartered Marathon this month. Julian Hwang talks to some of them to find out how they prepare for this celebrated annual event Photography by Anthony Tung It was the game Police catches thieves that started off Patrick Sung s love for running when he was a young boy. The group tag game involves the thief group trying to outrun the police group and avoid being caught. Running became one of my favourite ways to pass the time, he recalls. Since then, the Audit Manager at Fubon Bank has participated in more than 38 marathons, with Hong Kong s Standard Chartered Marathon being one of the most prominent. Taking part in the Standard Chartered Marathon has become an annual ritual involving strict training and commitment for many members of the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs like Sung. Whether participating in the 10 km race, the half marathon or the full marathon, every runner has a common goal of reaching the finish line, but their reasons for joining may not always be the same. Sung ran his first full marathon, the Macau International Marathon, in 1987. Despite not having participated in any half marathons before, Sung completed the event in 4 hours and 8 minutes. Contrary to what other runners may recommend, my coach said it is possible to do a full marathon right away, he says. It is very dependent on your physical condition and how willing you are to commit to a training schedule. When preparing for the full marathon, Sung recommends practising on routes that best simulate the geography of the event. The Standard Chartered Marathon is characterized by many up and down slopes, mixed with crossings between tunnels and bridges, he says. A route I like to practise on during the weekends is in Macau, and it goes from the Friendship Bridge to the old Macau University buildings to Cotai, then to the 38 February 2017
aplus Patrick Sung training for the full marathon at the Aberdeen Sports Ground February 2017 39
Work and life CPA runners Albert Wong training for the half marathon near the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park new Macau University at Hengqin Island and Estrada dos Sete Tanques then back to the Friendship Bridge. It matches the conditions of the marathon well, and the sights along the way are spectacular. After becoming acquainted with the terrain, it s important to pace yourself during the event. Assuming you target to complete the event in about three hours and 30 minutes, that means an average of about five minutes per km, he explains. Runners who fail to pace themselves and run too quickly will inevitably run out of glycogen and hit the dreaded wall, he adds. Last but not least, mental preparation is also necessary prior to the marathon, says Sung. Statistically, those aged between 25 and 40 have the best performance in a marathon. Although I am 16 years above the upper limit, I choose not to be bothered by this fact and stay determined that I can achieve a sub-three goal [completion within three hours]. 40 February 2017 Finding balance When Albert Wong s two daughters left home to study in the United Kingdom 10 years ago, he and his wife found themselves with extra time for recreation. I noticed that the Institute was offering a running course, so my wife and I joined it out of curiosity, recalls Wong, Assistant Director of Audit at the Audit Commission and an Institute member. They joined the Standard Chartered 10 km race shortly after, and have been regular participants of the event since. Today, they continue to enjoy running as a shared hobby. Wong is no stranger to the bustling atmosphere and has successfully taken part in various long distance events before, including a nine-day cycling tour of Taiwan and the Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker three times. For this month s Standard Chartered Marathon, he initially set his sights towards the full marathon. Planning for the full marathon takes considerably more effort than the 10 km or half marathon, says Wong. Apart from strenuous and strict physical training regimes, you also have to develop a strong mental drive. At times you ll consider giving up, but it s essential to push through and tell yourself that you can and have to do it. In 2014, Wong completed the full marathon in five hours and 40 minutes. It was one of my proudest moments yet, he says. Due to work restrictions and inadequate time to train for a full marathon this year, Wong enrolled to participate in the half marathon instead. As a CPA, work loads are generally very heavy, he says, even then, it s good to reserve some time for yourself and try to get a good work-life balance. Before becoming a runner, Wong had a very work-oriented lifestyle, which he began to realize was causing more harm than good. Focusing too much on just one aspect of life was dangerous and it felt really miserable. After I began running, it became a way of unwinding and it helps me feel refreshed for work in the morning, he explains.
aplus Despite his busy schedule, Wong always reserves time to run in the evenings, even if it means occasionally having to go to work at four or five in the morning. It s a matter of personal priority really. If it s an activity you truly enjoy, you ll always manage to make time for it. The runner s high Un Hou-chio began running as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. Back then, many firms, including the Big Four firm that I was working at, suggested their employees to take more leave days, recalls Un, Business Planning Support Manager at the Hong Kong Jockey Club and an Institute member. I decided to be proactive during that period and became motivated to lose weight. Un began running on a treadmill for an hour everyday, but soon began to lose interest. Apart from bumping up the speed setting, there wasn t a whole lot to do. So when my firm promoted the Standard Chartered Marathon in 2010, I signed up immediately, he says. Upon completing the 10 km race, he was left wanting a bigger challenge and tried the half marathon the following year. Running suddenly became much more enticing knowing that I was training for a difficult event. It was to the point where Places like Castle Peak Road or the Shing Mun Reservoir are great because they don t have many traffic intersections that force you stop periodically. I accidentally injured myself because I trained too hard, he says. Un then adjusted his training regiment to adapt to the full marathon in 2012 and hasn t looked back since. When training, you need to realize that you won t be able to do well during every session. Don t consider it a failure if you need to adjust your goals, otherwise you might end up injuring yourself. According to Un, training can be split into three categories: intervals, tempo, and long run. It s important to get a balance between them, so that you can account for the different sections of a marathon, he says. Intervals training involves runners repeatedly running at their top speed for a set distance such as 400 metres. Tempo training requires them to run at their highest steady speed for a set time, such as 20 or 40 minutes. Both of these can best be done on a track, and are necessary to train you to adapt a faster pace during Un Hou-chio training for the half marathron at the Sham Shui Po Sports Ground February 2017 41
Work and life CPA runners Polly Fung training for the 10 km race near the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier 42 February 2017
aplus I just fell in love with running and the various sights I could see along the way. the race and maintain burst speeds when you are nearing the last segments of the marathon, explains Un. Lastly, long run training is similar to a leisurely run (relative to interval and tempo training) across extended distances, and helps improve endurance necessary for the marathon. This type of training is best done outdoors because running in a loop on a track can get really boring, he says. Places like Castle Peak Road or the Shing Mun Reservoir are great because they don t have many traffic intersections that force you stop periodically. While training or during the marathon, try to run with people who have a similar pace as you, recommends Un. Doing so creates a supportive group mentality that also helps you keep track of the correct pace if you ever start to drift away from the group. A social run Polly Fung used to work long hours at an investment bank with little to no time for herself. After I changed jobs in 2015, I had more leisure time and wanted to develop a healthier lifestyle, so I tried out the treadmills at my residence s gym, says Fung. However, running and staring at a wallmounted TV screen for 40 minutes did not feel very rewarding, so she decided to try a route from her home near Tuen Mun s West Rail Line Station to the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier and then the Golden Beach. I just fell in love with running and the various sights I could see along the way, she says. Fung, Accounting Manager at AIA International and an Institute member, enjoys running not only because it s great for her health, but because it provides many opportunities to get together with likeminded people and enjoy the outdoors. When travelling to new places around the world with her friends, they would ditch what most tourist would do and instead explore new surroundings through running. Apart from enjoying the local culture, running let us experience a new place more intimately, says Fung. Running has also expanded her social circle. She has met people through online running interest groups and out on the street including those who live overseas. While we were in Sydney, we went running on a cold and rainy day. I ran ahead of my friends and waited for them at the Opera House. It was then when she met the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics runner-up from Kenya. He s now a coach for the Japanese national team, and we still keep in contact all the time. Being a keen runner, she naturally signed up for the Standard Chartered Marathon. I ll only be participating in the 10 km run this year because I m still recovering from an injury received during the Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker last year, says Fung, but I d definitely be in the full marathon otherwise. When preparing for the 10 km, Fung says training is a lot more relaxed compared to the half or full marathons. Apart from running five km about three times a week, there s not much special training you need to do. Just remember to avoid overly heavy foods like hot pot the days before the marathon and you ll be fine. For marathons or longer distances, she recommends integrating other physical activities like yoga into the training programme as well. Yoga is great because it strengthens your endurance and flexibility, explains Fung, both of which are necessary to reach that finish line. Standard Chartered Marathon 2017 in numbers 10 km race 176 members Half marathon 148 members Full marathon 204 members February 2017 43