16-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong ultrarunner who holds free classes in Central on his epic endurance feats
It is a drizzly and overcast Saturday morning in Hong Kong where, despite the gusting winds, many runners are training along the Central Harbourfront.
At the AIA Vitality Hub – a venue on the harbourfront that offers free daily health and fitness classes – a dozen runners have gathered for an hour-long class led by ultrarunner Wong Chun-kiu.
At 40, Wong is fit, experienced and ready to share the skills he has learned. He opens the session with stretching and running drills.
'When you run, try to use the force of gravity that you can feel when you lean forward,' he instructs the students, who range in age from their 20s to over 60. 'Also, focus more on lifting your knees up from the ground, rather than kicking your feet back.'
Wong (left) leads a running class in Central. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Watching the soft-spoken instructor, one might not imagine the extraordinary running feats he has accomplished or the sheer grit he has that has carried him through extreme physical and mental challenges.
In 2017, he ran 1,400km (870 miles) around Taiwan in 19 days, tracing a figure-eight route. The following year, he ran 3,500km in 73 days in Japan, starting in Hokkaido and ending in Okinawa. In 2022, he ran across the United States, from New York to Los Angeles, completing a 5,400km journey in four months.
