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SCMP Reporter

race and power

Manfred Waibl, 30, pastry chef

'I bake bread for a living and these past few months I have been training for this race. I used to go direct from work to train. I bake bread and then run. It has been worth it as this is my best time [1:40] in six years of taking part.'

Satohi Numasawa, 34, computer engineer

'I'm visiting from Japan and this is my first visit to Hong Kong. I came to compete and also to visit a friend. I was unable to break my personal best time of 1:39 [she finished in 1:43] as it was a very hard course, the hardest I have run. The wind did not help either.'

Gerry Kipling, 53, real estate consultant

'I have lived here for 23 years and this is my third half-marathon. I'm pleased with my time [1:47] as I'm in the old man's department. It is my personal best. But it was hard out there with the wind. It was the most difficult conditions I have experienced.'

Jim Woods, 37, accountant

'It was tough and I had a slow race. I was listening to Tina Turner on my iPod and it was pumping me up. But I could only finish in 1:49. The conditions were okay, but my condition was not. I had fitness problems as I have not been doing much running lately because of work and family.'

Joey Chan Chi-ho, 31, civil servant.

'It's the second time I have run the half-marathon and I have improved my time by about seven minutes [to 1:53]. I had more training and preparation this time. Last year I didn't prepare properly, went too fast and got cramps.'

Barbara Davidson, 34, accountant

'The half-marathon is a good distance for me. The 10k is too short and the marathon too long. I am happy with my time [1:58].  Running in the tunnel was a bit hard, especially when you're facing the wind. I had a lot of adrenalin. I've raced in Macau before but nothing as big as this.'

Elodie Caradec, 24, executive

'I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. My whole family - dad, mom, sister, brother-in-law -  run marathons in France. I have been training for three months and I enjoyed the run overall [she finished in 2:01].  People were friendly and it was a good atmosphere.'

Thomas Deligny, 26, financial controller

'It's my first and last half-marathon. I am not going to do it again. Running through the tunnel was the hardest and I gave up 400 metres into the tunnel and walked it instead. Mentally, it was difficult. You can't really see the end.' He finished in 2:05.

Tony Choi Shui-lan, 29, software engineer

'I really want to do the marathon next year. I needed a lot of effort to complete the race as I didn't train properly. I do most of my training near my home in Tsuen Wan. I hurt my ankle after 10kms and people could hear me screaming. Fortunately, I was okay after that.'

Pat Poon Ying-ying, 33, social worker

'It was my first half-marathon. I usually race in the 10km races, like the Nike and Reebok events. I didn't compete last year but I know conditions were better than last year when it rained and it was cold.  My target was to finish in under two hours and I did [1:58].'



half-marathon