Marathon man makes up for his slow start

When Walter Cheung Shu-wai is photographed in front of famous landmarks around the world, he does not look like the average tourist. In fact, he is more likely to be sweating profusely and have a large number plastered on his back.

The assistant general manager and head of corporate communications at Hang Seng Bank is one of the city's most prodigious marathon runners, having completed 23 races in 13 cities around the world including Beijing, New York, London, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Not a bad record for someone who only started to run marathons at the ripe old age of 44. His first career was as a reporter on the South China Morning Post, where he covered everything from education and courts to politics and religion. Unlike many people who turn to more sedate outdoor pursuits such as golf in middle age, the 52-year-old father of two became obsessed with pounding the pavements.

'I would call it the result of a middle age syndrome,' Cheung said from his office, where the walls are adorned with photos of him running marathons all over the world.

He says running is his way of blowing off steam from the high pressure of work and of testing his body to its limits.

And unlike other sports, which only give the top three placegetters a medal, all runners in a marathon receive a medal if they complete the full 42 kilometres within a prescribed time, usually set at about five to six hours.

'In marathons we are not competing with other runners, but our own limitations and past records,' Cheung said. 'In other sports, you cannot compete with top athletes unless you are really world class. But in my case, I and another 38,000 runners competed with Paul Tergat, the then world record-holder, in the New York Marathon.'