Hong Kong runner, third woman home in 400km Gobi Desert race, on how she conquered one of the world’s toughest challenges
‘Easier than I expected’ is Samantha Chan’s verdict on the Ultra Gobi race, in which she battled terrible foot pain, hunger and the howls of hyenas by thinking of her favourite foods
When she closes her eyes, Hong Kong ultra runner Samantha Chan still sees the desert. In her dreams, she is still navigating through the wilderness. It has been just over a week since this tough athlete completed a challenge that she had originally thought to be beyond her abilities – the non-stop, self-navigating Ultra Gobi race near Dunhuang, in China’s Gansu province.
Samantha Chan, ultrarunner from a Hong Kong housing estate whose modesty belies her achievements
Surprising herself, and many others, Chan was the third woman across the finish line, 15th overall in a field of 50. It took her almost 120 hours to complete the 400km trek across the vast stretch of Gobi Desert, criss-crossed by deep canyons and mountain chains.
All Chan’s greatest fears were realised – she had to negotiate some of the course’s hardest sections alone and at night, not during the day, as she had hoped. Her advance preparations, in particular, learning to use a global positioning system, paid off.
“I did go out of my comfort zone, but I relied on my navigation training. I somehow remained positive and blanked everything else out. It was easier than I expected,” she said.
Then there was a solo nocturnal encounter with a pair of hyenas. “I did not know what those weird animals were. They were making really scary, strange noises. I just thought – don’t come close, please. I don’t want to make friends with you.”
The last 40km were the greatest test, mentally and physically, but Chan passed with flying colours. “I was in a lot of pain. My feet hurt so much. The terrain was flat and featureless, endless. Then it became dark and I could only see one light in the distance, but after five hours I was still unable to reach it. This almost made me mad.”