Loasby ran track and cross country for Hong Kong’s youth set up. He then went to college in America where he set the Hong Kong 1,500m youth record and the 3,000m youth and men’s records. He broke his own records a number of times but the pleasure he should have felt was robbed by Hong Kong’s bureaucracy.

“It took the Hong Kong Amatuer Athletics Association (HKAAA) six months to approve one of the records I set in America, which is ridiculous. It’s the 21st century, records go like that because it’s all electronic. But it took meetings, reviews and countless emails from USA Track & Field (USATF) just for them for them to give it to me,” he said.

The track meet was internationally recognised – there were athletes flown in from Japan and others using the event to qualify for world championships or the Olympics. Yet, Loasby had to get the meet director to sign and send proof to the HKAAA, and for a statistician to agree, that is was an officially timed event to validate Loasby’s record.

Loasby believes the HKAAA’s foot dragging was because he is not Hong Kong-Chinese. He is half British and half Japanese but was raised in Hong Kong. He is allowed to represent Hong Kong because he was born in Hong Kong before the handover.

“Even when they gave the record to me, there was no announcement or prize money that you usually get when setting a record. It was completely swept under the rug.”

“Initially, it was just stressful. You’re putting all this effort in and you do not know if you’re going to get the rewards,” Loasby said. “And that really took it’s toll over the four years I was there.”

He moved back from college and had one final go at racing competitively for Hong Kong. But he kept picking up injuries. Loasby appealed to the HKAAA and the Sports Institute for support but was told there was not enough space for him.

“I’m the national record holder and I cannot use the gym, let alone the track. That’s when I went my own way,” Loasby said.

He was forced into a period of introspection, remembering the intrinsic motivations of running, rather than the external validation of victories and records. Almost by accident, Loasby started a running club and is now passing on the same intrinsic values to around 60 other runners and counting.

It started as coaching two teenager athletes in 2019. Then about seven other young runners who were very hungry for results but unhappy in their sport switched joined Loasby as well.

Fast forward to 2021, and on October 17, he had 90 athletes competing in heats at the club’s latest track meet.

“What I try to do is emphasise that running isn’t everything,” Loasby said. “What I’ve worked hardest on is the team atmosphere. With the older kids, I want them to replicate and reproduce that culture through the team. I want any kid who joins to feel welcome and feel motivated. Any coaching is done through the culture of the team.”

“I try and take away the emphasis, the power and connotation of diets, weights, personal bests and mileage. If you slow down, you can run longer, so don’t try so hard, you can spend more time running and you’ll get better at it.”

During the October track meet, the youngest runner was six and the oldest was 71. They started with the slowest heats and build to a crescendo with the fastest. All the runners stayed around after their own races and cheered on the others. It created a great atmosphere, unlike any that Loasby experienced during his own performance driven childhood.

“We’ve started to create an environment where kids can come and enjoy running, and do it for life not just as an after school activity that‘s good for the university application,” Loasby said. And he said that this healthy relationship with running has resulted in faster runners.

For all of Loasby’s new-found multidimensional motivations, he is still competitive. The outlet is now trail running instead of roads. He started because he developed shin splints and hiking was a low impact alternative to stay fit and heal his shins.

He was living in Poi O and hiked up Sunset Peak. He sat on the top of the mountain and decided to set himself the challenge of hiking up the mountain everyday for 50 days. He told his father his goal, who said there was “no way you’d do that”. To make a point, Loasby upped the stakes and said he would do it everyday for 100 days.

He stuck to his word – he even did it on day 65, when he won the China Coast Marathon in the morning. “That was one of the toughest days,” he said.

Loasby found different routes up and used his challenge as a way to see Lantau, where he had grown up but never explored. His motivations began to diversify even more away from peak performance to discovery.

He flew to LA to compete in a race on day 98, so did Sunset Peak twice in one day to hit 100. The race was cancelled because of Covid-19, but he ran a marathon on his own and set a personal best of 2:33.

“These trails aren’t just fun, they make you strong, they make you fast, if you pair it with the right training,” he said.

Loasby now has his eyes on setting the fastest known time on the Lantau Trail and the record for the LT70, which is now a virtual race happening in December.

“It’s bigger than the HKAAA, I don’t seek their validation any more. I was on edge all the time and everything mattered too much, but now I’m more laid back,” Loasby added. “I’m still chasing times, but there’s a bigger purpose.”