North Face 100: Malaysian mountain porter has the best preparation for tackling his first 100km in Hong Kong
- Daved Simpat treks up Mount Kinabalu on a daily basis, carrying up to 20 kilograms on his back
- The North Face Adventure Team member has the unusual advantage of using his full-time job as part of his training regime
Most amateur athletes have to squeeze in training around their day job, cramming in sessions before or after work.
Daved Simpat does not have that problem. In fact, training too much may be his issue.
The North Face Adventure Team member, who hails from Malaysia, is a porter on Mount Kinabalu, one of the country’s most famous peaks and protected as a World Heritage Site. The mountain’s highest point is 4,095 metres and is the tallest in the country.
The mountain is on the north end of Sabah. Each day the 36-year-old can carry more than 20 kilograms up the trail to the Laban Rata Resthouse, which sits 3,272 metres above sea level.
The house acts as a de facto base camp for climbers and hikers, and Simpat carries everything from water, supplies and gear up the six-kilometre route in what he calls a “highly technical” and “very steep” trek. And then he heads back down, on a daily basis.