Stone Tsang wants Hong Kong Four Trails record – ‘Breaking 50 hours’ for 298km course
- Stone Tsang Siu-keung went days without food as a child and moved to Hong Kong for a better life aged 17, and is now one of Asia’s best runners
- After a two-year break, the 42-year-old is back for the 10-year anniversary of the epic Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge
Stone Tsang Siu-keung is a familiar face in trail and ultra running in Asia, having stood on the podium of the most competitive races for over a decade. But his path to ultra running was unlikely and he credits his success to his upbringing.
Tsang, 42, will have to apply his hard-earned mindset to next month’s Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (HK4TUC) when he tries to run the 298km course in under 50 hours, at least three hours quicker than anyone in its 10-year history.
Tsang grew up in a small isolated village near Xingning in Guangdong province, China. He could barely speak Mandarin, instead speaking a local language called Hakka.
“I remember when I was a child, I sometimes couldn’t even have food every day,” Tsang said. “I remember my mother, when my younger sister was born, the next day she was back out farming. It was so tough. I’d take care of my sister while my parents were out farming. When I was very young, I already knew how to cook.”
They had pigs, chickens and grew vegetables. Despite eking out a living, they were ultimately happy.
“It was tough, but life was good. Everyone was so respectful, we were happy. It didn’t feel so tough, the life felt easy. You went to sleep early and you get up early. There was no pressure on yourself.”