MacLehose Trail – Truly Inspiring Inspiration
The saying; ‘There’s always someone worse off than you’ – Robert Webb, translates itself easily into the world of adventure and endurance, as; ‘There’s always someone who has suffered more than you’. In my case I know this person well, it’s my Mum and her strength and determination to complete a truly remarkable race has inspired me to keep going in my lowest moments. The ‘MacLehose Trail’ is a 100km (62mile) track that crosses the mountainous terrain of the New Territories in rural Hong Kong and a yearly race sees competitors run the course in teams of four. If 100kms (62miles) was not enough of a challenge for an ambitious runner, add in; endless steep climbs, hot humid conditions, mud paths and the odd typhoon to spice things up. This unbelievable ‘everest’ of an event was conquered by my Mum three times, with her being pulled from the course on the fourth attempt only due to a typhoon swamping the trail. It’s not possible to translate the scale of this achievement into words here; but imagining just a fraction of the suffering she overcame has fuelled immense inspiration and motivation to push me through the low points on the comparatively insignificant challenges I’ve faced. Never Follow the persuasive thoughts that you are setting new records for athletic suffering; you’re not, instead, draw inspiration and strength from those that have.