How to Tackle a 64-km Trail, Part 4

We set out on the final leg of our journey on a clear January day. This portion included iconic harbour walks and long stretches of flat terrain. We looked forward to concluding the challenge with lots to see and energy to spare.

• Sections: Eastern Harbour Walk, Western Harbour Walk
• Total Time: ~3 hours
• Terrains: Road
• Start Point: Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery 
• End Point: Tung Wah Smallpox Hospital Memorial Arch
• Total Distance: 14 km

Most of the Eastern Harbour Walk follows the Java and Electric roads.  Java Road is named after the city of Java because it used to be where Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij, a Dutch shipping firm, conducted trade between Jakarta, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Even before that, in 1897, Royal Dutch Shell Company set up an office in North Point, which drew workers from Fujian and Southeast Asia, marking the beginning of North Point as a commercial area.  

Electric Road was named after a new power station built by Hong Kong Electric in 1913. Once the new reclamation of North Point was complete, Hong Kong Electric replaced the Wan Chai station with the new station. Due to World War I, the new power station didn’t start its operation until 1916. The station was decommissioned in 1978. 

After Electric Road, we continued on the route set by the app and followed the waterfront walk passing Causeway Bay and Wan Chai. We eventually reached the Hong Kong Observation Wheel at the AIA Vitality Park which marks the end of Eastern Harbour Walk and the beginning of Western Harbour Walk.

From the Hong Kong Observatory Wheel to our final destination, we traversed less than 6 km passing Central, Sai Ying Pun, and Kennedy Town all along the waterfront. It’s completely flat and you will see some beautiful landmarks. Once we reached Tung Wah Smallpox Hospital, our Hong Kong Island challenge was complete!

Edith and I went to a very nice restaurant afterward. Throughout the 60+km, we have shared and grown so much together. We share a similar mindset and evolution around our running career. When we were younger, we were always chasing time and ranking, but now we just want to enjoy the view, the company, and the training that gets us to the race. For this challenge we decided to just do a fast walk rather than run, so we were able to enjoy the journey and the view.  

Thanks to a dedicated partner, strategic route planning (so many hills conquered!), the right gear, and the luck of good weather, we were able to tackle each segment of the trail with enthusiasm and curiosity. We centered our focus on our immediate surroundings and let the finish line find us. This, ultimately, is the ideal mindset for tackling a long journey — and perhaps even life itself.

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