HK4TUC: The Trail Race That Eats Normal People for Breakfast

Let me tell you something about Hong Kong. Most people see skyscrapers, neon signs, and the world’s most chaotic footpaths. But peel back that concrete curtain, and you’ll find a different beast entirely: knife edge ridges, staircases that never end, humidity that steals your breath, and terrain that doesn't just test you, it unmakes you.

And buried in those hills lurks one of the planet's most twisted, beautiful, and brutally simple ultra endurance experiments: the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge, or as we call it, HK4TUC.

298 kilometers.
14,500 meters of climbing.
Four trails.
One shot.
60 hours to be a Finisher. 72 to be a Survivor.

No entry fee. No prize money. No aid stations. No pity.

The Madman Behind It All

A German expat named Andre Blumberg started this circus back in 2012. He looked at Hong Kong's four big trails, MacLehose, Wilson, Hong Kong, and Lantau, and thought, “What if I just glued them together?”

So during Chinese New Year, he did exactly that. One trail per day. Four days. Done.

The next year, he invited friends. Then it became three days. By 2014, the beast had taken its final form, a non stop, self supported, point to point fever dream that now haunts the sleep of ultra runners worldwide.


Andre Blumberg gives a warm greeting to Nugo Yamanath Limbu, the first runner to reach the end point in 2025. Coutesy of : https://tyr-jour.hkbu.edu.hk/ Photographer: Leung Chi-ngai

The Trails That Break You

• MacLehose Trail: ~100 km of rollers, ridges, and relentless ups.
• Wilson Trail: ~78 km of stairway-to-heaven hell, concrete catchwaters, and a subway transfer that feels like a cruel joke.
• Hong Kong Trail: ~50 km of deceptively runnable terrain that shows up when your quads are already screaming.
• Lantau Trail: ~70 km of mountain peaks, sweeping views, and the final punch before the finish.

All run in reverse. All linked together, no breaks, no resets. Just one continuous, soul sucking, spine-tingling journey that starts at Tuen Mun and ends at a humble green post box in Mui Wo.

Oh, and did I mention? You're not just running trails, you're jumping on Hong Kong's MTR mid-race to connect sections. Nothing like cramming into a train car, drenched in sweat, while commuters pretend not to stare.

Finisher or Survivor?

Here's the deal:

• Finisher: Sub-60 hours. That's the gold. That's the dream. That's what separates mortals from legends.
• Survivor: Sub-72 hours but over 60. Still epic. Still gut-wrenching. But you know, the clock didn't bow to you.

And no, there's no trophy. No prize money. No podium girls. Just a quiet nod from the community and a story that'll make your grandkids' eyes go wide.

The Rules? Brutal. Deliberately So

Blumberg stripped this race down to the bone:

• No trekking poles
• No music
• No painkillers
• No watches (yes, you read that right, in 2025, they banned watches)
• Start time revealed only 6 hours before go-time

You show up. You shut up. You run.

The philosophy? Take away every crutch, every comfort, every number-crunching safety net, and see what's left. Just you, the trail, and the ticking chaos in your head.

The Record That Shook the Scene

In 2021, Hong Kong's own Jacky Leung shattered the 50-hour barrier, 49 hours, 26 minutes. The first human to do it. Absolute legend. That run rewrote what we thought was possible.

Why This Race Gets Under My Skin

I've run trails across China, the US, and beyond. But Hong Kong? It's compressed. The climbs hit fast. The descents punish. The stairs appear exactly when your legs are begging for mercy. Mud. Concrete. Rocks. Tropical heat. Sudden downpours. Then, just as you're crumbling, you crest a ridge and see the South China Sea blazing gold at sunrise, and for one perfect second, it's all worth it.

You can start your morning surrounded by 7 million people and end it completely alone on a dark mountain, the city's glow just a faint smear on the horizon. That contrast? That's the magic. That's why I keep coming back.

Watch It. Feel It.

There's a documentary, Four Trails, that follows the 2021 edition. Raw. Unflinching. Absolutely worth your time if you want to taste the madness before stepping into it. It's on Amazon Prime in some regions. Go find it or see the teaser at https://www.fourtrails.hk/

298 Kilometers. Four Trails. One Question.

No medals. No money. No crowd cheering you through the night.

Just the trail, the clock, and the quiet voice inside that asks:

“How far can you really go?”

That question is why I run. That question is why Four Trails fascinates me, not as a race, but as a mirror.

And one day soon, I'll answer it myself.

About the Author

I'm Paul. Endurance athlete. Triathlete. Trail junkie. Based in Shenzhen, I've chased finish lines across Hong Kong, mainland China, and the US, from razor-sharp ridges to desert switchbacks that go on forever.

Right now, I'm chasing something bigger: the Triple Crown of 200-mile races. Three of the nastiest ultras on the planet, all in one season. Most runners call it insane. I call it Tuesday.

Off the trails, I co-founded BodyChefs in Shekou with my wife, Kama. We fuel athletes with real food that performs, clean meals, energy gels that don't taste like regret, electrolytes, protein, and collagen. And I test every single product myself on those brutal long runs. If it doesn't keep me moving when my legs are screaming, it doesn't leave the kitchen.

Through racing, training, and a whole lot of suffering, I've picked up practical lessons on trail running, nutrition, recovery, and race-day grit. I share all of it, because for me, it's never just about my finish line. It's about bringing the whole community with me.

If you would like to reach out to me, please contact me via the WeChat QR listed below.