- Congratulations on completing the TDS race! How do you feel after such a challenging event? Any idea on what’s next?
Wayne: Feeling accomplished and gained back my confidence and mojo after I DNF H1 (Hardcore 100 miles) at 125km earlier in June this year due to sprained ankle. It is definitely a morale booster
I just did the MOUT 25km at Mt Ophir, Malaysia last weekend and the next upcoming will be MMTF 100km. Well, about the unfinished business at H1, we shall wait and see …. I have tried H1 thrice without success. Many H1 participants use this H1 as a benchmark and training race to prepare for UTMB. But for my case, it seems to be the opposite.
Amy: I suggested to Wayne that he can consider shorter races for a change. Incorporate speed-training and get head start by gaining more time buffer during endurance races. There are many long-distance category races, which may require fast start to avoid the infamous bottlenecks that can cause many runners to miss the checkpoint cutoff time.
- What inspired you to participate in the TDS race? Were there any specific goals you set for yourself?
Actually, I signed up for UTMB again because I wanted to see what I can improve to better my timing, hoping to enjoy more scenic view this time. Oh well, my UTMB ballot was not successful. Then it came to my mind that TDS does not need balloting and it’s a first-come-first-serve registration slot. I considered over a few days. Since TDS is a different route which encompasses new challenges, it stirs my curiosity to explore this beautiful technical terrain. However, the 2 days of adverse cold weather had made us race in almost a snow blizzard.
As I sprained my ankle in H1 two months before TDS, I was worried if I would recover in time and have enough training leading to race. I had to change my training plan: focus on stairs-climbing and lesser running. This is totally a new training strategy for me, and I am curious to find out the benefits of stairs-climbing in preparation for TDS. For me, it’s all about finishing the race within 44hrs as long as I can keep moving.
- Can you briefly describe the TDS race and its unique challenges compared to other ultra trail races?
TDS route is more challenging and technical as compared to UTMB. The trail passes exposed ridges, little-known lakes and beautiful villages.
On Sat, it started raining non-stop before TDS race starts. It felt like 2-3 deg with strong winds, even though the temperature reading was 6-7 deg. The organizers issued severe weather warning and activate mandatory cold weather kit in addition to base kit on Sun. The route has also been changed to not pass via Passeur de Pralognan, but Bourg. St Maurice to Cormet de Roseland from Les Capieux. Passeur de Pralognon is the part where a Czech runner fell at the descent and died from serious injuries in 2021. Having said that, the distance was now increased to 153km with 9773m elevation gain.
On Mon past midnight (at 12:50am) when the race started in Courmayeur, it was not raining but the breezy chills remained. Rain started when we entered the trails for the first climb. The rain persisted and even started to snow at high altitude. All went well for the first 50km and I managed to reach Bourg. St Maurice (1st Assisted Aid Station) ahead of my planned time.
While I pushed on for the 2nd part of the race to Beaufort (97.6km), I encountered AMS just like UTMB last year. When I arrived at Beaufort (2nd Assisted Aid Station) at 11pm, I decided to take a power nap and see if I feel better. However, I started vomiting after I woke up. This is very familiar as I had the same feeling last year. I took some hot water and slept back for another 15mins to let my stomach settle down. When I woke up, I felt better and could take in some cup noodle soup and hot Milo thereafter to keep my body warm. Without too much time wasted, I left Beaufort after freshened up.
As this race is mostly done in cold weather conditions, many runners tend to forget about hydration. I had to keep reminding myself to sip water to prevent my throat and lips getting dry.
The trails are all foggy and not much scenic view, I wish I could take some pictures for memories but it was shivering cold for me to do so. Despite the conditions, the markers are clear and I have no issues with navigation.
Finally, we are greeted with some sunlight on Wed morning. Due to sleep deprivation, I had a fall before reaching Les Contamines (129.2km). Luckily the fall was not serious and somehow it WOKE ME UP! I regrouped myself and charged up with cup noodles and hot Milo at this last Assisted Aid Station, I know it’s just one last killer climb to Col de Tricot before the home run. The fatigue was real after 2 nights of minimal sleep at 129km with long technical climbs and descents. But I was motivated to try for sub-40 hours when Amy told me that there is good chance. This self-challenge kept me boosted to the finish line and felt ecstatic to complete the race 2 mins before 40hours.
- What was the most memorable moment or highlight for you during the TDS race?
Although the race felt tough, I never thought of giving up. The videos compiled by Kailas Singapore athletes and trail running friends really warm my heart and keep me going! Amy showed me the video again at Les Contamines with more fellow runners’ wishes. The positive energy from our fellow community back in Singapore helped me mentally to tackle the last stretch back to Chamonix. You can watch it at
https://youtu.be/bcImy6JVfys?si=oH-_NUeCiiF0Sfv6
My UTMB experience helped a lot and I expected my 2nd wind to come. I just keep moving and gain more buffer time, as compared to my schedule planned with Amy. Compared to last year (3hours of sleeping time in 2 CPs due to AMS), I save a lot of time on sleep this year. I learned my lesson from last year and kept most of my CP breaks within 5-10mins. Apart from the 40mins of recovery nap at Beaufort due to AMS, I was lucky to recover quite fast and well enough to move on. Also, thanks to a crying baby at the Aid Station that woke me up. hahaha!
With Amy as my crew, I can focus 100% on racing without worrying about gears, logistics, nutrition and race strategy. It is always happy moment to see a familiar face after the long cold onslaught CP after CP.
Of course, the other great moment was when Amy told me at Les Contamines (129km) that I can achieve sub-40 timing. My morale was high as I knew I was on the home run. Kar Hoe passed me the Singapore flag when I saw him back at Chamonix town. We all ran together with other friends to the finish line as they recorded videos alongside with me. It was euphoric sense of achievement and beyond words to describe. Despite being tired and sleepy, I am very happy, feeling fulfilled and proud of the entire experience.
- How did you prepare both physically and mentally for such a demanding race?
Besides my own training routine, I joined Muddygears for their JB trips to trail hotspots and fellow Kailas athletes for their weekend runs. Unexpectedly, after I sprained my ankle during H1 and got PF during speedwork which I never done before, I changed my training to avoid stressing the ankle for the 10 weeks leading to TDS.
Every day I will climb stairs with my full gear and 3L of water not consumed to simulate race weight. I drank from a separate bottle. So all in all, it will be between 6-7kg throughout 2-3hrs on average per training, and the elevation will ramp up towards my peak week. I usually took 2 steps at a time while listening to light music and come down via lift to climb up again. Surprisingly, my ankle recovered fast and perhaps the strength built from using forefoot and glutes during stairs climbing helped too.
To sustain a weekly mileage of 60km 3000m elev gain, ramping up to 150km 9100m elev gain, I took Mitoceps Plus, replenished electrolytes and consumed protein powder, chicken and chia seed regularly. Most of time, I am hungry and ate a lot of food. I can probably eat a hundred delicious scones made by Hanniel’s wife in 1 go!
If anyone wants to lose weight fast, start with stairs climbing.
- Did you face any unexpected obstacles or challenges during the TDS race? How did you overcome them?
Before the race, there were moments of self-doubt whether I could complete the race as I adopted a different training experiment using stairs. I took part in the race Ben Swee organized 50km HIGH HAND Challenge 高手挑战 to test my climb ability and hot weather nutrition. I was glad that it all went smoothly. Power hike is very important for long gradual slopes up to 16-17km. I used Zenone poles z2001 for at least 80-90% of the time at TDS. The downhill is technical and made more slippery due to the weather. I learned to brake and balance during these sections by improvising and improving pole usage during race. I also maintained a rhythm to keep up the pace and the steps will automatically follow.
Most of the time, the sore legs are generally ok despite falling once, but I feel aches on my shoulder and lower back. The long downhill can stretch up to 11km. Thus, I need to maintain cadence to reduce the pain/impact. In Chinese, we say 长痛不如短痛. There was some foot pain but I did not get any chafing or blister with my Kailas socks and Fuga Pro 4. I realized that the Kailas socks, Pro4 did not get wet easily even when I stepped into wet muddy water. As I have dry cracked feet issues, I learnt to apply Vaseline on foot with socks before sleep and before race.
For anyone doing TDS under adverse cold conditions, a merino wool 200 base layer and a beanie is highly recommended to keep you warmed during the race, as it can save you from getting hypothermia. The mandatory gears requirement set by the organizer should be adhered for runners’ safety reasons.
During the race with low visibility most of the time, my Ledlenser MH10 600lumens is still not bright enough at times. I brought 2 batteries so I could use it at max brightness for 2 nights with no issue. Ultra-running can be demanding especially when there is low visibility. A good headlamp will give you more confidence in navigating in the dark trails and saves you from falls due to poor vision.
- Can you share some insights into your race strategy? How did you pace yourself over the course of the race?
I monitor the race profile on my Coros Vertix watch for asc/dsc data. Having a crew is a bonus but you need to be prepared to go without if they are unable to reach the CP before you, due to traffic conditions. For TDS and every race, Amy will usually discuss the race profile together with me, and I will focus to strengthen on my weaker areas. Every race and individual is different; even the race condition on actual day can be different. We should gain advantage on those distances/climbs/descents which we can go faster to cover the time loss on our weaker areas.
- Did you have any specific strategies for fueling and hydration during the race? What worked well for you?
I enjoy the hot water with the cold weather conditions and consume cup noodles for sodium intake. I kept my nutrition simple. I abstain from caffeine a week before the race, so the caffeine boost on race day does help on sleep deprivation.
Bak kwa does not work for me as the throat was dry from the cold weather and wind. Coffee-flavored Untapped Waffles help me to stay awake. I did not get hunger fangs during race. During the long stretch of 15-21km, I kept myself reminded to carry more water based on Amy’s well-planned timechart.
- What role did your support team play during the TDS race? How did they contribute to your success?
Amy: UTMB doesn’t encourage self-drive to Assisted Aid Stations due to traffic conditions and limited parking space. Thus, support crews can buy the ticket passes with UTMB in advance. You can refer to the crew bus guide for the bus time-schedules and plan according to your runners’ ETA time to CP. My past experience has shown that there could be many unforeseen circumstances such as traffic jam due to landslides, accidents, etc. and support crews are not able to reach the CP in time to support their runners. Support crews will therefore need to cater for time buffer to reach the CP way in advance. And the runner must be ready to carry some surplus supply too, just in case they missed their crews.
There is only 1 official drop bag location at midway for TDS (Beaufort) and UTMB (Courmayeur). But for our case, I will carry all his things throughout the race, in case he needs to replenish in Bourg St Maurice and Les Contamines. I help to track his timing, bring comfort food and nutrition for top-ups, extra shoes/poles, etc.
I break the race into 3 stages and plan the logistics accordingly to ensure I meet him at next Assisted Aid Station, based on his race condition. The food (such as pasta, pizza, hot soup, cold cuts, cheese, fruits, nuts, bread, etc.) served at the Assisted Aid Stations are sufficient for the runners. But we see many crews bring home-cooked meals for their runners.
As a crew, I must always learn to stay calm and flexible to come up with Plan B when unforeseen circumstances happen. Maintaining constant communication with the runner is important to find out what your runner needs. Avoid asking too many open-ended questions as runners might be too tired to think. Keep questions straight-forward and preferably a “Yes-No” or “Multiple-Choice” options for them to choose.
No matter how tired I am, I always keep myself with positivity vibes, esp when I see him. This is very important as any negativity may affect him if he needs to worry about me. As a crew, we have to focus on giving our runner advice and encouragement. Let him/her leave the Aid Station in happy mood and good morale. I always say to Wayne “Jiayou!! See u in next CP” so that he has something to look forward to.
Wayne: Amy has always been a mental pillar in my race journey, be it pre-race to post. I know I am in good hands and have nothing to worry about. All I have to do is focus on my training and get out there to do my best for my race. It is indescribable how much emotional support can mean to someone. Especially in a Europe country, seeing Asian faces/smiles give you the warmth and comfort.
- What advice do you have for aspiring trail runners who are considering participating in the TDS race or similar events?
Wayne’s advice to his friends and supporters: “Trust your training, it’s just how much you want it!”
- What are your race gears?
(a) Head Gear: Ciele-GOCap-Run Mountains-Julep, Kalenji Running Beanie
(b) Top: IceBreaker Merino Wool Baselayer, Kailas Quick-drying Functional Training T-shirt, Kailas Windbreak Trail Running Functional T-shirt, Kailas New Team Jersey (for UTMB)
(c) Jacket: Kailas AERO Jacket
(d) Bottom: Columbia Baselayer Tights, Kailas Lightweight Trail Running Shorts
(e) Hydration Vest: Kailas FUGA AIR III 8L
(f) Headlamp: Led Lenser MH10
(g) Shoes: Kailas Fuga Pro 4
(h) Socks: Kailas Socks
(i) Poles: ZenOne (Model: Z2001)
Huge Congrats again from Muddygears and friends!
