We Didn't Run 143K Alone
This year marked the 10th anniversary of Hood To Coast, one of China's most iconic relay races. Five runners, one support vehicle, 16 exchange points, and 143 kilometres to cover in just 24 hours.
For two days, our marketing team traded laptops for running shoes and took on the challenge together. Some of us had spent months preparing for the event, while others were stepping into unfamiliar territory. By the time race day arrived, though, none of that really mattered. Once the race began, we were all working toward the same goal: getting the team to the finish line.
One Team, One Goal
Relay races have a way of changing your perspective. In most races, you're focused on your own pace, your own strategy, and your own finish line. In a relay, every kilometre affects the people waiting for you at the next exchange point. Your effort becomes part of something much bigger than yourself.
That was probably the biggest takeaway from the weekend. The support from teammates pushed all of us further than we might have gone on our own. Every handoff came with encouragement. Every difficult section was followed by a familiar face waiting at the next checkpoint. There was a shared sense of responsibility, but also a shared sense of confidence that no matter how difficult things got, someone would always have your back.
Between running legs, we spent hours together in the van navigating the course, eating whatever food we could find, resting when possible, and trying to squeeze in a little sleep. Somewhere between the long drives and exchange points, the race stopped feeling like five separate efforts and started feeling like one shared experience.
Through the Hours
One of the things that makes Hood To Coast so unique is that it never really stops. While one runner is out on the course, everyone else is already preparing for what's next. There is always another handoff approaching, another leg to run, another teammate to support.
We started in the dark and kept moving through the night, into the morning, and all the way to the finish the next afternoon. Along the way, the van became our home base. Between exchange points there were quick meals, short naps, route discussions, and plenty of laughs.
As the hours passed, the race became less about individual legs and more about the shared experience. Every runner had their moment on the course, but the memories that stayed with us were often the ones in between - waiting at handoffs, cheering teammates on, and watching everyone push through fatigue together.
By the time we crossed the finish line, it felt like we'd been on one long journey rather than a series of separate runs.
The Final Leg
As the race entered its final stages, the weather took a turn. Heavy rain rolled in, followed by hail, making an already challenging day even tougher.
The final leg belonged to our Head of Marketing, Jennifer Fang. With the finish line drawing closer and conditions deteriorating by the minute, she kept moving forward, one step at a time. Watching her push through the storm was a powerful reminder of what strong teams are built on. Not perfect conditions, but trust, commitment, and people willing to show up for one another when things get hard.
More Than a Race
Looking back, the memories that stay with us aren't the splits or the distances.
They're the conversations in the van, the cheers at exchange points, and the laughs after difficult sections. They're the moments when somebody needed encouragement and immediately got it.
After the race, Aaron summed it up perfectly:
"Great teams are built on trust, shared commitment, and people willing to step up for one another when conditions get tough."
Jennifer had her own takeaway:
"Running through the dark night and hail never felt lonely. Aaron, Xiao Ai, Ci, and Frankie were there the whole way, and we had so much fun. Because we had each other, we're all 100K runners now."
And maybe that's the best way to describe Hood To Coast.
Technically, none of us ran 143 kilometres alone.
Together, we did.
Trail Running Unites.
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Aaron