Hanguk Trail Running: Gwanaksan II

     I participated in the annual Korea Great Trail Run (KGTR) Gwanaksan trail race this past weekend. The course this year (12km, 600m) was significantly shortened from the original course (31km, 1,400m). 

    I love warm weather. I love sweating--it feels much healthier than shivering in the cold. Running in the temperate conditions is also simpler: All you need is a top, shorts and socks. The winter demands layers, and layers mean more laundry. As a full-time worker, I do not have the luxury to do laundry every day, so I must wear the same outfit more than once. Hanging up a top and shorts to dry is easy. Drying thermal tights, multiple players, headwear, gloves and a neck warmer is a different story.

    The KGTR Gwanaksan event marks the end of the heavy-laundry season and the arrival of spring. The weather on March 3 was perfect--cool enough to prevent overheating yet warm enough to carry the scent of spring in the air. The trails were in excellent condition, with the ice gone and the soil soft underfoot. Traces of winter still lingered off-course for our viewing pleasure: Parts of the streams remained frozen, and patches of snow clung to the mountain's north face.

    Smaller trail races tend to be less popular, in my opinion, due to the lack of support. There are no markings, no aid stations--you must rely solely on yourself. The biggest challenge in these races is not just endurance; it is navigation. Getting lost starts as a frustration but quickly becomes a true test of resilience. A single wrong turn might lead you down a welcomed descent only to find out that you have gone off-course, now there is a grueling climb back to the route. It takes a certain mental finesse and experience to avoid dwelling on the energy and time lost.

    I have personally seen runners cheat and go off-course when there are no CPs to hold them accountable. I understand the temptation: As long as I get to the finish line...as long as I run the same distance as the other runners...it is the organization's fault for not marking the course...and so on. But the truth is, you paid to be there. You decided to suffer through the course as is. 

    Life outside of trail running can often feel grey. What is the difference between fraud and a marketing strategy? What distinguishes a blatant lie from being subtle about the truth? In a race, things are more black and white: Did you complete the course or not? Did you run faster than everyone else or not?

    If you blur that clear line, you will never truly know where you stand, only robbing yourself of the clarity you set out to find.

    Participate in these smaller races and experience them yourself. Here is the link to KGTR.

S.G