How to Train for The 9 Dragons.

The 9 Dragons is Hong Kong's hardest under-100-mile trail race. Five distances run across two days on the legendary Nine Dragons ridgeline — 4 km, 25 km, 50 km, 50 miles, and the 50/50 double-ultra at 138.1 km with 8,079 m of climbing. The 50 miles starts at midnight from Tai Lam Country Park. The 50 km starts at dawn the next morning from Tai Po Tau. If you're attempting the 50/50, you're running both, back-to-back, with three hours of sleep between them.

This guide is the training plan I wish I'd had before my first 9 Dragons — the one that gets you to the start line strong, not just hopeful. Whether you're aiming at the 25 km, the 50 km, the 50 miles or the full 50/50, the principles are the same. Adjust the volume; keep the structure.

Know the Course Before You Train For It

Most ultra plans you'll find online are written for races without context. The 9 Dragons has very specific demands. If your training doesn't reflect them, your race won't reflect your fitness.

Here's what you're actually preparing for:

• Elevation: The 50 km has 3,550 m of climbing. The 50 miles has 4,638 m. The 50/50 stacks to 8,079 m. There is no flat. Hong Kong's terrain is short, steep, repeated.
• Stairs. Thousands of them. The Maclehose Trail and Wilson Trail sections are paved or stepped for long stretches. Quad eccentric strength matters more than aerobic ceiling.
• Heat and humidity. Late February in Hong Kong is mild — 16-22°C at altitude — but the 50/50 dawn-to-dusk segments can hit 25°C with high humidity. If you live anywhere cooler, you need to acclimatise.
• Night running. The 50 miles starts at 23:59. You'll run 6-12 hours in the dark. Headtorch discipline, pacing in the dark, sleep deprivation — all need rehearsal.
• Technical descents. The descents off the Eight Mountains are quad-shredders. Brake-running technique matters.

The 20-Week Framework

This plan is built around the 50 km distance as the default. Scale the long runs up for 50 miles or 50/50; scale down for 25 km.

• Weeks 1-4: Base. 4-5 sessions per week. Build aerobic base on rolling terrain. No intensity yet.
• Weeks 5-10: Build. 5-6 sessions per week. Add one hill-rep session and one back-to-back long-run weekend. Volume peaks 70-90 km/week for 50 km runners, 100-120 for 50/50.
• Weeks 11-16: Specific. Course recces. Heat acclimatisation block (if needed). Race-day pace work. Long runs include 6 hours+ for 50 km, 9 hours+ for 50 miles, 14 hours+ for 50/50.
• Weeks 17-19: Sharpen. Maintain intensity, drop volume 30%. Final course recce. Gear shakedown.
• Week 20: Taper. Volume down 50%. Sleep up. Race-day plan locked.

Sample Peak Week — 50 km Trainee

Course Recces — Where to Actually Run

The 9 Dragons course covers the Eight Mountains of Kowloon and finishes at Tai Po Tau. Run the course in segments — that's how the race rewards you. Key recce segments:

• Tai Lam → Route Twisk → Tai Mo Shan: The opening 18 km of the 50 miles. Long sustained climb. Run it at night with a headtorch at least twice.
• Tai Mo Shan → Lead Mine Pass → Beacon Hill: The middle of the ridgeline. Technical, stairy, exposed. Run in heat.
• Lion Rock → Kowloon Peak: The Eight Mountains' crown jewel. Short, brutal, exposed scrambling sections. Practice cautious descending.
• Fanling → Bride's Pool → Tai Po Tau: The 50-mile finish. Run this when you're already tired — that's how you'll meet it on race day.

Heat Acclimatisation

If you're flying in from a cooler climate, build a 2-3 week heat block before travel. Options that work:

• Sauna sessions: 4-6 sessions over 10-14 days, 20-30 min at 80°C+ after easy runs.
• Hot bath protocol: 40°C bath for 30-40 min after training. Cheaper than sauna, similar effect.
• Overdressed easy runs: Long sleeves and tights on warm days to elevate core temperature gradually.

Hong Kong runners — skip the sauna block. Run mid-afternoon long runs in October-December and you'll arrive ready.

Gear That Actually Matters at 9 Dragons

The mandatory kit list is published on the 9 Dragons race page. Beyond mandatory, here's what experienced runners insist on:

• Headtorch: Real lumens. Petzl NAO or equivalent, with a spare. The 50-mile dawn descent off Lion Rock is unforgiving in dim light.
• Poles: Optional but transformative on the climbs. Foldable carbon poles. Z-poles if you want them stowable.
• Shoes: Aggressive lugs aren't needed — the trail is dry in February. Soft cushioned trail shoes with a 6-8 mm drop work for most. Test on the course before race day.
• Hydration: 1.5L minimum capacity. Aid stations are 8-15 km apart. Bring electrolytes.
• Backup battery: Watch + headtorch + phone all need power. Carry a small power bank.

The 50/50 — A Different Animal

If you've signed up for the 50/50, you're not running two races. You're running one continuous 138 km event with a sleep break. The mental model has to change.

• Train back-to-back long runs from Week 8 onwards. Long Saturday, long Sunday — non-negotiable.
• Practice eating after a hard effort. Most 50/50 failures happen on Day 2 from accumulated calorie debt.
• Sleep practice. Sleep 2 hours, get up, run 30 minutes. Repeat. Your body needs to know how to perform on broken sleep.
• Have a Day-2 race plan — pace targets, fuelling, gear changes — written down before race weekend. You will not be able to think clearly at 04:30 Sunday morning.

"The 50/50 doesn't reward the fittest runner. It rewards the runner who's rehearsed the unglamorous parts — eating, sleeping, getting back on their feet when everything hurts."

The Mental Side

Every finisher will tell you: 9 Dragons breaks people who arrive thinking it's a physical event. It is, but the last 20% of every distance is decided in your head.

• Visualise the worst section. Pick the segment of the course you fear most. Run it in your head every week. By race day, it feels familiar.
• Pre-commit to your "low moment" response. Decide in advance what you'll do at the inevitable 03:00 low. Eat. Sit for 5 minutes. Then walk for 10. Then run again. Have a plan.
• Don't compare. The race is long enough that anyone who started fast will come back to you.

Race Week Checklist

1. Drop volume to 30% of peak. Maintain one short tempo session for sharpness.
2. Sleep 8 hours per night for the seven days before race day.
3. Carb-load gently across Day -3 and Day -2. Avoid novel foods.
4. Lay out your race kit at least 36 hours in advance.
5. Drive or trace the start area in person. Know where parking, bag drop, and toilets are.
6. Read the race manual twice. Cut-off times, mandatory kit, aid station spacing.
7. Identify your crew. Brief them on what you need at each access point.
8. Set your alarm for 22:00 on Friday night (50 miles / 50/50) or 05:00 Sunday (50 km).