（編按）本周日，本版有幸邀請五位完成六大馬拉松的香港高手，在太子TC2 Cafe分享經驗。講座前，我們先介紹這五位講者，讓大家先熟悉：
Pauline Tse的六大馬拉松
2009: Boston
2014: New York
2015: London, Berlin, Chicago
2016: Tokyo
贏在起跑線？
我對這句「潮語」十分不認同，也非常反感，因為「起步點」對日後的成功只是一個微不足道的輔助因素罷了。
我是在被動的情形下開始了從未嘗試過、之前也從不喜歡的跑步活動。事源在一個校友聚餐中，一位教授建議我們同學一起參加渣打十公里賽事，在群體壓力下只有跟隨。第一次跑步時，我很勉強地完成了800米，差一點就要休克了！
我也是在與朋友的打賭戲言後，才去參加了第一次長達42.195公里的賽事。賽前的兩、三星期我緊張得要命，幾乎夜夜失眠。當我跑到約38公里時，我很肯定地對自己說，我以後再也不會跑全馬了！
哈哈，每個跑手過了終點後，在38公里處所發的誓當然都已煙消雲散了。接著幾年，我跑了一個又一個渣馬，還決心要做出sub-4的好成績！但是後來發覺原來不是有決心就可sub-4 的。也許是我的求知欲得到了高人的欣賞，讓Dr Dennis Whitby (90年代香港體院總監）收我為徒。經過他有系統地訓練16週後，我不只做到了sub-4的成績, 還超額地BQ(Boston-qualified) 了！
奧運以外，波士頓馬拉松是歷史上第一個馬拉松比賽，也是每一個跑手的朝聖賽事，能夠憑著個人成績拿到參賽資格（而不是藉捐錢買跑位），本身巳是一個成就，甚至是榮耀。見過很多跑手因不能BQ而失望沮喪，又或得到BQ後那份莫名興奮，就可見波士頓馬拉松的江湖地位。
當我跑完波士頓馬拉松後，頗有點「生無可跑」的感覺，但因我曾在美國讀大學，生活過一段時期，所以對紐約及芝加哥這些大賽有點興趣。可是那些大賽提早一年便要報名付費，很不方便，所以便參加了甚獲好評的東京馬拉松。直至在紐約的親友說，他們快要離開紐約，如我要在他們還在紐約的時候跑，就必須快快成事。我慶幸可以用「成績時間」拿到了參賽資格，而同一時期又取得了倫敦馬拉松的參賽資格。那時有友人告知有關「六大」的Hall of Fame，我才知道我只欠兩個！剛好在芝加哥的朋友鼓勵我到芝加哥跑馬拉松，參賽辦法原來又有time-qualifying 組別，很順利就報了名參賽。
我在倫敦馬拉松的Expo中 ，得知有慈善團體在柏林馬拉松剩餘了頗多贊助名額，只須小額捐款便可取得參賽資格。那年九月我正好有空，很開心終於「六大」都跑齊全了！
完成了「六大」後，其實我也不知道有什麼「獎品」，直至在今年的東京馬拉松起跑線跟跑友閑聊，才得知從今年二月開始，「六大」完跑者會獲發一個「六大」的奬牌。
我能成為第一批得到這奬牌的跑手，雖然是無意之中所成的事，但與一路而來的，每個星期的辛勤練習，和每次比賽的永不放棄是不能分開的。我得到這獎牌所感受的喜悅，很多是從各方好友的衷心祝賀與「艷羨目光」而來，也是你們告訴我，我之前專注用心的每一步都是值得的！
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Six World Marathon Majors Finisher: Pauline Tse
(On coming Sunday, we organise a sharing session on Six Major World Marathons and invite 5 elite runners who has finished all six.)
Pauline Tse
2009: Boston
2014: New York
2015: London, Berlin, Chicago
2016: Tokyo
You can win the race before it starts? Sorry, I strongly disagree with and even hate such common belief in nowadays Hong Kong. What you have at the starting point, is only one of many factors which determines if you can succeed.
Years years ago, I didn’t actively join running event, I didn’t like running too. I remembered many years ago, in an alumni gathering, a professor suggested us running HKSCM 10K race, I signed up because of peer pressure. When I did my first training, I could just run 800m and nearly collapsed!
Even my first full marathon, I didn’t sign up voluntarily. I ran because I lost a bet to my friend and had to keep my promise. Two weeks before the race, I was so nervous, every night was a sleepless night… When I arrived 38km point, I told myself that I would not do marathon again absolutely.
Just like other runners, we all forget the painful experience and get addicted to running marathon. Since then, I have run HKSCM full marathon every year and set a goal to run a sub 4 race. Later, I realised that mind over the body was not very true, luckily I had chance to know Dr. Dennis Whitby(the director of Hong Kong Sports Institute) and became his student. After following his 16 weeks training plan, I not only ran a sub 4 marathon, but also qualified for Boston Marathon!
Boston Marathon is the first marathon race after the first modern Olympic Games. It is also the Mecca of all runners. To qualify for Boston itself(not through charity donation) is an achievement as well as a glory. Many runners disappointed because of failing the Boston test. But if you get it, the excitement is hard to describe, that is the magic of Boston Marathon.
When I finished Boston Marathon, just like you have achieved your goal, I suddenly lost momentum to run. Because I had studied in the US, I was interested to run big US cities like New York or Chicago too, however you have to register these big races in early early advance which was not quite possible for me, so I joined Tokyo Marathon first.
One day, my New Yorker friend said they would move out soon. I realise that I must run New York asap. Luckily my time was good enough to secure an elite bib for New York Marathon as well as London Marathon later.
I didn’t know there is a Hall of Fame for World Marathon Majors finisher, until my friend told me. I found that I only missed two pieces! At that time my Chicago friend encouraged me to run, and I get an elite bib smoothly.
My last World Marathon Majors was Berlin Marathon. When I visited the Expo of London Marathon, a NGO was selling clarity bibs. Coincidently I found that I had time in that September, I registered Berlin Marathon and got the last medal finally.
After I completed WMM, I didn’t know that I could get a Six Star Finisher Medal, until 2016 Tokyo Marathon, a friend told me that there was a medal for those who have completed all six major races, subscription starting from this Feb.
I am one of the first runners who can get the new medal. Although I didn’t serious plan for completing six major races, I have paid much effort to train and run, tried my best and didn’t give up at all races.
Every time when I see my medal, I am happy because it is the envy and congratulation of all my friends! I would like to appreciate all my friends, you told me that the efforts I have paid is worth it.
AJ: 只是寄表格去就可以？不用進行面試？
