Kim Yongkee is Talking Trail Running

KIM YONGKEE

Q: Where are you from in Korea, and what do you do for a living?
KY: In Suwon City, and I am an engineer.
Q: When did you start running? And what has attracted you to do trail running?
In 2013. Actually I like mountain, river and nature. It’s very nice to run in open nature.
Q: Is running part of your family background?
Never. There are no runners in my family except me.
Q: Do you have any idols? Whose poster was hanging in your room as a teenager?
No.
Q: What is your best time in a road marathon? 
3:40:15
What feeling does running give you?
Happy, Happy and Happy.
Q: How many kilometers do you tend to run each week, and do you do anything special in your training when you have a trail race on your race calendar?
100k per week, 250k when training for a race.
Q: Do you follow a specific diet?
No.
Q: What was your best achievement in trail running so far, according to yourself?
The 1st place in the under 30 age group in Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2015.
Q: What is the longest distance you have run in a race?
100k.
Q: Will you attend Korea 50k next April and what do you think of the race course?
If I have a time, I will attend the race in 2016. Actually I don’t know about the race course. The race director of Korea 50k changed the course recently.
Q: Do you like mountainous races or would you like more runnable courses on the trail running calendar?
I love both.
Q: What race are you running in your dreams?
UTMB!!
Q: Trail running in Korea is very young, what is your favourite race in your country?
Ultra Trail Jeju 100k (a stage race for 3 days).
Q: What is your personal running ambition for 2016?
HK 100, UTMB and UTMF
Q: What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series? Could the 2016 championship be an objective for you?
Every race looks nice, valuable and well-organized. I will try all those races in the future. Now, I am just a slow runner.
Q: You have taken part in the Vietnam Mountain Marathon, why did you decide to take part in this specific international race?
I joined the Vietnam race because I needed the points for UTMB 2016. So I researched some races to score the points, and this one was most convenient