COLA vina and ni hao.
I am a fourth-generation Fiji-born Chinese. I am from Suva and attended Yat Sen and St Joseph’s Secondary School. My maternal links are connected to the sand dunes of Kulukulu and the hills of Ra.
My passions are three ‘F’ – family, feminism, fitness. I was always a runner, I was always into sports – I love all sorts of sports.
I first started serious running when I had my first child – Scott who is now 28. It was the best exercise ever because you could just put on your runners and then head out the door.
It was a sense of freedom, and whatever challenge or thoughts that you had, you could just focus on getting one foot in front of the other and before you know it, it becomes meditative.
I completed my first full marathon (42.2km) in 2015. This year, I return to Namosi to take on the half marathon — a place that continues to call me back.
Running through the mountains, alongside the river, in the cool air — it feels like heaven.
The atmosphere is special, shaped by the dedication of the race directors, the Suva Marathon Club team, and the sponsors who make it all possible.
Each year, the event grows stronger, and so does the community around it.
One of my favorite memories was in 2022; my first half marathon in Namosi.
Prior to that, I was on the organising committee so I never really ran the half marathon. So that year – I was on the bus (which leaves at around 4.30am) to get to the start point – anyway it was my first time so I did not know where the start line was.
Here we are half asleep and enjoying the bus ride, a mixture of excitement and anxious preparation. It was dark outside cause the ‘halfies’ start just as dawn breaks.
The bus driver missed the start point and one of the “regulars” looked out and saw a sign at the check point that said “go Gina go”.
It was confusing as I didn’t know that my Racemaker friend Mele, had a cheer sign made out for me. So in essence we had gone over the start line. There was no place for the bus to turn around so we had to go all the way to a junction before we could turn around.
Training now is about discipline and joy. I follow a program and look for running buddies to help me stay motivated, with a goal of finishing strong — ideally under three hours.
But at the heart of it, my goal is simple: to finish. When I don’t run, I feel it — sluggish, unsettled. Running keeps me grounded. It fuels my sanity, my joy, and those endorphins that lift your spirit when you need it most.
I hope to run until God calls me that my time is up. Then I will be running in a different realm! So I will enjoy this season and am grateful I can run in this season. I also feel inspired watching older women run – they amaze me because they just keep going.
They remind me that endurance has no age. And I love watching children run, full of joy and freedom. They remind us how running should feel — light, natural, and full of life.
Fiji has a great running weather and we have a high humidity – you know the Namosi saying “Kwaca na vatu” so when you look at the rugged highlands of Namosi, it translates to “breaking the rock” or “breaking the stone”.
Running in Namosi is also about giving back. Participants are encouraged to support the villages that welcome us so warmly — contributing to schools and community needs.
It is a reminder that running is not just personal; it is communal.
If someone sees me running and feels inspired to start, then that is enough for me.
My call out is to girls to run and to make places safe to run. ‘Run like a girl, run like a boy, just run’ Just run how you want to run. And you never know whose ‘arms’ you might run into.
For anyone in Fiji who wants to start running — just begin. It’s that simple. One step, one foot in front of the other. Start where you are.
Looking ahead, my goal is simple. Focus on your breathing. We have been gifted the joy of life and breath.
Don’t take it for granted – Every morning wake up, breathe in and say ‘Thank you God for the day’ and just run tall, run strong.
Left: Gina Houng Lee waves to the camera after finishing the Namosi Marathon. Picture: SUPPLIED
