Nur Haziqah Shapie finished second in the Women Open (18 – 39) category of the 15km at the Malaysia Taman Negara Ultra 2026, after almost two weeks of on-and-off fever and flu had her considering not starting.

The event was held at Taman Negara Kuala Tahan in Jerantut, Pahang, from 23 to 25 October, with the 15km on 25 October. Nur Haziqah, wearing bib 6514, finished in 3:37:12 and was 35th of 273 overall, second of 70 in Women Open (18 – 39) and third of 102 women, according to the official results.

The illness was believed to be caused by the haze, she told ToughASIA, and she was still undecided about racing right up until the start.

“My original target was actually just to finish strong. If I got a podium, that would be a big bonus,” she said.

She followed the medication her doctor prescribed and kept up her diet and supplements as usual. The severe flu, which made it hard to breathe comfortably, lasted until race day.

But she did not want to miss the chance to run in what she called one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, and she said the event’s raw trail concept set it apart from other races.

“It’s just that this time, my body was asking for a holiday, but my heart still wanted to race,” she said.

Several runner friends had told her the route was very challenging. One of them, Fazlie, better known as FazRunFar, said it was far more challenging than the Trans QJM Pulai, which she completed in the 30km category in 2024 in about eight hours and still uses as her personal benchmark.

She said the more than 1,000 metres of elevation gain and a very muddy course, after heavy rain a few days before the event, made the 15km quite challenging.

“Sometimes it’s not just the legs being tested, the mind can start negotiating too,” she said.

For short and mid-distance races, she said she actually prefers mud or rain, as the softer ground is more comfortable underfoot and, in her view, reduces the impact on the legs. She also credited the grip of her shoes on the slippery, muddy and technical sections.

“Other people might see mud as a problem, but for me, that’s where the fun begins,” she said.

The official results show she took 1:21:12 between CP1 and CP2. After CP1 came a short paved section, followed by rolling climbs that seemed to have no end, she said.

The trail was also narrow, especially once she began crossing paths with runners in the 30km category, and at times she had to slow down or wait because there was little room to overtake. Some sections ran beside ravines, which she said were no place to take risks.

She received help from Adib Shah, a runner she started talking to at around KM 4.65. Their paces were about the same, and without planning it they ran together for the rest of the race.

“Sometimes in trail running, you don’t necessarily come with your own pacer. There are times when you meet the right person at the right time,” she said.

At around KM 11 she had a muscle cramp for the first time in her running. Adib stretched her leg by pushing the sole of her foot towards her body, and the pain began to ease so she could carry on.

She also credited her husband, Mohd Eizra, better known as Ed, who kept reminding her that he believed she could give her best and who accompanies her in training.

“If I’m the one running, Ed is one of the reasons I keep going,” she said.

Her preparation focused on power hiking and lower-body strength, as she had not raced a short distance for quite some time. Her main session was “Tanggathon” training at her condominium in Petaling Jaya, climbing the stairs up to 24 floors twice, followed by strength training and stretching. A session took about an hour.

She cut back on outdoor training because of the haze. She did no specific training on muddy or hilly trails, but said her experience at the Trans QJM Pulai gave her some idea of the terrain and challenges to expect.

“Sometimes even condominium stairs can be a pretty torturous training ground,” she said.

She and her husband have started planning races for next year, including the Bali Trail Run overseas and, at home, the KorGa Ultra if they can still get a slot. Her husband plans to return to the Taman Negara Ultra in 2027 for the 100km.

She is still deciding whether to go back herself.

“Whatever it is, I don’t want to make promises too early. Let there be a little element of surprise,” she said.