For Maihazan Nurafendy, the 100-kilometre threshold is not a wall to be smashed through, but a complex mechanism to be disassembled. While many runners view the late stages of an ultra-marathon as a chaotic battle of willpower, Maihazan perceives it as a series of distinct, manageable calculations.

He approaches the sport with a diagnostic stillness, believing that the outcome of a race is decided not by the intensity of the sprint, but by the absence of error. In his world, endurance is less about the fire of the soul and more about the cold efficiency of the mind.

On 24 January 2026, Maihazan will apply this clinical philosophy to UiTM Ultra Vol. 8 (UiTM Ultra 2026). Competing in the flagship 104KM category, he returns to the familiar, repetitive pavement of the Shah Alam campus—a course renowned for its psychological attrition.

Having navigated the extreme technicality of the Tor des Géants and the relentless structure of backyard ultras, he enters this event not as a seeker of glory, but as a practitioner of discipline.

For Maihazan, the goal is simple yet profound: to arrive at the 80KM mark not broken, but composed.

His preparation for the loop format is rooted in the deliberate simulation of fatigue. He eschews the pursuit of raw speed in favour of “fatigue resistance,” building a training block heavy with back-to-back sessions designed to mimic the heavy-legged reality of the final laps.

“My training has focused more on sustained effort and fatigue resistance rather than chasing speed,” he notes.

“I’ve included longer steady runs and back-to-back sessions to simulate the repeated loops.” This methodology ensures that when the physical sensations of the race begin to deteriorate, his mechanical output remains constant.

Maihazan’s tactical awareness is most evident in his refusal to engage with the early-race theatre of his competitors. He treats his rivals as variables he cannot control, choosing instead to focus on the internal metrics of pacing and nutrition.

“I plan to stay conservative early, treat each loop as its own segment, and avoid reacting emotionally to what others are doing,” he says. By deconstructing the 104KM into microscopic objectives, he bypasses the intimidation of the total distance. To him, the race is a slow-burn accumulation of right decisions; it is won by the athlete who remains the most rational for the longest duration.

This commitment to the “long game” extends to his recovery, which he integrates as a mandatory discipline rather than a passive rest period. He views sleep and mobility work as structural maintenance, essential for a runner who bounces between international mountain trails and local road ultras.

“Recovery is something I take very seriously and consider part of the training process,” Maihazan explains. “I monitor fatigue, sleep quality, and overall readiness closely, and I’m not afraid to adjust my training when needed.” This level of self-monitoring allows him to maintain a high frequency of racing without the typical degradation of performance.

When the race inevitably enters its darkest phase beyond the 80KM mark, Maihazan relies on a binary mental toolset. He strips away the noise and reduces the struggle to a singular command.

 

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“My personal mantra is simple: ‘Stay calm, keep moving.’ Staying calm helps me make better decisions, and consistent forward movement eventually gets me through the lowest moments.” It is a mantra devoid of hyperbole, reflecting a mindset that finds comfort in the logical progression of one step following another.

Ultimately, Maihazan’s approach to the UiTM Ultra is a study in self-mastery. He recognises that on a loop course, the greatest adversary is the runner’s own impatience.

“The winner will likely be the runner who manages pacing, nutrition, and mental focus best across the full 104KM,” he concludes. “The athlete who makes the fewest mistakes—especially in the later loops—will have the best chance of winning.”

In the quiet, repetitive hours of the Shah Alam night, Maihazan Nurafendy will not be running against his peers; he will be executing a pre-calculated plan to its logical, silent conclusion.