Winning a 100-kilometre ultramarathon is an exercise in pain management. Winning it wire-to-wire, while battling steep climbs, treacherous mud, and the suffocating Malaysian heat, is a masterclass in grit. On June 20, 2026, Mohamad Amierul Amin Shamsul Kamal delivered exactly that at the Trail Des Gombak, crossing the finish line at Stadium MPS with a blistering time of 17:31:08 to secure a clean sweep of the overall, category, and gender titles. But behind the dominant finish time was a gruelling 17-and-a-half-hour chess match against the elements, the trail, and his own mind.

When the starting gun fired at 2:00 AM, the field was swallowed by darkness. While adrenaline often tempts runners to surge early, Amierul played the long game by settling into a comfortable pace on the initial road section before hitting the Pintu Rimba Bukit Lagong trailhead. Once the first climb began, he carefully managed his energy from second place, shadowing the leader closely to conserve mental and physical energy while navigating the technical night trails.

The true test of the race, however, came under the midday sun. Amierul’s longest split occurred between AS5 Dataran and AS6 Ulu Kuang, taking nearly three hours as temperatures peaked. Recognising that tropical heat drains energy silently, he chose to play it safe by relying heavily on power hiking during the big climbs and taking every opportunity to cool down using water sources along the route to preserve his legs for the final stretch.

Running at the front of a 100KM race for the vast majority of the day brought an intense psychological pressure, leaving Amierul constantly worried about whether he was pushing too hard or if he would be overtaken at the very end. What kept him moving through the physical toll and the silence of the trail was a digital tether to home. His wife constantly sent motivational messages throughout the race, and every time the notifications popped up on his watch, he received an extra burst of spirit to keep moving forward.

Interestingly, the course design, which required runners to hit several major aid stations twice, played right into Amierul’s mental fortitude. While some runners dread repeating trails, he welcomed the format because the first loop was completed in the dark and the second during the day, making the familiar trails look completely different and keeping boredom at bay. He fuelled heavily through the official checkpoints, battling only minor bouts of nausea while relying on a mix of provided food, backup gels, and solid rations carried in his pack.

By the time Amierul left AS9 Templer, he had been running for over 16 hours. As the sun dipped below the horizon, everything depended on pure mental strength. He kept talking to himself, refusing to waste the immense effort he had already put in, and focused entirely on reaching the finish line step by step. When he finally crossed the threshold to secure his victory, the anxiety of being chased was replaced by an overwhelming wave of relief, and his thoughts immediately shifted to getting some well-deserved rest and enjoying a steamboat he had been craving for a long time.

Amierul’s path to the podium was unique, as his peak training weeks actually focused heavily on recovery, sports massages, and ice baths rather than overexertion, ensuring his body was completely fresh on race day. His preparation also included a long trail simulation from Hutan Setia Alam to Bukit Jelutong with friends to adapt to the technical terrain. With the Gombak crown secured, the champion is already looking toward the highlands for his next major target at the Cameron Ultra, advising aspiring 100KM runners to prioritise sufficient training, safeguard their health, and above all, stay mentally resilient and enjoy the process.