For Adil Adham, a 250km ultra-marathon is not an insurmountable distance; it is a series of manageable equations. Facing a course that demands three cycles of an 84km loop and over 6,144m of vertical gain, Adil refuses to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the task. Instead, he employs a strategy of extreme compartmentalisation, breaking the race into micro-goals that focus solely on the road immediately ahead.

The Route 68 Ultra 2026 is a trial of mental and physical attrition, yet Adil approaches it with a measured calm. By treating each return to the race headquarters as a psychological reset, he intends to prevent the cumulative fatigue of the multi-loop format from clouding his judgement. “I take it as one checkpoint (RnR Genting Sempah) at a time, and returning to the Dewan is a mental reset,” Adil notes. For him, the repetition of the hills is not a source of monotony, but an opportunity to execute a known plan with greater precision each time.

This disciplined approach extends to his pacing strategy. While the instinct of many runners is to chase a podium spot from the outset, Adil prioritises his own physiological floor over his ranking. He understands that the real race only begins when the sun sets for the second time. “I focus on staying within my limits, not chasing positions,” he explains. “The third loop is about endurance and being able to maintain form when fatigue sets in. When it comes time to chase victory, it’s a calculated move.”

 

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The true test of Adil’s segmented logic will arrive on the final loop, specifically during the arduous climb back to Genting Sempah from Waterway Villa. It is here that the psychological dark zone—fuelled by two nights of sleep deprivation—threatens to dismantle even the best-laid plans. To survive this, Adil relies on a training regimen that specifically simulates systemic exhaustion. “I prepare by training under fatigue, back-to-back long runs to teach my body to run on fatigued legs,” he says, treating the struggle as a predictable variable he has already accounted for.

Operational discipline is the final piece of his logic puzzle. Adil maintains a rhythmic nutritional intake, eating small, frequent amounts every 30 minutes to prevent metabolic failure. “For these two nights, it is all about taking care of my stomach,” he observes. He supplements this with preventative foot care and a strict adherence to thermal management. His waterproof jacket remains his most vital non-running asset, a shield against the energy-sapping cold of the exposed mountain passes. “Staying dry and warm is essential to avoid hypothermia. It allows me to maintain my body temperature, even in difficult conditions.”

Ultimately, Adil Adham’s preparation is a masterclass in situational awareness. By deconstructing a 250km odyssey into a sequence of checkpoints and caloric intervals, he removes the emotional weight of the finish line. His journey suggests that in the world of ultra-distance running, the most successful athletes are not those who run with their hearts, but those who solve the equation of endurance one segment at a time.

Adil’s mindset is a blueprint for those facing their own “impossible” distances: focus on the next hill, protect the engine, and remember that the final victory is simply the result of a thousand small, disciplined choices.