In this edition, we spoke to Jeff Lau, the first Malaysian to ever complete a 230km ultra marathon at the Amazon rainforest in Peru, and that wasn't his first extreme race.
Jeff Lau Jun Tean started running five years ago to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, going between 5km to 10km every week just like any other casual runner. Little did he know that he would be pushing 250km ultra marathons today!
It all started in 2013 when he got injured and tore his ligament during one of his runs. The injury was so serious that he had to undergo a major surgery which took nine months to recover.
During that long and excruciating recovery period, Jeff was forced to rely on crutches to move around which rendered him helpless. This feeling sparked a desire within him to do something good and give back to the community once he was fully recovered.
One of his running mates recommended him to participate in an ultramarathon at the Sahara Desert where he could represent a charity organisation and help raise funds.
FYI, the distance for a full marathon is 42km. Any distance above that falls under an ultramarathon. At the time, the longest distance Jeff had ever attempted was only 21km – that’s a half marathon.
Nevertheless, he put aside all qualms and registered for his first ever ultramarathon. And after training for merely three months, he landed at the Sahara Desert.
Desert Ultra marathon (Distance: 250km)
Also known as the Marathon des Sables, the Desert Ultra is a six-day race through the largest hot desert in the world. Beginning close to the Spitskoppe Mountains, this marathon is categorised as a Stage Race, where runners are required to complete a certain distance within a fixed amount of time each day.
To paint a better picture, participants would complete 42km per day in the first three days, 82km at one go over the next two days, and end with the final 42km on the last day. The cut-off time is usually between nine to 11 hours each day and the competitors would end their day at base camp.
Upon arriving at his first Desert Ultra, Jeff had no idea what to expect. He didn’t know how 50°C felt like and what a sea of sand looked like. But the young runner was determined to proceed.
Marathons like this are normally self-supported, which means all runners are required to carry their own safety gear, food supply, cooking equipment, sleeping bag, and a large water bottle that can be replenished at various checkpoints and water stations along the route.
Bringing along all those necessities for the entire week throughout the marathon, you can imagine the amount of weight that is on each runner’s back. Jeff was carrying almost 15kg on his back, plus another 70kg of his own body weight. Well, try making your way through the soft and fine sand dunes with that!
“The sand was so fine that it just absorbed all my energy and my feet kept sinking in. You can’t even walk properly, let alone run,” he said.
Pushing through mountain trails, flat land, sand dunes and dry river beds, no wonder the Desert Ultra is also known as the world’s toughest foot race!
Despite the obvious challenges, Jeff had successfully completed the 2014 Desert Ultra marathon.
“The chances of completing the race are quite high because you have so many hours to complete 42km every day,” he said.
The next thing you know, the 27-year-old became addicted to marathons, which was exactly why he attempted the Desert Ultra yet again in 2016, making him the youngest Malaysian to complete the Marathon des Sables, twice!
As a Red Ribbon Youth Icon, Jeff helps to raise funds for the Malaysian Aids Foundation and spread awareness about HIV as well as its treatment and advocacy to young people.
With this newfound responsibility on his shoulders, he was crazy enough to attempt yet another ultramarathon early this year, this time, much further up in the North.
6633 Arctic Ultra marathon (Distance: 560km)
Unlike the Desert Ultra, the 6633 Arctic Ultra is a non-stop self-sufficient foot race over a distance of either 195km or 560km crossing the Arctic Circle line. It is regarded as the toughest, coldest and windiest ultra-distance foot race on Earth.
And Jeff mustered up all his energy and courage to sign up for this extreme marathon.
At the Arctic Circle, participants have a total of eight days to complete the full distance with whatever strategy possible. Each person is also required to carry or pull on their own sleds all necessities for the race, including food supply, cooking items, sleeping kit, and other safety equipment.
The organisers take safety very seriously in this type of races, especially the Arctic Ultra where temperatures push as low as -35 to -40°C.
After reaching the peak at 180km, the wind was blowing so strong at 160kph that you can barely walk. Jeff ended up losing his bivvy bag due to the strong wind when he slipped and fell.
A bivvy bag goes together with the sleeping bag to help keep you warm when you sleep. Without it, it is impossible to survive the freezing cold with your sleeping bag alone.
When Jeff arrived at the next water station, the organisers were on the verge of disqualifying him. But thankfully, he was able to borrow a spare bivvy bag left by runners who had decided to drop out previously.
“Only 10 to 30 percent of people manage to complete this race every year, so it is normal to see people dropping out every day,” he said.
So, Jeff continued along his journey on 180km of ice road. But before he could reach the next checkpoint, he was forced to stop at the 160km mark due to a blister infection under his foot.
“I didn’t realise it because I had frostbite and was already numb from everything,” he shared, disappointed with himself that he didn’t complete the race.
“I still feel scared just thinking about the freezing temperature and frostbites. But I knew I wasn’t physically or mentally strong enough to compete just yet.”
Although Jeff had failed to reach the finish line, he still made it as the first Malaysian to compete in the 6633 Arctic Ultra marathon!
And if you thought that he would stop at this grueling marathon this year, think again.
Jungle Ultra marathon (Distance: 230km)
After resting for two and a half months, Jeff registered for his second ultramarathon in this year alone – the Jungle Ultra marathon in the Amazon rainforest.
This race has the shortest (we’re using this word very loosely here) distance among all the other extreme marathons, which takes place in a tropical rainforest just like our weather here in Malaysia. You would run through the Andes mountain range, pristine forests, flowing rivers and quiet villages.
So how tough could it be, right? That’s what Jeff thought. And boy was he so wrong.
The Jungle Ultra is also a Stage Race with five stages. Participants begin at base camp near a town called Cuzco in Peru, which has an elevation of about 4,000m. In case you didn't know, that’s the height of Mount Kinabalu!
Right from the moment he landed, Jeff experienced difficulty in breathing and the race hasn’t even started. But just like the previous marathons, there was no turning back.
The Jungle Ultra lasted over the next five days, touching slightly over 30km in the first four days and 92km at one go on the final day.
Runners had to tackle road, trail and track to navigate through the checkpoints. On top of that, the insane weather that constantly switched between higher altitudes and humidity levels hitting 100 percent, sweating was useless to maintain the core body temperature. Until they finally reached base camp, the body had no way of cooling down.
Instead of setting up sleeping mats at base camp, Jeff and the other participants had to put up hammocks because there was no way they could sleep on the ground at night in the middle of the Amazon forest. Besides avoiding heavy rains and floods, they had to stay as high above the ground as possible, away from the wild animals and insects.
The true test of will for Jeff came on the fourth day.
“We had to climb a 1,000m high and 5km long hill. It was steep, muddy and slippery due to the rain. There was no way for me to walk or run, so I had to crawl my way up,” he shared.
“The minute you slow down, all kinds of insects and spiders that you have never seen before would crawl up your arm. So you just have to keep crawling fast.”
On the final day, they had to walk in the river over rocks both big and small for over four hours. This final stage was so intense that Jeff ended up losing two of his toenails without even realising.
“You won’t be able to feel pain after the third or fourth day because you’re just so hungry and exhausted. You just want to end it as fast as possible, so you don’t focus on the pain,” he said.
And in the end, he successfully crossed the finish line as the first Malaysian to ever complete the Jungle Ultra marathon in the Amazon rainforest.
It is difficult for a layman to picture these types of races because they are not only physically challenging, it can be mentally and emotionally taxing as well.
There were times when Jeff felt that he had already reached the climax of his physical and mental capability. But whenever he recalled his main purpose for doing this, there was no way he would allow himself to give up.
“I tell myself, I may suffer for five to seven days, but in the end I get to help people who have been suffering their entire lives,” he shared.
It’s funny how every time Jeff finishes a race, he would tell himself that he would never do it again. But three months later, he registers for the next race.
As an ultramarathon participant, he tries to set an example for Malaysians, especially the Millennial generation that is often seen as fragile and wanting shortcuts to success.
“I’m the same, I want everything fast as well. But I also want to show people that I’m still doing what I love to do by putting in a lot of hard work,” he said.
One of his proudest moments whenever he crosses the finish line is holding up the Malaysian flag.
“You’d be surprised, there are many people around the world who still don’t know where Malaysia is!” he shared about making new friends from different parts of the globe.
And what is the one thing that makes Jeff truly Malaysian? Food.
Although he trains hard at the gym and goes on long-distance running frequently, the only problem he has is that he can’t follow a strictly healthy diet.
“I know it’s important to have a clean and healthy diet after training, like eating egg whites or chicken breast, but I can’t. I need my nasi lemak, curry mee and banana leaf rice,” he joked.
Jeff currently works as a freelance graphic designer and part-time barista at a local cafe. He is also trying to focus his career towards becoming an ultramarathon runner to continue raising funds for charity organisations.
We are ultra proud of Jeff for his outstanding achievements and we can't wait to hear more about him crossing more extreme finish lines in the future!
Follow Jeff's incredible journey on his Facebook page, maybe he'll inspire you to sign up for your first ever marathon.