| James Kon |
AHMAD Fathi bin Dato Paduka Haji Junaidi has proven that the right mindset and amount of preparation can go a long way, after he became the first Bruneian to conquer a gruelling 338km challenge to finish 259th overall, in the 2016 Tor Des Geants Endurance Trails Race in Italy.
The 34-year-old completed the gruelling race which took six days to complete, covering the Tor Des Geants valleys with a total climb of 24,000 metres.
However, 50km to the finishing line, Ahmad Fathi suffered a slight injury to his left ankle, but he ignored the pain and walked the remaining distance to complete the race.
A total of 765 entries were registered for the race, but only 446 runners managed to complete the event.
The endurance runner returned home on Thursday, to a warm reception from family members gathered at the Brunei International Airport.
In an interview, Ahmad Fathi gave the rationale for taking part in such a gruelling race, saying, “The main goal is to be the first Bruneian to complete this enormous challenge.”
On the challenges that he faced during the race: “Every day, we had to climb two summits and had to endure a lack of sleep. It was up to everyone to determine their sleeping patterns, so in average, I slept around one-half of each night. The cold weather, to the point of freezing, was another challenge.
“On the last climb, it was raining and snowing, so we had to put on spikes on our shoes to get a better grip,” Ahmad Fathi said.
Ahmad Fathi bin Dato Paduka Haji Junaidi (2nd left) with his family members. – JAMES KON
He admitted there were times when he thought of giving up, but the determination to complete the race pushed him on.
On preparing for the race, he said, “Training was difficult since there are no mountains in Brunei, so I had to run up and down the hills in Tasek Lama or Bukit Shahbandar.”
He hopes to concentrate on swimming next, to take part in a long-distance canal swim.
Ahmad Fathi developed a keen interest in gruelling endurance races, ever since he began testing his own limits as a university student.
“When I was in university, I did a lot of running and started off by doing 5km cross-country races, then built up to marathons, triathlons and now endurance races,” he said. “There’s always that burning desire to challenge myself to the limit, and I want to test myself on how far I can go.”
He hopes to also inspire other Bruneians to achieve great feats, saying, “Having a goal and achieving it may seem impossible, but if you have the right mindset and principles as well as proper training, there is nothing that you can’t achieve.
“It’s also about preparation. There are a lot of preparations to be made before I attempt these challenges. I wake up at 3am in the morning, and I am the last to go to bed.”
Ahmad Fathi also took part in the Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon in June, where he finished fourth, and the Ultra Trail Hong Kong in February, placing 27th overall.
He has also competed in the Ultra Trail Mount Fuji and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix, covering a distance of 160km, as well as the Ironman of New Zealand, the Ironman of Asia-Pacific in Phuket, and the Ironman of Western Australia Marathon.
Ahmad Fathi also made headlines after becoming the first Bruneian to complete the Ultraman Australia in Noosa, in 2015.
The post Brunei endurance runner eager to push himself beyond limits appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.