PUTRAJAYA, June 21 — Most people who participate in runs usually focus on the number of kilometres completed or the personal best times they hope to achieve. However, those taking part in runs organised by Geng Lukis Malam (GLM) run for a different purpose — to create artworks, not with paintbrushes or colours, but through GPS tracking on fitness apps such as Strava.

A typical GLM run will see participants following a carefully selected route that, when recorded on a GPS tracking app, forms a giant drawing on a digital map. The finished “artwork” only becomes visible after the run is completed and the GPS track is uploaded.

GLM captain Muhammad Syafiq Salleh, 39, said its “running artworks” – featuring designs of, among others, the hibiscus flower and fried chicken, as well as characters like Agumon (the official face of the global Digimon media franchise) and Grand Master Oogway (the iconic tortoise in the Kung Fu Panda franchise) – are created through the thousands of footsteps taken by those participating in their runs, organised mainly around Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

“Most people run for health or performance reasons, but we try to add another element – creativity. The real satisfaction does not come from how far someone runs or how quickly they cross the finish line, but from bringing people together to create something unique collectively,” he told Bernama recently.

Muhammad Syafiq said this activity got off the ground in January last year, with a group of about 35 close friends participating in the runs initially.

“By September, we opened it to the public and have recorded participation of more than 700 runners on some occasions,” he said, adding that runs of less than 10km are held every Wednesday, while runs involving routes exceeding 10km are organised once a month on Fridays. Most participants are in their 20s to 40s.

He added that the group promotes the artwork design to be created each week through its social media platform, @genglukismalam.

He said each artwork requires meticulous route planning before it can be translated onto the streets, with participants needing to follow the designated course to ensure the final shape can be clearly viewed through applications such as Strava.

“We started with relatively simple designs before progressing to more complex ones. Some artwork ideas are contributed by members of the public. Some are created by one of our members, Ikram. His imagination is extraordinary because when he looks at a map, he can visualise the kind of drawings that can be produced from it,” he said, adding that each artwork takes less than a day to complete.

Muhammad Syafiq said while the GPS artworks may appear simple and neat on a smartphone screen, producing each piece is far from easy, particularly when more than 100 participants are involved in a single run.

“Sometimes participants become separated from the main group, and some may take the wrong route. When that happens, the shape of the artwork may be slightly affected, but we usually try to correct it along the way,” he said.

He also said safety remains the top priority for the organisers, especially since the running sessions are conducted at night and involve public roads shared with other users.

“Every participant is given a safety briefing before the run begins, including reminders to wear safety lights (blinkers), carry their own water supply and remain aware of their surroundings,” he said.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Shahril Haikal Mohamad Shaipuldin, 26, said he regularly joins the GLM runs because of the community’s unique and flexible structure, which does not pressure participants to maintain a specific pace.

“GLM is very suitable for beginners because there is absolutely no pressure. There are ‘bypasser’ and ‘sweeper’ groups that help ensure everyone can follow the route according to their own ability, whether they run at pace 6, pace 7 or pace 9. It’s much more relaxed… the important thing is that the artwork is completed and looks good,” he said.

Another participant Muhammad Khairi Mohd Nasir, 25, said joining the GLM runs has helped improve both his fitness level and running pace. — Bernama