OCTOBER 31 ― So I have decided to take a very short break from writing about the usual often depressing and forehead creasing stuff and share my thoughts on running. It’s been awhile since my last commentary on this subject.

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to take part in the Chardikala Night Run 2014 held in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur. This was basically a 5km fun run with around 600 participants.

Now, the run itself wasn’t that remarkable, especially for Titiwangsa veterans, and it suffered slightly from a downpour which stopped just half an hour before flag off. The muddy and slippery conditions along parts of the route were at times hazardous and exacerbated by dimly-lit conditions.

However, what made this run quite memorable were three things in particular. Firstly, the amazing festive atmosphere generated by the local Sikh community which came out en masse to support and participate in the run was amazing. I have never seen so many beards and turbans in a single race before!

Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner. ― Pictures by Azrul Mohd Khalib

The event was well organised and suffered none of the usual problems which plague events of this nature such as missing registrations and poor race day management (we still remember the 2011 Energizer Night Race).

The young organisers from the Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (Malaysian Sikh Youth Organisation) were professional, friendly and had a bubbly and energetic attitude despite the obvious stress and frustration caused by the earlier rain.

What this run also had in abundance was lots and lots of scrumptious traditional food and drink (masala tea!). Probably not a good idea to makan besar before the run, it most likely contributed to a number of people throwing up at the roadside in the darkness. Really good food though.

Secondly, this run had Bhangra dancing. I think traditional warmup and stretching sessions at sports events should be replaced by Bhangra dancing. Don’t you think so? Not only does it do the warm up of the relevant muscles and grease the joints in most parts of the body, there’s also an infectious atmosphere with lots of giggling, laughter and fun. Move your hips side to side, shoulders up and down, twirl your hands, step to the left and to the right. Never mind the mud, just dance. No need to be so serious lah.

And finally, what made this 5km run really stand out was the presence of Fauja Singh. Who’s he, you might ask? Well, his name is usually followed by the title “World’s Oldest Marathon Runner.” He completed the London Marathon at the age of 89 before retiring from competitive racing after the Hong Kong marathon last year at age 102. Yes, 102!

Everyone doing the Bhangra!

Currently residing in the United Kingdom, this guy took up running in his 80s and has run nine full marathons. He is the world record holder in his age bracket.

He’s more than a hundred years old but he walks, jogs and runs for at least four hours a day! His secret? Rub baby oil each day on limbs to keep them supple. Start the day with tea and drink lots of water. No rice or sweets. Remembering that to gain happiness, you must first go through pain. He was an inspiration to see.

At the start line, looking at the runners around me all decked out in yellow T-shirts with the words “103 and running”, I had many questions. How do you run around with those long beards swinging around and that huge turban? Does the beard hit other runners? Does long hair in plaits cause imbalance in the gait or disrupt the cadence? How does Fauja Singh do it at 103 years old lah? Sporting the bib number 007 and in his running kit, Fauja Singh led us forward and that night showed us all how it was done.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.