The last time I was on Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo was when I was 11. I won’t tell you how long ago that was but long enough! Scaling South Asia’s highest peak at 13,435ft / 4,095m was a grand adventure embarked on with my dad whilst my mum and little sister chilled by the pool at a nearby resort.
This time … on the 15th September… I returned to run instead of walk to compete in the Sabah Ultra, an event aptly named The Most Beautiful Thing.
My expectations were low … after a trying week involving looming deadlines and a con artist posing as a legitimate landlord, I had slept little and had thought about the race even less. On the eve of the race and continuing until the early hours, the heavens opened like only Asia rain knows how and the winds were ferocious. Combine these with the tin roof of our hotel hut and it sounded like a giant fireworks extravaganza.
I feared our little abode would be trashed by sunrise. But by morning, the rains had all but gone. I got up, readied myself, read my affirmations and gathered with the others to wander the kilometre or so to the race start. The route was stunning … think villages and fields, rice paddies and cabbage crops, rivers and bridges, red dirt tracks and lush green jungle. The entire course seemed to swing between insanely vertical climbs and technically steep descents, with the mighty Mt Kinabalu summit never far from eyeshot.
The weather remained windy but the sun was shining and the temperature a very civilised 30c or so. The course markings were great … I only got lost once and the ribbons in the trees, unlike in Nepal, remained on the trees. In Nepal, you can lose sight of the ribbons for ages, until of course, a pile of little girls pass you on their way to school … wearing them in their hair! As is always the case with trail
run events, within hours of arriving, new friendships were forged and bonds built over chat about past runs, current plans and future hopes.
A wonderful characteristic of the trail running community is the complete lack of elitism … accomplished runners with extensive achievements under their belt mix perfectly with virgin ultra runners and by looking at them hang out before and after the race, you’d often be none the wiser re who’s who.
I finished the race to a musical serenade from local girls in custom dress. Second female and sixth overall. The best part of course was my little sister being there with open arms. We spent the rest of the day lying in bed, laughing about nonsense and eating treats. Bliss. We all gathered in the evening for some comical karaoke made all the more entertaining thanks to the local brew to top up our hydration levels.
I write this from Singapore having spent a lush afternoon with my big sister, nieces and nephew. I now sit in the airport resting my weary legs whilst awaiting a flight to sunny Sydney. The hard work is done and now I can relax and unwind with some much-anticipated down time. Of course, it would be rude not to find time for a long run or two what with the glorious Blue Mountains on my doorstep and as luck would have it, a dear friend and team member for Hong Kong’s OTW 100 in November will touch down in Sydney next week so we shall head into the wilderness and spend a couple of days running, camping, laughing and no doubt getting terribly lost.
But back for a moment to the Sabah Ultra … this should definitely be one for the bucket list. Sabah is gorgeous and if you can combine this race with a trip to the top of South East Asia, then surely that’s time well spent! 2012 will fast close in on us which signals time to plan grand adventures for 2013. I whole-heartedly recommend that Sabah be included in your plans whether it be to run a race, compete in the adventure challenge, try out via ferrata or just hang with the orangutans.
Love Tori x
Writer, runner, blogger
& adidas athlete.
Published in October 2012
