TAIPING – The thick, leech-filled rainforests of Taiping will not stop Sabah’s Rejlen James from chasing her target at the Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB (MYUT) this weekend.
The 37-year-old mother and full-time housewife is aiming to complete the 100-kilometre MY100 race in under 17 hours, an improvement on her previous outing. Leeches are a common worry for runners on these jungle trails, but Rejlen is unfazed.
“For trail running, the technical parts are a given, but it’s the leeches that I’m a bit worried about, but it should be fine,” she said, keeping her attention on the challenge ahead rather than the blood-sucking pests.
Rejlen is no stranger to the course. She competed in the 2023 edition before the event became part of the UTMB World Series and is now back to test herself against an even stronger field.
The MYUT, rebranded last year, is Malaysia’s first UTMB World Series event and a major stop on the global trail-running calendar. Nearly 3,000 runners from 64 countries are in Taiping, making it one of Asia’s key trail races this year.
Rejlen will take on the MY100 route, which spans 96.7km and climbs more than 4,890 metres through the Virgin Jungle Reserves (VJR) around Maxwell Hill. Finishers earn three “Running Stones,” which count towards entry for the UTMB World Series Finals in France.
The top three men and women will secure direct qualification to the finals, but Rejlen’s main goal is personal — to better her time and prove her training has paid off.
She believes the rugged trails of Sabah have prepared her well.
“The routes at home are more technical, so I feel ready for whatever this course gives me,” she said.
Despite the stiff competition, mainly from international runners, Rejlen is keeping her focus on her own race.
“There are many strong runners here, but I just want to do my best,” she added.
The race begins at 3am on Saturday, sending runners into the dark, humid jungle for hours of climbing and descending. For Rejlen, each step is about discipline, not distractions.
Leeches may be part of the landscape, but for this determined mother from Sabah, they are just another small obstacle on the way to a bigger goal. — September 26, 2025