Up high in the Highlands (part 2)

The road was long and winding, much like how your earphones magically tangle into mess whenever you stuff them into your pockets. Early into the run, most of us guys would have overtaken the girls already. They tend to run in a tightly packed group, finding their resolve in numbers, honestly, who could blame em'? Lamp posts come far and few in between, giving the road a sort of malicious atmosphere.

With every step I took, I couldn't help but let my imagination take the better of me, thinking if dark and hair-raising figures hiding in the bushes beyond my vision could reach. It was scary really, running in the dark like that. But after 11 days of going through the same road, I've actually grown quite fond of it, other than the pitter patter of my feet and my heavy breathing, there was utter silence. I really felt like I was in a world of my own, where I could run endlessly without obstruction.

That road took us from our apartment in Brinchang down all the way to Tanah Rata, with two routes to choose from. A leisurely 3km stroll, or the gruelling 5km path. Tanah Rata is as the name implies, a level ground area where there's a field surrounded by a stretch of road. Where one lap would equate to a fair distance of 700m. I'd usually reach there at around 6:30, when the sky was still quaking in the absence of it's sun. One stretch of the field had a river to it's side. The trees stretched along that river were beautifully decorated with illuminating lights. Like millions of fireflies in the light.



There and then, I'd do my workouts every morning without fail. It was especially hard for me to keep up with my friends on the first day. The thin mountain air and blasting winds, seeped the very energy out of me, forcing me to pant heavily as I did my usual laps. Even so, the chilly temperatures up here allowed me to run longer, as my muscles wouldn't overheat easily. Back in KL, I'd fry like a fish doing workouts like this. Fortunately, the temperature up here proved to be abit more comfortable once my body warmed up.

This regimental way of training and working out lasted for 12 days, with a couple of days break in between. What's more, the training session would often stem off into another session in the afternoon, allowing us only 3-4 hours of rest. Which, in my book, was hardly enough. These legs were crying by the time we headed back to the apartment.

These chicken legs.