08/05/2026
Rendell Peh is known to many of us as our steady sweeper and a 100km (now 100mile) runner. We thank him for contributing generously to RSH as ground facilitator, social media manager, lead runner & sweeper.
๐ฆ๐ป๐ง๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ณ
Hi guys, Iโm Rendell. I have been trail running and hiking for about 2+ years. Some background. I stay right beside T15 trailhead and just a few minutes jog away from Dairy Farm Park. Somehow for many many years, Zhenghua Park PCN (the tarmac part ๐
) has been my daily running route.
Then COVID and Midlife crisis happened. I signed up for my first road marathon in 2022, followed by two more in 2023.
Somewhere along that journey, I started noticing runners in hydration vests moving through Zhenghua Park into T15. They looked like they were doing more than just a run. Later I found out they were running a trail race. I got curious.
I began exploring the trails beside my house. Started googling, watching videos, and learning more about trail running. Inspired by YouTuber Run Uncle Run and an old friend, I set my sights on running an ultra marathon.
I signed up for my first local trail race, and that marked the start of my trail running journey.
โฐ๏ธ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ท๐ผ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐?
๐๐ปโโ๏ธ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฎ๐น๐?
I first came across RSH via the XTrailblazersโ UTSG WhatsApp group. A few days after the UTSG race, there was a post about a trail training trip to Gunung Lambak in Malaysia.
At that point, I had done my first overseas trail race in Betong, Thailand. I barely finished it within COT, and it was a rude wake up call for me. ๐ต
That race exposed gaps in my training. Running in Singapore trails and Bukit Timah Hill was not enough! I realised that if I wanted to level up, I needed more exposure to terrain similar to what I would face in races.
So I signed up for the Lambak trip.
Then another.
And another.
Over time, I found myself joining most of the RSH trips and races, and eventually helping others take their first step into trail running as well.
To me, RSH is a mix of training, adventure, and recovery hike โค๏ธโ๐ฉน. Trail and elevation training no longer feel like something I have to do, but something I genuinely look forward to, especially on Sundays with my trail buddies.
๐ก๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐?
I have many storiesโฆ but some are better shared over beer. ๐
The latest one that stood out was our Trans Titiwangsa V1 hike. It was an attempt to climb the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th highest peaks in Peninsular Malaysia at one go.
I was hiking with the second group, six of us moving at a slower pace.
We seriously underestimated the challenge. After descending from the second peak (about 14 hours in), we stopped to rest. That was when we told the mountain guide we were thinking of DNF.
He looked at us and said in broken English:
โBaang (Bro), here no escape routeโฆ go back starting trailhead (14h) โฆ go to end trail (15h)... โ
That moment hit hard.
We were already drained. Some of us were running low on water and food. The next water point was still 8 to 10 hours away. We did not expect it to take this long, and we were not fully prepared.
For a while, no one really spoke.
Then somehow, without saying much, we all came to the same decision that
we would finish it together, sharing whatever we had.
I remember lying down on the cold, sandy ground during one of the breaks.
We looked upโฆ and saw one of the most incredible night skies.
In that moment, despite the fatigue and uncertainty, there was this quiet sense of gratitude... and later a loud snoring ensued. ๐
Not everything has to go according to plan. Sometimes, it is about adapting, staying safe, and moving forward together.
That experience stayed with me.
It reminded me that sometimes the most memorable parts are not the peaks or the finishes. It is those unexpected moments, right in the middle of the struggle.
๐ถ๐ป๐๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฒ๐?
Talk to people.
You will meet many humble veterans generous with knowledge in this community who have done amazing things. Some have climbed Everest, many have hiked mountains and run races all over the world.
You will find role models who are already grandparents, still out there having fun and challenging themselves physically. ๐ช
Take the opportunity to learn from them. Enjoy the journey and stay curious.โ๏ธ
At the same time, respect the mountains. Prepare well, donโt rush, and know your limits. ๐
