THERE’S an amusing contradiction when I meet David Christopher at a bustling cafe in Subang Jaya. With just days to go before his gruelling 400km run, he nonchalantly orders a decadent frappe, topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream and what looks like a suspicious drizzle of caramel sauce.
Not exactly the diet of a serious endurance runner.
“You’re really drinking that?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.
He grins, utterly unfazed. “Why not?”
The same air of nonchalance lingers when he casually drops: “I don’t enjoy running.”
Wait, what?
He nods, dead serious.
“It’s painful, frustrating and it hurts,” he admits. “There’s a lot of disappointment involved.”
This wasn’t the conversation I expected to have with someone preparing to take on one of Malaysia’s toughest ultramarathons from February 18 to 23.
The Route 68 Ultra, now in its 10th year, has introduced a brutal new 400km category. And David — who’s already conquered a whopping 70 ultramarathons — is taking it on. But this time, he’s not just pushing his own limits. He’s running for a cause.
David’s fundraiser works on a simple but powerful system: donors pledge an amount per kilometre he completes. Once the race is over, they donate based on his final distance. Every cent goes directly to Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) Malaysia, a volunteer-run group dedicated to trapping, vaccinating and neutering stray animals to manage their population humanely.
It’s a gruelling challenge with a purpose — one step at a time, one life at a time.
It’s also especially intriguing for a man who says he doesn’t enjoy running.
He shrugs, takes a sip of his drink, and flashes another grin.
“I started running and somehow, I got hooked,” he says. Then, leaning in slightly, he adds: “Let me tell you something else — there’s no such thing as a runner’s high!”
That rush of endorphins people swear by?
He shakes his head. “Never happened to me. Not even once.”
RUNNING FREE
David’s running journey started with the popular Standard Chartered Marathon back in 2011.
“I was pretty ambitious,” he admits. “I thought I was fit. I mean, I’ve always been sporty — above average, but nothing special.”
Turns out, he completely underestimated what it takes to run a 42km marathon.
“I was really dumb,” he blurts out. “I trained by jogging around a park for 45 minutes, two or three times a week. No research, no advice, nothing. I just jumped in.”
Predictably, it went downhill fast.
“After two hours, I was falling apart,” he laughs. “And the worst part? People twice my age were overtaking me. Bigger guys, skinnier guys, people who looked like they had no business finishing a marathon… they all whizzed right past.”
It was a humbling lesson. Somehow, he dragged himself past the finish line — but barely.
Most people would have called it quits, but David kept running. Not for the love of the sport. Not for the so-called “runner’s high”.
So why run then? He shrugs his shoulders wordlessly and smiles. “I just wanted to get better at running,” he finally replies, before quipping: “I know, it sounds nuts!”
But these days, it’s not marathons that drive him forward, battling the pain and exhaustion — it’s ultramarathons.
Instead of sticking to traditional races, David veered into the world of ultra running — a sport that goes beyond the standard 42km marathon, testing not just endurance but sheer mental grit.
Why the switch?
“It’s more fulfilling,” he explains. “There’s a much stronger sense of accomplishment when I complete an ultra. The camaraderie is incredible — goodwill, shared experiences and mutual respect among runners. Unlike competitive marathons, where it’s all about racing the clock or beating your opponents, ultrarunning is about pushing your own limits and helping others finish.”
For David, the thrill isn’t in the run — it’s in the numbers. The challenge isn’t about enjoying the miles; it’s about strategy, cutting down his time, pushing his limits and rising through the ranks.
“In the bigger races, you see this huge list — a sea of a thousand names,” he says. “At first, you’re somewhere in the top 20 per cent. Then, with training, you climb into the top 10 per cent… then 1 per cent… then 0.5 per cent…”
I lean in. “So where are you now?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “Ultra running? I’m in the top three.”
No false modesty. No fluff. For David, it’s all in the math.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
“It’s a bit of an addiction — getting better and better at what you do, improving at the one thing you happen to be good at,” he tells me. Then, after a brief pause, he confesses: “That’s probably a chip on my shoulder or something. I need to improve. Maybe because, as a kid, I wasn’t particularly impressive at anything.”
The youngest of four, David wasn’t exactly the star athlete growing up. Sports weren’t his thing — except for merentas desa, his school’s mandatory cross-country run. He consistently placed in the top 10 finishers, but he’s quick to downplay it.
“It’s nothing special,” he shrugs. “More like being a big fish in a very, very small school pond.”
And that love for numbers took him places. He became a mechanical engineer and unsurprisingly, his approach to running is as structured as a blueprint.
“Typical engineering mindset,” David chuckles. “I keep a spreadsheet.”
Yes, a spreadsheet — for running.
“Everything is planned,” he says earnestly. “I chart my pace down to the minute per kilometre. There’s a lot of math involved. Other runners go by feel. They’re way more laidback. I’m… not.”
His training? Mapped out months in advance. “I’m obsessive,” he admits without hesitation.
And obsessive isn’t an exaggeration. Training happens every single day.
Before the sun even thinks about rising, he’s already out the door, logging 15km like it’s just another morning errand. Seven days a week. No rest days.
No excuses.
Then, it’s straight to the office — where the grind doesn’t stop. Before clocking in for work, he squeezes in another session at the office gym.
Even if the weather turns miserable, he doesn’t stop. “Skin is waterproof. So’s my watch,” he says matter-of-factly. “There’s no real reason not to run, really.”
FINDING A PURPOSE
For this ultramarathon, however, running has become more than just numbers on a spreadsheet or the endless pursuit of shaving seconds off his pace. This time, it’s about something bigger.
David has always been an animal lover — dogs were a constant in his childhood. “I’ve always had animals around me,” he says. “I love dogs. I grew up with them.”
Now, he shares his home with two — Puma and Bobby.
But for years, he never really thought about the struggles of strays. Then, the stories became impossible to ignore.
“You hear about it everywhere,” he says. “Dogs being abused, abandoned, mercilessly culled.”
Even in the running community, the way some runners treat stray dogs infuriates him.
“They carry stones and sticks. That just makes me so mad!”
In his experience, dogs aren’t dangerous — just territorial. “As long as you don’t run straight into their path, you’ll be fine,” he says.
Animal welfare slowly became a cause he couldn’t turn away from.
“It’s the only one that really speaks to me,” he shares simply.
Because unlike other causes, this one is about the ones who can’t speak for themselves. “Dogs are such sweet animals,” he continues. “Any random puppy you pick up? It’ll become the love of your life.”
He falls quiet for a moment.
“I read a quote once,” he says finally. “Dogs are the only animals that will love another species more than their own.”
He shakes his head.
“You won’t find that in any other animal.”
A WORTHY CAUSE
When David stepped up to support TRNM, it wasn’t just about raising funds — it was about championing a cause that tackles the root of the stray animal problem.
TRNM believes in a humane and effective approach: neutering and vaccinating stray dogs and cats. This method, successfully used in many countries, is a sustainable alternative to outdated catch-and-kill policies. But beyond the strays, the real issue lies in irresponsible pet ownership, making education, advocacy and awareness just as critical.
David’s involvement is a huge boost, says co-founder Jean Liew. “When people like David step up, it shows they understand and believe in what we do. Funds are always appreciated, but raising awareness is just as powerful.”
The impact of TRNM’s work goes beyond kindness — it’s about lasting change. Many countries have proven the “vacuum effect” is effective: sterilised animals, when returned to their areas, prevent new strays from moving in, gradually reducing the population.
The message is clear: Catch-and-kill doesn’t work. Neutering does.
Running TRNM isn’t easy. As a volunteer-driven initiative, securing funds and support is a constant struggle. “It’s a passion project,” says Liew. “We do this out of love for animals, but keeping it going depends on donations.”
No contribution is too small. “Even 1 sen makes a difference,” she insists. “Every effort to support us counts.”
But beyond funding, the toughest challenge? People. “Feral cats and dogs aren’t the problem — people are,” Liew admits. “Educating them on why we do this and why it works is the hardest part.”
This is where awareness — and advocates like David — become game-changers, shining a spotlight on TRNM’s mission and helping more people understand its importance.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The ultramarathon is a brutal challenge and David is all in.
The Route 68 Ultra’s gruelling 400km course is divided into four punishing stages. Stage 1 covers 168km, requiring runners to complete four out-and-back loops of 42km each.
Stage 2 adds another 100km, consisting of a forward and return leg with an additional detour through Janda Baik.
Stage 3 mirrors half of stage 1, covering 84km in another out-and-back loop. Finally, stage 4 is a relentless 50km push, with runners heading 25km forward before turning back. In total, the course stretches 402km, testing not just endurance, but sheer mental grit.
“Imagine 400km of hills, heat and humidity,” David remarks dryly. “It’s definitely going to hurt, but every step brings us closer to helping stray animals.”
To put that distance into perspective, it’s like running from Kuala Lumpur to Penang — then turning around and running halfway back to Ipoh.
And if that wasn’t enough, the course includes 10,200 metres of elevation gain. “That’s like climbing Mount Kinabalu 2.5 times,” he points out. “…without the great views!”
The clock starts at 9am on Tuesday and stops at 9am on Sunday.
“How you do it is entirely up to you,” he explains. “As long as you complete all 400km by the fifth day.”
The trick? Finding the right rhythm.
“You can’t start too slow, but if you go out too fast, you’ll burn out. Your muscles will fatigue and you’ll crash.”
Unlike traditional marathons, where the winner is the fastest runner, ultramarathons follow a different rule.
“In ultra running, the winner is the one who slows down the least,” he says. “Pacing is everything.”
For a planner like David, spreadsheets, meticulous calculations and a full strategy checklist are non-negotiable. But this time, it’s about more than just finishing.
With every step, he’s running for the strays. And that’s why he’s determined to see this race through to the end. And for good reason, too.
“The money raised goes straight to TNRM,” David explains. “And there’s an additional bonus — if I complete the full 400km, the pledges will double.”
“So, you’re going to complete 400km?” I ask.
He waves his hands frantically. “Don’t say that! Don’t say that!”
He doesn’t want to jinx it.
But he’s determined to give it everything he’s got.
“It’s not fun,” he admits. “Running, I mean. But there’s a sense of accomplishment in pushing through.”
I suspect that even as he battles through those gruelling loops, exhausted and aching, the beleaguered strays he’s running for will find something they’ve never had enough of — a chance. A lifeline. Hope.
He may not enjoy running, but if it helps the dogs and cats, he’s willing to suffer through a few hundred kilometres of questionable decisions.
And honestly? That’s as good a reason as any to keep going and finish the race.
For more information, please go to www.facebook.com/david.christopher.58118 or www.facebook.com/tnrmmalaysia.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd