How Geng Lukis Malam is turning runs into giant works of art

PUTRAJAYA: Ask how he got into running and Muhammad Syafiq Salleh will provide a surprising answer: “I didn’t want to lose to her.”

As it turns out, the founder of Geng Lukis Malam (GLM), a night running club known for creating digital artworks, wasn’t inspired by a fitness influencer.

Instead, it started with a friend he met through an online gaming platform. Thanks to a little friendly competition between them, he found himself lacing up his running shoes.

“She told me she wanted to visit Malaysia, so I said, ‘Why don’t you register for a marathon? Let’s do the 10km together and after that I’ll bring you sightseeing,'” the 39-year-old recalled.

With no coach to guide him, Syafiq taught himself everything he needed to know. That led him to half marathons, ultramarathons and, eventually, a different way to view running altogether: GPS art.

A fellow runner introduced him to the concept, where carefully planned routes recorded on apps such as Strava transform into giant digital illustrations – from turtles and hibiscus flowers to fried chicken and cartoon characters.

“The idea has been around for some years but it wasn’t really known. It sounded fun, so we tried it with a small group of friends,” Syafiq, who works in the drone industry, told FMT Lifestyle.

“Then, last September, we decided to open it up to the public. And the response has been great.”

What began as a curiosity has grown into a fast-expanding running community, with hundreds of runners gathering in Putrajaya at night to create giant digital artworks using nothing more than their footsteps.

Participants, mostly in their 20s to 40s, come from across the Klang Valley, with some even driving from as far as Seremban.

Weekly sessions – Wednesdays for shorter runs and Fridays for longer ones – regularly attract between 130 and 150 people, while larger events can draw up to 300 participants.

Yet numbers have never been the goal. “It’s not even about speed,” Syafiq said. “I always tell our runners, ‘Forget about your speed. Go for perfection, meaning your drawing must be perfect and complete.'”

To that end, GLM encourages participants to slow down whenever necessary, unlike conventional running clubs. Some sections require runners to walk instead of sprint, while others demand precise turns to ensure the final image appears exactly as intended.

“This keeps things fun. Running can be boring if you take the same path every time. When you have an element like this, it keeps things exciting for the runners,” he explained.

Creating the drawings is more complicated than it looks. Each month, Syafiq and his team transform ordinary road networks into GPS artwork, mapping and testing every route to ensure the final image comes together.

Among GLM’s creations are a stegosaurus, Agumon from “Digimon”, and Grand Master Oogway from “Kung Fu Panda”.

“We only release the navigation route on the evening before each run. We want people to follow the group leader instead of running by themselves,” Syafiq added.

“Some of these routes are original creations by our members, so we also want to protect their work.”

It’s just as important that everyone feels welcome. With more than 1,300 people in the group’s WhatsApp community, he encourages his organising team to introduce themselves to newcomers after every session.

“I don’t want anyone to feel alienated. Some people have said they feel left out in other running groups because they are not fast enough. I don’t want that to happen with us,” he stressed.

Some members eventually move on to smaller running clubs, which he fully supports. “As long as you’re still running and living a healthy lifestyle, I’m happy.”

Looking ahead, Syafiq hopes to organise fun runs centred around GPS art. More than that, he hopes GLM continues showing people that running can be about far more than medals and personal bests.

“We want people to enjoy running,” he said. “If they learn how to read maps, make better use of their GPS watches, and make new friends along the way, that’s even better.”

Follow Geng Lukis Malam on Instagram.