Our Team
Shahid Shayaa
Shahid Shayaa is the founder of Runcation Malaysia and the driving force behind its “run, recover and rejuvenate” philosophy.
A long-time advocate of natural wellness and the founder of a global Tongkat Ali brand AKARALI, he exploring new trails, discovering hidden getaways and studying the power of natural herbs that complements the need for revitalization, longevity, strength and endurance.
As an avid trail runner, traveler and data-driven entrepreneur, he blends years of corporate, marketing, hospitality and analytics experience with a deep love for mountains, forests, beaches and mindful movement to create runcation experiences made by runners, for runners.
A long-time advocate of natural wellness and the founder of a global Tongkat Ali brand AKARALI, he exploring new trails, discovering hidden getaways and studying the power of natural herbs that complements the need for revitalization, longevity, strength and endurance.
As an avid trail runner, traveler and data-driven entrepreneur, he blends years of corporate, marketing, hospitality and analytics experience with a deep love for mountains, forests, beaches and mindful movement to create runcation experiences made by runners, for runners.
Fatin Nadia
Fatin Nadia is the core heartbeat of Runcation Malaysia, laying the foundation for seamless execution, delivery and marketing activities. As an avid road runner, she’s most at home on long, easy miles through the city, participating in community runs, and half-marathons that end with good coffee, local delicacies and laughter. Fatin sets the tone and vision of runcation experiences in Malaysia to ensure that it feels like a beautiful escapade - runs that flow like conversation, slow mornings with good coffee, journaling by the sea, and evenings spent sharing stories under the stars — where every trip leaves your legs tired, your heart light, and your spirit deeply rested. Off the road, she’s a curious soul who loves books, slow travel, and discovering little rituals of natural wellness that purify her soul.
Carly Balmforth
Carly Balmforth is Runcation Malaysia’s event director and our resident guide, ensuring operational excellence in all aspects of our offering. Being an experienced trail and ultradistance runner for more than a decade, she has competed widely across Asia, taking part in races in Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Korea, giving her broad experience across different terrains, climates, and race formats.
Originally from the United Kingdom and currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Carly has completed several major endurance running events, including the Coast 2 Coast 444 km, Route 68 Ultra 400 km and TransNaning 100-miler. She is also qualified for the Asia Trail Master (ATM) Final four times and is an ATM Grandmaster Two Stars, earned through completing an extensive series of ATM-labelled races across the region.
Carly enjoys sharing local routes and helping visiting runners experience Malaysia’s trail scene in a practical, welcoming way. Her approach to running is straightforward and grounded, focused on consistency, exploration, and time spent on the trails.
Min Xiang Lee
Min Xiang Lee is a Malaysian trail and mountain runner known for his successful “career” transition from road racing into the competitive world of off-road endurance. He has represented Malaysia on the international stage, starting from his regional debut at the 2024 Southeast Asia Trail Running Cup in The Philippines to racing both the Vertical KM and the Short Trail categories at the 2025 World Mountain & Trail Running Championships in Spain — a milestone that highlights his technical ability and climbing strength.
Within Malaysia, Min has continued to rise among the ranks through a series of challenging ultras and mountain races, consistently placing well in the top 3. He’s the champion of both the 2024 Bukit Kiara Ultra Challenge 12-hour category and the 2024 Trail Titans Kiara Hill 16km category, which demonstrates his familiarity with Bukit Kiara as his main training ground. Training on Kuala Lumpur’s varied, jungle-covered trails, he blends disciplined road-running efficiency with growing trail agility. Welcoming and grounded, he enjoys helping visiting runners explore Malaysia’s diverse and energetic trail-running landscape.
Marwan Faiz
Marwan Faiz is Runcation Malaysia’s resident mountain goat and wellness alchemist in one. A certified clinical weight-loss coach and forest bathing guide, he blends functional medicine principles including forest bathing to help people reset their bodies and minds. He regularly participates in UTMB-organized events such as Cameron Ultra (60km), Chiang Mai in Thailand and many other sports community events. During his free time, he accompanies curious first-timers into the forests of Mont Kiara Hills, inspiring many others to join trail running events.
For Runcation Malaysia, he envisions trips where runners arrive tired from city life and leave a little wilder: dawn runs through jungle singletrack, slow forest-bathing walks, shared meals designed for metabolic health, and evenings spent planning the next adventure under a sky full of stars.