Haze forces Malaysian fitness groups to swap outdoor runs for shopping mall laps
Air-conditioned retail corridors offer a safe space for runners as toxic air quality disrupts sports across Malaysia
By 9am on Thursday, 15 of Malaysia’s 68 air quality monitoring stations were recording unhealthy pollution levels. Readings reached 163 in Negeri Sembilan, while parts of Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring Selangor remained above 150, according to data from the Department of Environment.
At Atria Shopping Gallery in Petaling Jaya, just outside Kuala Lumpur, dozens of runners spent Wednesday evening weaving through the mall’s upper-floor corridors, clocking up laps past shops and escalators in a workout that would ordinarily have taken place on the streets.
