Faizul, 44, was running along Jalan Ulu Klang in Ampang early yesterday morning when, in the distance, he saw the headlights of a car.

“It was around 6.20am,” he told FMT when contacted. “There were two lanes and I was running on the left lane dedicated for runners.

“The right lane was for cars to pass through, and there were divider cones in between.”

Faizul said it was still dark at the time, and that there were no lights in the area.

“I heard the divider cones getting hit, and then I saw the headlights and it looked like it was entering the runners’ lane.”

Before he could do anything, though, the car had ploughed into him.

Faizul, who is the political aide to Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, said it felt like he was “dragged” for several seconds.

“I wasn’t flung, but I felt like I was being dragged.”

The next few moments were a blur, he added. He was aware of runners and medical assistants rushing to his side.

“I tried to sit up but I really felt like I couldn’t, so I laid back down on the ground.”

In about 10 minutes, emergency personnel had arrived at the scene and Faizul was taken to Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

There, the father of three was told he would have to undergo extensive surgery to fix fractures to his hip and pelvis.

He is currently seeking treatment at KPJ Seremban, with surgery scheduled for Wednesday.

“I remember feeling nothing but shock,” he said.

“Now the doctor tells me I need to insert two metal plates for my injuries.”

He cannot remember if the car stopped after hitting him, but was told by others that it sped off.

The number plate, which fell off, was traced to a Honda City.

Faizul was one of three runners who were injured when the car ploughed through safety barriers set up at the Middle Ring Road.

A spokesman for the Ampang Jaya traffic police confirmed that all three had been taking part in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon.

“One of the victims suffered critical injuries and the other two suffered light injuries,” he said.