RED BERET CHALLENGE 2012

So, after what felt like quite a long lay off, I finally managed to participate in another mountain bike jamboree, the Red Beret Challenge 2012, in Paroi, Negeri Sembilan just a week before Ramadan. It was a challenge-cum-jamboree. This would be my last jamboree until sometime late September after the end of Shawal when there will be a chance for another two jamborees each in Rawang and Serdang, respectively.

The Red Beret Challenge 2012 was organized by mountain biking enthusiasts from Unit 7th of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) of the Royal Malaysia Police, a component within the police force responsible for the task of maintaining public order and security. Being what they are and with the resources available to them, a high standard was expected of them in their organizing and running of the event. They too, I believe, would not expect any less than what we all hoped for.

A total of three hundred and fifty mountain bikers were there at the jamboree. I have been made to understand that more could have participated but the organizers had chosen to limit the participation to ensure a smooth and orderly running of the jamboree. Eight bikers from our group, E.T. Riders, were there to participate in the event. These are the regular bikers that you can expect to see at almost every jamboree unless for some reasons, they are unable to be there.

The Red Beret trail was thirty-eight kilometres long, a balanced mix of sealed and and offroad tracks that included some stretches of oil palm tracks and single trails running along the foot of a range of forest-clad hills that overlooks part of the trail area. Although there were not many hills waiting to challenge the bikers during the ride like in some previous jamborees, there were two relatively stern ones that we had to contend with. For me, these two were enough to get my heart pumping well above its maximum rate and which had finally caused me to dismount and forced me to push the bike instead to get over them. The trail, however, was not totally alien to me though since I had the opportunity of riding a part of it in a previous jamboree I attended  early last year. That trail was much harder and much more demanding than the Red Beret Challenge's. Nevertheless, the Red Beret trail was still an interesting trail to ride. It is, after all, a trail that I don't get a chance to ride often.

So, how did it go? Well, I guess those men in blue with the red berets did it. That's by my personal reckoning since no complaints nor protests were heard related to the jamboree; not at least from members of my own group. They had only good words to say. It was a smooth jamboree and a well organized one that went well without hiccups. The trail was well thought out and the administrative and logistic arrangements satisfactory. There was enough water to keep the bikers hydrated and plenty of bananas to keep them re-energised while riding. Of course, the marshalling and the traffic control were laudable to say the least. That was to be expected. The ride started on time and there was no delay in waiting for some top brass or some bigwigs to arrive to flag off the event or listening to some long speeches before the ride like in some previous jamborees we attended. Long speeches and anxious bikers at the start line all ready and raring to go make for poor combination at jamborees.

How did we fare and how did we take it? Not too bad, I reckon. Although we were there just for the ride and not the challenge and doing it at our own pace, we still did not do too badly. All except one completed the ride. We were there only to challenge ourselves and enjoy the ride. We are happy to note that we did and got the enjoyment we all sought for.The one who did not was only because of some mechanical hitch beyond his control which prevented him from completing the ride.

Now that the holy and blessed month of Ramadan has set in, the question about exercising during this month of self denial begs some consideration. Reading from somewhere, it is stressed that exercising during Ramadan is important in order to maintain balance. Balance is achieved when our spiritual, mental and physical life is maintained. The physical self is kept strong through a light workout.

You need not lay off your bike during this fasting month. You can still do some light cycling or whatever other workout that suits you in order to maintain your balance. So see you cycling somewhere sometime this Ramadan.