My Dirt Bike Off Road Enduro Races

I started my off road adventure in early 2010 and I never thought I'd join any races because to me, I liked the sport just for leisure and wasn't into being competitive. You know, I just like to peacefully ride my quiet way through the forest.. look at the lush greenery around me.. see the beautiful sun rays shining through and butterflies fluttering around.. listening to the birds sing.

MSSC Race @ Nusajaya, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Until I see a big pool of mud in front of me and go like "Yeah! Time for some muddy fun!" or ride into soft sand and I'll go "shit, soft sand again, my tyres are going to wash off left and right" or see hill climbs that pushes me to gather my courage to go up up up! and over the slopes.

A chilled, relaxed ride was what I always found enjoyable.

At the tentage

Organized mainly by Motorcycle Safety & Sports Club (MSSC), sponsored by Dirt Wheel Singapore and Dirt Bikes Action , these races are carried out in Malaysia, Johor Bahru, because in Singapore, our non-sporty money-minded government wouldn't let any space or entertain this kind of sports. Which is also why you can probably count with either one or two hands on the number of international sportsmen there are groomed and bred in Singapore.

Not long before I started off road biking, friends started to ask when I'd want to race. They are always eager to see a female rider in action. I always shrugged off the idea, saying:

"Race? Nah, I don't want to race. Besides, I'm not that eager to come in 1st place from the back"

Race Day @ Nusajaya

There already isn't many girls doing this kind of sports, don't talk about racing. The gender ratio can be intimidating too, being:

Guys 45 : Girls 1 or 0

A friend sat me down and explained to me what racing is all about, then my revelation came through. Racing, is viewed in many perspectives by different individuals. There is no right or wrong on how one sees racing as.

Of course, to some, racing is stupid. Just plain stupidity risking your life, breaking bones, a risk to destroy your career, waste of money etc. All these, just to take a chance in beating someone else by being a second faster.

To some others, apart from the adrenaline that rushes through your veins, it's a personal goal you want to achieve through months or years of practicing. 

Cheering on the exhausted participant, Mud Man #75

To me, racing isn't all about winning. It isn't an opportunity to expand my egos.  
The ultimate challenge is, myself.
To be able to excel and perform even under pressure, overcoming different obstacles, tackling difficulties, falling yet picking my bike and myself up, completing the whole race without giving up, and finish it feeling fruitful.

"Enduro; A long-distance race for motor vehicles or bicycles, typically over rough terrain, designed to test endurance."


To me, this analogy reflects how we live our lives too. In life, it's constantly a learning curve. Sometimes we have things go our way smoothly, sometimes we encounter difficulties, obstacles which we have to learn how to endure, overcome and grow from it instead of just giving up. With determination comes perseverance to keep trying no matter how many times you fail, until you succeed. 

Chilling before my 1st race in 2010 @ Nusajaya

In the race, it's about exploring and testing your own limits, becoming better than what you used be to before. With all that in my mind, yes, I decided.. to race.

That's me in front, and no the one behind is not my marshal

There is always a briefing just before each race on the Dos and Don'ts. After which, usually a leader will guide the different classes respectively (Novice, Intermediate, Expert) one round through the race route before the actual race begins so we get familiarized.

When you fall, you get back up

Some kids, usually the Caucasians, joins in the Novice Class to race too and they're pretty good because they practice from young. Usually their dads will be in the Intermediate or Expert Class. From young, they are trained to pick themselves up even when they fall, so there you go! Something we can learn from each other :)

With a pro

The first time I raced, I remember, it felt really intimidating. Apart from myself and another female rider, the rest of the 60 over riders were guys. I was nervous and my heart beated so fast it felt like it was gonna pop out of my chest. I had to keep telling myself to calm down, breathe slowly and stay focused.

Are you ready?

When the sound horn went off, I see the whole herd of riders opening their throttles at full blast, vying to get the hole shot, eager to get ahead of everyone else, leaving chunks of dust and dirt in the air. It's like an obstinacy of buffalo rushing off for their first meal or something. While I just stay behind and look blankly at them, thinking when and how I should start moving off. Haha the audience must be thinking I am so stoned.

Powerslide

At the start of the race, there are usually obstacles like long hill climbs or thick tree logs to get everyone warming up (or falling down). Inside the race, there are:

Tight trails
Sharp corners
Big humps
Tree logs
Slippery hill climbs
Mud pools
Rocky down slopes

Sounds fun? Hell yeah. That's what I love about Enduro. It's exciting! Lol.

At the start/end point

Usually at the end point of the race, the route is more tight with some added obstacles to also slow you down so our timers have enough time to record our race number to accurately determine our race positioning.

For me, I don't care whether I come in last or not, as long as I complete the race.
For me, I don't need those obstacles to slow me down anyway because I was slow to begin with :p hurhurhur.

Dirty face

After each race or ride, my face is usually dirty. Why?
Because I get roosted when I am being overtaken by the rest of the riders, leaving me with nothing but dust and dirt getting through the part not covered - between my goggles and the lower part of my helmet. Some of the racers are quite nice, they will shout words of encouragement like "keep it up! you're going great!" before overtaking me like the speed of light.

And when I return home, my mom will be like

"Oh my god, why is your face like that? Where did you go? Play in the mud again, right?"

before turning to her husband (which is my dad) saying,

"Eh, why is our daughter like that? Why does she like playing in MUD?"

My dad will usually just stare at me with the corners of his eyes behind his thick spectacles before shaking his head and continue on with reading his newspaper. I'll just laugh it off hahaha.

Stealing this kid's ride

When I'm in the race, my number one goal is always not to fall down.
It's not something I'm afraid of, but something I aim for not to happen because picking up your bike uses up a lot of energy. During a race, you'll need as much energy to beat the heat, obstacles and clock as many laps as possible within the stipulated time frame.

My next goal in the race would be to try to be faster. It feels good to overtake others :)
(Ok fineee, most of the time when I get to overtake another racer is because they are stuck in mud or their bike stall. STILLLL, I overtook okay! :p I don't care, that counts)

When I'm inside the tight trails where the width is only enough for one bike, riders who find themselves stuck behind me will rev their engine by throttling, or shout at me to give way (which I can't). I can actually feel their frustration through the sound of impatient revving. Oh well, as I have been advised by many, ignore them and don't let them get me nervous. If they are good enough, they'll find a way to overtake me without me having to give way. If not, just stay behind until the trail widens.

During my first race, under pressure, I tried to give way to a rider behind me. I ended up hitting against the side of the trail and falling down. So happen, when I showed sign of giving way, the rider accelerated to overtake me. But because I fell just as he was overtaking me, his front wheel hit my head and the rider was shocked, concerned if I was injured. Luckily, my helmet saved my head and I signaled him I was okay.

I never gave way to ANYONE ever since. Lol.

My favourite riding gf and I, coming in 1st & 2nd respectively

Sometimes if I was the only female racing, there would not be a Female Rider Category because the number was too small. In the above instance where there were at least 5 - 8 female riders (Malaysians welcomed), it was a sweet surprise that my girlfriend came in 1st, and I followed 2nd, beating the other females and even some of the guys in Novice Class. I felt accomplished :)

"Not just a pretty face!" some say :p hehe