The relay before Ramadan
The Rimba Alam Ultra Relay returns this year but Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan thinks last year’s race was more festive and fun
ON the final weekend before Ramadan, some 3,900 runners geared up for a 12-hour relay that was the second edition of the Rimba Alam Ultra Relay (RAUR) held at Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya. I had run the first edition last year — at one week pregnant, I later found out — and had so much fun we asked our friends to join this year.
I opted to rest this time around since I could not form an all-women team. But by 8am, I went to the park, with my son Murshid in tow (in his Ergobaby carrier) to watch the race. My husband was running with his friends so we were there to cheer him.
Well, I was there to cheer him. Murshid just tagged along everywhere his mum went.
I had expected the same level of excitement but this year’s edition, I think, fizzled in terms of excitement compared to the last round.
Firstly, last year’s distance was about 3.75km per loop, meaning each runner ran three or four loops. So the changing of baton was something runners waited for. This time, it’s about 1.2km per loop so the changing of baton was more frequent and there was less hype and cheering at the starting/ finish line.
The distance was also less challenging. Every team needed to finish 44 loops to qualify for medals or they could continue running to win prizes — the team which won ran the most loops. Most teams stopped at 44.
Last year, there was the 100km distance so you could see serious runners hitting the road to finish that distance, which was challenging, to say the least.
SMALLER SPACE
Somehow, I think the new venue’s space is smaller for runners to sit around so teams set up their little camps on smaller space.
Last year, at Taman Rimba Putrajaya, there was a field where participants set up their tents.
And speaking of field, I much prefer the food system last year, where a tent was set up and participants eat at the buffet bar. You get to sit with strangers and make new friends or listen to their running stories.
This year, however, the food is ready-packed, so runners eat with their friends and don’t make new ones.
I think the advantage of a relay that requires you to be at the same spot for hours is you get to socialise with new people and a buffet bar is a good way to do that.
But I must praise the organisers for the race’s bring-your-own-bottle policy. They did not provide wasteful plastic cups so each person hydrated using their own tumbler. It’s a great move to reduce wastage because let’s be honest, we runners use too many paper cups during runs.
THE ROUTE
What’s good this year is the elevation is kinder and the sun wasn’t scorching on most of the route.
I took Murshid on a stroller along some stretch to get him to doze off and the area is breezy with a lot of canopies. I imagined it would have been an enjoyable run had I participated.
The weather was also kind, at least until every team had completed 44 loops when it started raining.
I think given the lack of relays organised in the running circuit, it is still worth taking part in this one, if you have like-minded friends. Otherwise, I think I would have preferred last year’s race for its atmosphere of festivity.
Maybe it’s that, or maybe that’s just me being a sour grape that I did not run this year. Anyhow, it’s still a decent race and if the organisers take stock of the comments, I want to run the race next year and hopefully, I could have my son come cheer for me then.