Feeling on top of the world
Nothing short of will power got manager to finish endurance bike race
GEORGE TOWN: After failing to join the police force three years ago for falling short in her height, Nur Azhani Mohamad Anil Shah made up for it by scaling the Himalayan range on a bicycle.
“The minimum height requirement to be a cop is 157cm. I am 154cm.
“Although I was a bit disappointed then, I’ve put it all behind me. Now I feel like I’m on top of the world,” the 29-year-old recruiting manager said.
Her group of seven men and three women took part in the High Altitude Cycling Expedition 2017 (Annapurna Circuit), riding 5,416m above sea level to reach the Thorong La Pass of the mountain range in Nepal last May.
The feat earned them a mention in The Malaysia Book of Records for being the first group to cycle on high altitude track, including covering a distance of 260km.
“I was the first Malaysian woman among our group to reach the top, which is the highest pass in the world at Thorong La Pass,” she said.
Nur Azhani said they spent months preparing for the expedition, including endurance training in Broga Hills and Batu Caves.
“We carried our 13kg bike up to the hill from January to March.
“This training was crucial as there were certain routes along the 260km journey which were not rideable.
“I have always been passionate about running and have taken part in the Tokyo Marathon. This helped to maintain my strength and stamina for the challenge.
“My only goal was to complete the race, whatever it took,” she said, adding that they took 11 days to reach the finishing point on May 18.
“My next target is to hike on foot to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is the highest mountain in Africa at almost 6,000m above sea level,” Nur Azhani said.
A total of 200 people applied to join the expedition, which was sponsored by the Malaysian Recreation Council, but only 10 were picked.