Extreme Activities: Adventure Race (Part 2 Of 2)

Back for more on this adventure race series? Then you’ll get to know how to become more risk-taking. First, find your favourite types of adventures. Then consider joining the adventure racing community. This will stimulate your competitive side. How about inviting your best friends to join your extreme activities? Nothing beats the joy and fun of having your pals to be part of your adventure memories. Wait… “What if I’m not skilled enough?”, or “It’s too dangerous!”. These restraining voices might pop up in your head often. But hey, once you’ve decided to participate in your very first adventure race, everything else will fall into place. If you’re like me and it seems like you’re always trying to find the next exciting thing to do, keep reading to find out how to become a skilled adventurer in no time.

A man kayaking at a lake surrounded by mountains in Canada, an extreme activity if done in dangerous waters. — Kayaking is one of the most utilised sport in adventure racing taking up at least three legs of adventure racing competitions. So, get those muscles ready because you’re going to need that extra boost if you want to win.
Photo by Jaime Reimer from Pexels

A Good Balance Of Fun, Views And Extreme Activities

Assuming we’re all beginners here, let’s start at the beginning. Focusing on preparing to be a part of the adventure racing community. Or discover if it’s even the right sport for you at all. I fulfill some of my common adventure cravings by visiting adventure parks, all unique to their localities. In Malaysia, there’s the Escape Theme Park in Penang, Malaysia which I frequent with my family every year on our heritage road trip. Full of activities for the brave like ziplining, obstacle courses in the air, and leaping from a tower called Atan’s Leap. That last one is actually scary.

A smiling girl indulging in extreme activities like this ziplining obstacle course. — Ziplining is one of my favourite activities to do in extreme parks. The first push is terrifying because you’re so high up in the air. But then you feel like you’re suddenly floating above the trees and it becomes magical.
Photo by Mam NC from Pexels

But if you’re looking for something more easygoing and scenic, why don’t you try hiking on a trail. The time for my first hike is way overdue but even first-time adventure seekers would be able to conquer these hikes. It’s therapeutic and a great sport to start right away. You can learn more about the different hiking trails in Malaysia through one of our fellow writers, adventurer Azlina Ali’s amazing hiking experience in Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi.

Two hikers walking into a forest where the sunlight is seeping through the trees. — A hike may seem like a child’s play when we think about adventure racing. But it is no less rewarding when you chance upon the unexpected beauty of the location’s surroundings. The hiking trail might just be in your neighbourhood. This magical forest is in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Photo by Marco Ellenberger from Pexels

Start Local, Then Go Global

Hold on to your shoes because we are going one step further to venture on a journey that you will even self-doubt. So make sure you’ve mastered most of the intermediate training because you are definitely going to use them. We are heading from a curved road to a steep, almost straight unpaved ground to reach our goal of becoming a professional adventure racer.

A man walking up a steep hill to the top of a mountain, which is considered as one of the extreme activities if the mountain is high. — The process of becoming an experienced adventure seeker is depicted in this image. Like how hiking up a mountain only gets steeper the higher you go. Similarly, it won’t be easy to get to our goal but everything will make sense and worth the while in the end.
Photo by ArtHouse Studio from Pexels

Let’s look beyond your surroundings and find a beautiful location that you’ve had always heard stories about and have only dreamt of exploring. It may be a tourist attraction in your country or a UNESCO world heritage site. As a Malaysian, I’ve always wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. To see a blanket of clouds floating right below my eyes, emblazoned with golden rays of sunshine. Taking that first breath of crisp air. I’m way ahead of myself right now, but one day, I’ll be able to scream “MUM, I DID IT TOO!” and you can too.

A view above the clouds from the top of Mount Kinabalu. — I can only imagine the pride I would feel if I were to conquer Mount Kinabalu… And of course, the boasting I get to make to my friends. But in the end, the first view is what I want to remember. This is the view from the top of Mount Kinabalu.
Image by Taras Kretyuk from Pixabay

Let’s Be World-Renowned Adventure Racers!

Now, for the time you have been waiting for, it’s adventure racing time. You’ve done the basic training on how to survive in the wild. You’ve done all the staple sports of adventure races and extreme activities. And you’ve mastered the art of not giving up. I think you might be ready to enter an adventure race with the right set of teammates. There are so many races opening up every couple of months. But the downside is that many of them are organised in the United States, Canada and Ireland. Unfortunately, not many races are organised in Asian countries, including Malaysia. This means many missed opportunities to sharpen your skills unless you have the time and budget to travel farther from your home country.

A man laying down in a tent, looking out at a view of the seaside. — A camper looking out of his tent to a beautiful seaside view, a common routine for avid adventurers. I have never camped outdoors yet, but I hope one day I can wake up to a scenic view like this.
Photo by Brady Knoll from Pexels

Competition And Exploring The World? Yes, Please

So, the next best thing is international competitions. There’s one very well-known competition in the community called the Adventure Racing World Series. They go to various countries and stage a race consisting of various extreme activities attracting young adventurers whilst passing through different amazing locations. Malaysia is actually hosting another world series race in Miri, Sarawak to Sabah, in Borneo this year. Sadly, applications just ended this April 2021, so it’s too late for us. They’re set to begin on 23 June 2021 lasting for eight days straight. So far, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed schedules but hopefully, the adventure gods are with us and everything goes according to plan.

A man spreading his arms in the view of vast mountains and clouds. — Another cloud and mountain picture, I know. But this spectacular view comes from Ranau District, Sabah in Malaysia. A sneak peek of the beauty awaiting the Adventure Racing World Series racers this year.
Photo by Pat Whelen from Pexels

Where’s The Starting Line?

Look online on Facebook and Instagram for any opening races near you. Once travelling becomes available again, visiting another country for a collaborated race might not be such a bad idea. Something fresh for the eyes and soul is what you might need after being stuck at home for months on end. And definitely some alone time away from the constant bickering of your siblings. That said, it might not be such a great time to be interested in a sport that requires you to be out in the nature. But don’t worry, just add it to the top of your list of things to do when quarantine is over, and you’re set. You have all this time to prepare, so get on your mark, get set, GO!

Two girls and one boy happily posing in starting position and ready to start running. — Squeeze in some time, maybe once a week to do your hikes, sports, and training. Invite your friends along as your motivation, if you must. Keep it going and you’ll be a pro adventurer in no time!
Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels

The Training You Need And Want, Made For Extreme Activities!

It’s very difficult to find adventure organisations here in Malaysia, especially ones for extreme activities. The demographic is not large enough yet, even when the country has so much to offer. But standards are standards, so go get your required training and experience before joining the fun. GAC Adventure Consultant has what it takes to tackle all your requests from essential adventure skills to wilderness medical courses. Not only do they provide training, but they also service hands-on experience with programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and Team Sailing. It’s so inspiring to find an organisation in Malaysia being so passionate about honing the skills of adventurer wannabes. Go check it out to see if it sparks inspiration for you as well. C’mon, let’s be adventurous!

A women sitting in an outdoors tent pointing to a place on a map. — Even if you are not into adventure racing, training to survive in the wild would come in handy when zombies start attacking us or when aliens finally come to invade our planet… just saying.
Photo by Josh Hild from Pexels

Turn thoughts into action. Take this poll to tell the world you’re ready to conquer your fears and become happier by telling us what you want to achieve. Share your goals and motivations in the comments below if your activity isn’t in the poll. We can inspire others to try new adventures and make new friends along the way. Good luck and have fun!