When I founded IIUM MY1200, my aspiration was to give cyclists in Malaysia an opportunity to attempt something beyond the distances already available locally. Audax had helped develop our long-distance cycling community. I wanted to take that spirit further with a 1,200 km challenge organised by IIUM.

Preparations were underway in 2019, including route reconnaissance. MY1200 brought together my interest in endurance cycling and my belief that a university should engage with the community beyond its classrooms.

The first edition took place from 29 February to 4 March 2020. It was Malaysia’s first organised 1,200 km self-supported cycling event. Starting and finishing at IIUM Kuantan, the route connected our campuses in Gambang, Gombak and Pagoh. Riders were given 100 hours to complete the journey.

MY1200 was not a race. Riders had to manage their own pace, food, rest, navigation and mechanical problems. It required preparation, judgement and perseverance. Along the way, they experienced Malaysia’s towns, villages and landscapes, while discovering the different campuses of IIUM.

My aspiration went beyond organising a longer ride. I wanted Malaysia to become a destination for ultra-distance cycling, with IIUM helping to make that possible. I also wanted the event to serve the community. From its first edition, MY1200 was linked to World Rare Disease Day and the Malaysia Lysosomal Diseases Association, bringing attention to patients and their families.

The second edition was held in 2024, with its management entrusted to Prestige. It continued the endurance challenge and the commitment to rare-disease awareness.

The third edition is planned for 2028, with IIUM returning as both organiser and manager. Yet, as I look towards it, I have my doubts. Can we still create an interesting 1,200 km route in Peninsular Malaysia? Many experienced ultra cyclists have already ridden much of the country. Some may feel that they know these roads well enough. Another long ride may no longer be sufficient to draw them back.

I do not yet have the answer. But familiar roads can still offer a different experience. The choice of roads, the terrain, the places we stop and the way the journey unfolds all matter. The challenge is to bring these elements together into a ride worth doing.

For the next IIUM MY1200, I hope to preserve the spirit that started it: testing our limits, discovering Malaysia and connecting with the community. I want riders to have a reason to come, and a journey worth remembering.

MY1200 began with a belief that we could go further. Preparing for 2028 means asking what “further” should now mean.