Barriers?

Find me some! Nothing feels undoable, and no fences seem visible. I must have regained my sharp sense of self and determination over the last half decade as nothing feels impossible, no barrier feels logical and practically, everything seems simple. Now don’t say I am weird! Have put it to test, and I am totally sane 🙂

We have had a few busy weekends, and we were ready for another one. It had been pouring in Bangalore for the last few months, but that day was an exception and only the sky was overcast. Manjula and I decided to head out a little early so we won’t be late for the race briefing that Friday evening. As usual, we were the first ones there! A little later one by one, they made their entrance, and after a bit of socializing, briefing was under way by 4.30pm. Riders listened intently while I went over the race rules to prepare to crew the next day.

GR Photofile: Arriving at race brief venue. Pic courtesy organizers.

GR Photofile: The brief! All very attentive 🙂 Photo courtesy organizers.

GR Photofile: Riders, crew and race director. Picture courtesy organizers.

GR Photofile: Vivek and Manjula with Sriram. Picture courtesy organizers.

I was Manjula’s sole crew so we hired two drivers who would take turns to drive. Slow driving on busy highways can be tiresome and we didn’t want to take a chance. We were preparing for a 20 hour haul you see! Little did we know at the time that Manjula will storm through those miles under 13 hours!

We were getting a little anxious as we still had things to pick up for the race. We said our goodbyes and packed up by 6.30pm to go pick up ice, and first-aid. I still needed to cook Manjula’s meals and pack ’em for the next morning. To add to all the time constraints, it was Diwali that day, and I hadn’t yet lit lamps I wanted to in and around the house! Diwali is one festival I like being a part of just for the lights! Dropped Manjula at her house and came home to light the lamps and decorate the outside! It was beautiful night with no rain, and made it easy to see flickering lamps light up the area! What a beautiful sight! Wrapping up the celebration, I got to making Manjula’s meals and packing for the race day, sorting through and remembering where each thing went. By the time I hit the bed it was close to 2am! Alarm went off at 3.30am and it was time to load up and pick up Manjula!

As I loaded up the cycle and bags in to the car, and waited for the driver to arrive, I had a sudden realization that I don’t have the key with me, and that I locked it in the trunk! Panic aside, I decided to not spend time searching for it beyond the usual places such my pockets, inside the car, and around the car as I hadn’t gone anywhere besides load up luggage from the time I pulled the car out of the garage! A mad dash by my loyal team of helpers to Manjula’s house and back to pick up the spare key I have to say, saved the day! Another incident the previous night in combination with morning’s one had me wondering if we weren’t meant to be at the race line!!! My driver fell in to the sump in the garage after parking the car, and hurt himself a little and losing the use of his phone for it was water logged! Again, my loyal helpers at the apartment came to the rescue, giving him their phone so we could communicate, and picking him up in the early hours just so he wasn’t late to take me to the race! What more can I say about someone’s loyalty and generosity? That’s what makes all these adventures so unique. Every one of them is an experience, and very varied!

Picked up Manjula just a few minutes later than planned and made our way to the race venue. As we hit the last few kms to the place, Vivek’s KYNKYNY race jeep pulled right in front of us, and Manjula and I smiled seeing that! The race was on, already 🙂 Vivek and us were the first ones to arrive, and as one by one started to arrive, a charged atmosphere was evident! Crew and volunteers started to pour in as well. It was great to see so many I know and ride with. Though having met the man, Samim, only the previous day and interacted only a little, I knew what was in store for the riders! Have heard about him but had never seen him in action and, a treat was in store! Mechanical checks, breakfast, and chatter all done, it was time to flag off the event by 7am. Manjula had her nerves in check by the time race started, and lined up behind Samim to be flagged off. It was going to be a rolling start as the first 9kms ride was going to be on traffic-heavy roads. Sriram flagged them off, Samim lead them, and all the crew cars followed the official cars.

GR Photofile: Riders, crew, volunteers and organizers. Each on their own mission.

GR Photofile: Intimidation? 🙂 Friendly warfare!

GR Photofile: Manjula and her crew.

GR Photofile: Manjula just before the race.

GR Photofile: Getting a handle on nerves before the race.

GR Photofile: Vivek. More nerves!

GR Photofile: The race

GR Photofile: Samim signaling start of the race.

GR Photofile: A little nervous himself? Every race director should be 🙂

From the moment riders hit the road, they were in good safe hands of Samim the Race Director, who constantly ensured all riders stayed in line, traffic wasn’t upon them, and kept a safe look out for all riders! As a Race Director myself, I knew this was going to be a race to remember and long for more! Samim, Sriram, and the team did a fabulous job with race details, route instructions, and management, and as we saw on the route, time-station support was on the mark. I would have been disappointed if it was otherwise!

GR Photofile: Riding together till Kengeri. Samim keeping the pack together.

GR Photofile: That was just beautiful to see all riders, disciplined and focused.

GR Photofile: Shobhit and Manjula

GR Photofile: Sam riding with Manjula

Manjula suffered through the first 30kms with muscles which were too tight, and mildly cramping. Pain was visible in her expression as she pushed to keep up, and get in to a rhythm. Once we hit Kengeri, and riders were free to pursue the target, Manjula fell behind, and knowing her, I knew it was affecting her. As for in any competition, not being the last one is a major morale booster. We hit the first aid station with her still not feeling completely at ease with the pace, but when I saw her shoot through the aid station without as much as a call for additional water, I knew she was settling in physically and emotionally, and boy was I right! She picked up speed, and started to communicate more with the crew. It was then that Samim pulled up next to her and rode along as his agenda was. It was a beautiful sight! Two power riders cruising along the highway. Sight of riders does something to me! Its that raw power that is on display, which impresses upon me the beauty of the sport!

Samim left to find Shobhit, the young rider from Mumbai, who hadn’t ridden beyond 70kms till that day! He tried on cleats for the first time that previous day during the race briefing, and here he was pedaling away on Mysore highway with a goal of completing 300kms!!! If that is not sheer determination, I can’t imagine sharing another glowing example!

Just before the second time station is when she wanted to eat any solids, and that too, handed to her as she rode! She was on a mission, and she was on a roll! She cruised through the second time station as well, and this time she looked strong. Samim was at the aid station and he rode along to catch up with her again, and after a short while rode ahead to find others. By now she was clocking about 28kms/hour on an average, peaking at 31.57kms/hr on the return.

We found Aman struggling again with his cycle, which seems to need attention quite often. This time it seemed to be his tires! We passed him and Samim, and started the Chamundi climb! She didn’t break a sweat! I was waiting for her to signal us to stop, or catch a breath before she dived headlong in to the climb! After all, she just did 140kms+ non-stop!! Not a word. All she wanted was some food handed to her, and kept pedaling. It certainly was a beautiful day for some serious cycling. Cloudy and not too hot, humid but not too stuffy. This is my first time to Chamundi, and I loved it. This is Samim’s second climb of the day already, and he was making it look as though he was riding flats. I couldn’t help but watch the man ride!!! Some power there, and some grace! Ok, before I break in to a song and dance about it, let me tell you more about the day’s ride 🙂

GR Photofile: Aman, and Samim. Aman's cycle needing attention.

GR Photofile: Shobhit's support. Manjula on the way to Chamundi.

GR Photofile: Samim and Aman.

The third time station was on top of Chamundi, where Sriram waited for us. A quick dash for a sip of water, and off she went again. She is an extremely responsible rider, and yet, I was worrying about her nutrition. It looks as though she hadn’t eaten much, but in reality, she was maintaining an even consumption routine. A banana here, a biscuit there, some protein biscuits now and then, a good dose of water, coconut water, and electrolytes.

GR Photofile: Making her way up Chamundi

GR Photofile: Love that! Samim.

GR Photofile: Half way to the top. Samim

GR Photofile: Almost up to the top. Manjula

GR Photofile: At the third aid-station on top of Chamundi. Shobhit. Samim and Aman.

As we got ready to leave the Chamundi time station, Shobhit, Aman, and Samim reached the top, and I was thinking that there was no sign of Anita. We saw and passed her support car a few times when I would stop to pick up replenishment for Manjula, but haven’t seen it in a while in the recent hours. She is one power rider too, and she has got the whole Cleated Warrior team backing her up 🙂 or rather cheering for her, and Sandeep and Reena crewing for her. Cleated Warriors is one fun team with a whole lot of potential, great show, and passion to ride and accomplish. Wondered if she had a flat or something mechanical.

GR Photofile: On her way back to Bangalore

As we hit the downhill, I was psyched, but I don’t know about my rider. She looked as though she was just getting started. Physically, I know it wasn’t exactly that, but her spirit was just getting in to the groove of things. For any endurance athlete, that is a major factor in winning or losing, or just finishing. Half way down, I saw Anita climbing. It felt good to see her, looking strong on that climb. From pictures shared by her, I know Samim met her on the uphill, and rode with her again all the way to the top! That was the third climb for Samim that day! Unthinkable? Yep!!!!

I am kind of lost for words here. I want to write so much about all the power riders that day. Each of them in their own element, fighting cramps, braving mad traffic, pushing back self-doubt, and a journey surreal. This is the first of its kind endurance cycling event in India, the Bangalore-Chamundi-Bangalore, 300k. Conceptualized by Samim and worked on by Sriram and their team, it is meant to push the barriers of endurance, and prepare riders for more to come. Cycling as a sport has picked up multifold in the last few years, and riders are itching to experiment, reach for higher goals, and push those muscles to more pain. BCB got the perfect launch. It was actually perfect to have the number of riders it did, who were in every sense of it involved in their ride, and the event, and were there for pure passion of the ride, and represented the spirit of the sport. A smashing hit among riders? A resounding yes.

Vivek, Craig, Shreyas, and Dipankar zoomed by us on our way to Chamundi, in the opposite direction, and we were guessing that some of them had already pulled in to the finish zone by the time we hit the first time-station on the way back. Later I will find out that Vivek pushed through cramps for a whole of 160kms! Major madness there is to this man! As per his self confession, he isn’t an endurance rider. He rode that day for sheer pleasure of riding an event Samim was involved in. Dipankar and Craig pulled in second and third, and Shreyas rode to the finish line after them.

GR Photofile: Manjula approaching the last timestation before reaching Bangalore

GR Photofile: Night riding begins on the way back to Bangalore

Reaching the second time station on the return marked the beginning of an end. In her mind, I knew it was time to go all out, and see if she can make it under 12 hours. I fixed the light on her cycle, and signaled for her to go for it. I wasn’t only crewing, but was also her mechanic as well! I simply love to see a good rider have what they deserve, a good machine.

As the day light faded, managing traffic that kept cutting her off got a little rough. We also realized that the light she was using wasn’t doing her any good. We tagged along doing out best to protect her from crazy riders, and drivers, hoping no one will crash her. A few almost did, and my heart would jump in to my throat as I saw the near misses. Mad rush to give her water at red lights, trying to stay with her in the traffic, and losing her on the way due to stalled traffic marked the night ride. We had once lost her that morning losing the sight of her for a minute while a car crossed her, and the knowledge that she left the water with us, with no money and phone, was traumatic enough till we found her again! I wouldn’t want to lose her at night on the rode from Kengeri to finish. Known for people being mugged, and crazy onwards traffic, it was essential to stay with her, and let her now tired senses be subjected to no additional strain. We kept watching the clock, and had been strategising for a under-12 finish. But when we had about 40kms left she already hit the 12 hour mark, and the chase was now to finish under 13 🙂 and boy did she do it. If any of you rode the Kengeri route, you will know that it is the last mile uphill that can get anyone, and this was a good 7 km uphill all the way to the finish line. You can see her power pedaling through that uphill after putting herself through 290kms already in mad traffic. I had been taking pictures of her while sitting on the car door window, and two cops on a motorcycle wanted to know what in the world I was doing! I pointed to Manjula and told them that we were in the middle of a race, and supporting her was what I was doing. They rode right next to her, looked at her, and fell back to tell me ‘cool, maadi, maadi 🙂 ‘. That was cool 🙂

GR Photofile: After the turn at Kengeri, and on the home stretch.

Samim had been following everyone’s progress, and when I updated him on Manjula’s progress he said that Anita and Shobhit were on their way, and that Shobhit was riding like a man possessed. How apt! That was exactly what I was thinking about Manjula. She was riding like a woman possessed. As the uphills seemed never ending, she started to ask the dreaded question, how many more miles to go. Right around the bend, we kept telling her. Can’t break that pace right now, and can’t have her wobbling on that cycle on the uphills. Sure as the sunrise, she pulled in to the finish line smiling, and mighty proud 🙂 Look at that smile, and what a hug I got from her! We could not believe what she just pulled off! A downtime of barely 25 minutes or so through the entire ride! Unbelievable!!! But then again, that is what endurance sport is all about. Digging deep for strength, which seems non-existent, pushing for power that only comes from sheer grit, and fighting a mind, which is fighting back.

GR Photofile: All done!

GR Photofile: The team!!!

She rolled through the finish line in 12 hours 48 minutes, and powered through the last 40kms in under 85 minutes. She just proved that endurance sports aren’t dangerous, nor are they foolish. One chooses to do it if they are ready for it. There is always the stray someone who will push that limit despite not being ready, but that doesn’t represent the general endurance athlete who prepares for it physically and emotionally. One doesn’t wake up and walk to a 100-mile start line. Lets cheer all the endurance athletes who are breaking through all barriers, and limitations to make India a proud venue for endurance sports in the months and years to come. There are so many events lined up in the next couple of months that for cycling and running in the ultra endurance category, it makes me proud to be part of it all in any which way, whether I am organizing, participating, volunteering and/or crewing. Its the complete experience that makes the sport so endearing.

Three cheers to all the organizers of BCB, Samim and Sriram for conceptualizing, visualizing and implementing, and for Samim for having ridden 350kms plus that day ensuring safety and comfort of riders. My friend Manjula who gave me the opportunity to crew for her. Every endurance athlete goes through a lot of contemplation before asking someone to crew for them. Trust, dependency, and patience is what they look for, and one too many athletes have had their races come to end just because of bad crew. Lets acknowledge all the crew members and volunteers at BCB, who worked hard to ensure this was a safe, fun, and competitive race. If you missed it, you will find the next announcement here when the organizers are ready with the next event. You can also check with Samim about their next plans. You will find him on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=259887&id=543684680&comments&ref=notif&notif_t=photo_album_comment#!/profile.php?id=744658110.

We just might go back to our old tag line of Run, Ride, Endure 🙂 We just love it all. Congratulations Manjula on a challenge well met and a win well deserved.