Pushing the limit is part of human DNA. It has led to some of the great discoveries that have benefited mankind. It has also led to physical feats that boggle the mind. The first trip to Mt Everest comes to mind or for that matter the first trip across Antarctica by Bellingshausen and Lazarev in 1821. People in Goa too are doing astonishing feats. Over the weekend five cyclists undertook a 600 km cycle ride from Goa (Hawai garden, Holy Trinity beach) to Padibudri and back to Goa (Hawai Garden, Holy Trinity beach). These five cyclists were attempting this distance for the first time. And importantly they completed the distance in the time allotted for the task. For many of them it was a battle against the flesh and the mind.
For Dr Rahul Hegde the entire experience was at a different level. He said he started cycling just a year ago. He was then thinking about his health. He said he lived a very stressful life with the pressures of work and was unable to focus on his health. It was important for him to get that balance. Otherwise he said there was danger of falling victim to lifestyle diseases like Diabetes. Cycling, he said, burns the calories and maintains fitness. He was cycling over 50 kms every day. It gave him a sense of discipline. Over a period of time he learnt about the various distances one could cycle over. The day the race commenced, it was characterised by very hot weather which caused problems for everyone. He said, “My fellow riders were also quite low in energy. Everyone cycled together to maintain the spirit”. He said the last 50 kms was the toughest in the entire journey. He said, “You are without energy and you are going only in spirit. You have pushed yourself mentally and that is where the rest of the cyclists who are accompanying you make all the difference.”
Another of the five was Ivo Costa. He laughed and said,” It was crazy and all my friends thought I was cuckoo”. He had done the 200, 300 and 400 km and the 600 km was the final hurdle. This is part of the Super Randonneur series which has to be completed in one year. It starts in November and will end in October. This was the first time he was cycling such a distance. He was not an athlete in school but had taken a liking to the outdoors thanks to his fondness for hiking and other adventure activities. He was however into running including half marathons. Once he started working, he was very busy. He worked very long hours. The lockdown gave him time to reassess. He was having problems with vertigo, a problem he said his friends revealed their parents suffered from. To sort this problem he started walking and running. However things changed when he started cycling. He joined the cycling club ProPedalerz based in Margao and was gradually introduced to DRM.
He started cycling at 6 in the morning and the aim was to cover 325 kms on the first day. He planned to rest for two hours and woke up at 3 am in the morning. He left at 4 in the morning. He had to click photographs and swipe atms along the way to confirm his route. The final destination was Padibudri. He said, “Everyone said the 600 would be easier when compared to the 400 km race. He 400 starts in the morning and finishes in the early hours of the morning the next day. This meant there was not much time to sleep”. When he started his race, he suffered a sprain in his leg in the first 70 kms. He had to search for a spray and eventually found it in a pharmacy. Several club members he met at various points gave him advice as to how one could deal with a sprain. He said it was so hot, they had to stop at regular intervals to pour water on themselves. The body he said was exhausted but the mind was motivated to continue. He said after the sprain, he fell behind. To make up, he said he cycled very fast in the last two hours. He said he was part of a group of four. They all completed the race in the allotted time.
The group comprised people from different professions. Amey Prabhudesai is a businessman with a finger in many pies. He said, “I’m a businessman by profession and have little time to do workouts so I appointed a personal trainer. After a few days he too stopped coming to my place. My family doctor advised me to reduce my weight as I was overweight”.
He said that becoming a ‘Super Randonneur’ was one of the best things that happened to him. Randonneuring, he said, was a race against oneself more or less. His goal in 2023 was to complete a 200 and 300 BRM, but thanks to the support from his cycling friends, he decided to go for it and somehow achieved it. He said. “Becoming an SR is not about completing the distance or earning a title, but is about the journey and the experience of pushing yourself to the limits you never imagined of. It’s about the camaraderie and sense of accomplishment that comes with overcoming unexpected challenges on the road. I enjoyed each and every moment during the journey and was often astonished by the results we can achieve if we have control of our minds”. He added that he intended to do LRM this year by completing the 1200 km journey from Goa to Rameshwaram.
The group also involved a woman who was a teacher from Chorao. Kritika Bhandari who teaches computers to students between the 5 th and 10 th standard had diabetes at 42. It was suggested she take up cycling during the lockdown. She started cycling 50 kms everyday. Her sugar is now under control and she does not consume tablets for her diabetes. In 2023, she cycled 21, 680 kms and this year she has already done 600 kms. She said during the race she was not feeling well. She had a problem with acidity which meant she felt like vomiting. She had a bit of breakfast and some oranges and nothing else. The lack of sleep made her feel giddy and she thought she would not be able to finish. She decided it would take her 6 hours to cover 100 kms. Her speed she said was very slow but her determination won the day.
It was a journey they said they would never forget and one that would motivate them to greater heights in the future.
