1200 km, a once in a lifetime ride: Kunaal Malhotra

Herald: How does it feel to complete 1200 km from Goa to Kanyakumari?

Kunaal Malhotra: The 1200km ride organised by Trigoa was a once in a lifetime type of a bicycle ride for me, having cycled in different parts of India earlier this was entirely different as I got to not only ride from one State to another across borders but had to do so in a limited time period of 90 hours along with some of the best endurance riders Goa has to offer.

Herald: How did you prepare for the ride?

KM: I initially never intended to do this ride and had set my mind on completing just the Super Randonneur Series which includes the 200kms, 300kms, 400kms & 600kms BRM rides within a calendar year, however we managed to complete the entire series strongly within 42 days and decided to attempt this massive ride. The earlier rides totalling up to 2000 kms helped get not just me but the others in shape as well to complete this ride. We also had a lot of help from Rajesh, the ride organiser to plan out the entire ride, including where to stop for meals and rest as well as how to reach the control points on time.

Herald: Did you face any difficulties during the ride? How did you manage to overcome them?

KM: We knew from the onset that there would be a lot of challenges we needed to overcome to complete this massive ride, starting with a lot of elevation for the first day of riding which included the Arabail Ghat and the steady climb there onwards till we reached Bangalore, to the gusty headwinds and overpowering heat of riding through Tamil Nadu coupled with the exhaustion which would have reached its peak on the last day due to almost 4 days of continuous riding with very little rest. First and foremost, we had to be mentally prepared to face these challenges as any endurance rider would tell you that Endurance is just a mind game! Apart from this we had to be fully self- sufficient, each rider had to carry everything he needed for the ride as well be prepared for any mechanical failures. 

 Herald: How was the weather when you travelled from one state to other? What about the condition of roads?

KM: We started with the lush greenery and elevation of the Konkan which provided us some cover during the hot afternoons but as we got to the interiors of the country we found beautiful wide roads but very less to no tree cover along with a lot of headwinds and heat that slowed us down during the second afternoon. Luckily the only climbing we had to do were the continuous flyovers that never seemed to end!

Herald: What was strategy when you began the ride?

KM: We had a simple strategy for the ride, to ride at a good pace which we could keep up comfortably till the end, meet our target control points on time and to get as much sleep as possible so as to prevent exhaustion for as long as possible. We targeted around 240 kms the first day which had the most climbing and managed a 5 hour rest time at night, 320 kms on the second day with a 4 hour rest time and the toughest day being the third with 350 kms and just a 3 hour rest period so that we could finish the ride in time keeping enough of a buffer puctures or small repairs.

Herald: What was your diet during and after the event?

KM: For me personally I was eating 5 meals a day and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. My diet mostly included lots of carbs and proteins along with 6-8 bananas a day along with other fruits to get adequate levels of sodium, potassium and magnesium to prevent muscle fatigue and cramping.

Herald: Did you face any Saddle sores during the ride? How did you deal with them?

KM: Having done a lot of riding prior to this event, all of us were well equipped to deal with riding for longer durations on the saddle as we used Chamois Butter to prevent chaffing and saddle sores along with good quality padded shorts for cycling. Some of us wore double shorts to stay comfortable for longer periods of time but the trick to preventing saddle sores was simply adjusting your position on the saddle at regular intervals and stopping for regular breaks and stretching the muscles.

Herald: What gear ratio seemed perfect during the 1200km ride?

KM: All of us were on road bikes and had anywhere from 16 to 22 gear combinations on our bicycles, most of us would be using a higher cadence or spin more so as to not tire the legs. Easier gears (1x9 or 1x10) were used for climbing with higher gears only used on flat roads or downhills.

Herald: What would be your advice for those who would want to attempt 1200 km?

KM: Showing up at the start line is half the battle won! One has to be mentally prepared to be able to ride alone and take care of oneself for a ride leg this, however that being said, I was fortunate enough to have brilliant company on this ride with most of us sticking together almost throughout the ride. A ride like this develops a sense of camaraderie among the riders and the friendships developed are definitely ones that last a lifetime.

Herald: Have you seen any changes in your life after the 1200?

KM: I feel more confident in tackling my goals after completing this ride, I have realised that a big or small goal is all in your mind. If you work hard enough and approach your goal in a practical manner, there is a lot one can achieve through success or failure!