Paris, Aug 2015. Had a good 55 km ride yesterday, went to the start point National Velodrome. What struck me was the peace and serenity all around. Traffic light and quiet, people unhurried, wide boulevards 400ft wide lined with tall trees. Old people walking dogs, couples holding hands and enjoying their walk, sporadic runners, people sitting on the bistros on the pavement and enjoying their food and coffee. And the cycle tracks on the roads,…
Belgaum 1000, oops Dharwad 868
A wonderful 868km brevet to Dharwad and back, the bonding exercise between me and the new Merida Ride 500 road bike went off well. Bad food at a Dhaba before Hubli at 320km and plate meals dinner with poori at Hubli curtailed our ride. We were an hour ahead of the control time at Hubli and 30kms after (near Dharwad), when the after-effects of bad food showed up, causing extreme sleep in Somaskanda and a…
Night ride and early morning run
Night ride on OMR Road – The first century After multiple 10K runs during the week, it was time to rotate the legs over the weekend. The new Merino wool Baselayer and socks to provide the warmth for the cold nights of PBP arrived a couple of weeks back from UK and needed to be tested. So it was to be on the night of Friday, a quick 100KM on the Old Madras Road to…
Remembering Challakere 400
Remembering my first 400 ride two years after, my debut DNF.. The road to the future, discovered via cycling three years ago. Well, the future is always interesting and meanders all the way. And when we reminisce the past as FB did for me today, they are wonderful memories. This was my second brevet (400km), my first night ride, where I enjoyed gazing up the stars lying down on a bench outside a closed tea…
Tristate 200 – Fast & Furious
I have a new bike now! Merida 500 – Endurance geometry road bike with Ultegra components. After testing this on Old Madras Road (104kms) and Nandi (126 kms) over the last two weekends, I was eagerly looking forward to this brevet this Saturday. The route – BLR(BTM)- Krishnagiri-Kuppam-Berigai-Bagalur-Sarjapur-BLR(HSR). A perfect weather made the Sat glorious. The first half (100km) was zippy done in 3h:11min thanks to downhill & tail winds, my century PB. The second…
“Hot hallucinations” – Chennai 1000
When Road Beast 1000km brevet debuted last year, I was keen to ride, but had to miss due to travel. 2015 being a PBP year, I thought it would be nice to do a 1000km training ride.Knew that this is going to one hot ride, literally, as the route is Chennai-Vijayawada-Chennai. On the saddle on at 6AM, it was zippy non-stop ride to the first control point 107km away. Two cream filled buns eaten while…
Mr Piriformis
Mr Piriformis, sorry to have upset you and tied you up in knots. I understand the mistake of not stretching after pacy runs over the weekend. You have shown what pain in the lower back means. After unable to walk properly on Tue, thank you for loosening up on Thu. I promise that you will get really warmed up and have a good workout starting Friday as we cycle to Vijayawada from Chennai, 1000km brevet….
Pedestrians, chickens and a blind man
We seem to love fate!. Here are FOUR stories that illustrate this! #1: “ Was I tempting fate?” Near my house, the main road has been shutdown thanks to BBMP’s multi-year plan to widen the main road. Hence the service road breaks the brunt of traffic. And when a jam occurs, the motorcyclists take to the granite-slab pavement. Poor pedestrians. As a cyclist I either push/follow-the-pedestration on the pavement. Today a motorbiker was hell bent…
Auroville 2015 – A dream debut FM
Friday night: The dream… As I went to bed on Friday, all I thought about was my first FM (Full Marathon) the coming Sunday at Auroville. Despite a few FM distance practice runs to understand if I could really do it, the mind was filled with trepidation. I was keen to finish strong, finish in less than FIVE hours and get back to normal cycle rides the next day. I wanted no blisters, stiff muscles…
“Sleepy Shimoga” 600km brevet
After the MR400 (Jawadhu Hills) brevet last weekend, it was Shimoga 600 at BLR this weekend. An evening start on Fri 4PM, it was two nights, one-day brevet. BLR had been chilly lately and I was curious how the two nights were going to be. Well it turned to be more than I bargained for! Squiggled through the BLR traffic jam near IISc, then it was much quicker as we hit the Mangalore highway.120 kms…