Lounge talks to three ultra cyclists preparing for Race Across India on how to train and manage their nutrition
In 2018 Mahesh Kini started cycling as a hobby. He started with short rides around Mumbai and gradually progressed to longer brevets, improving his mileage and speed over time.
Last November, he completed his longest race, the Deccan Cliffhanger, which runs 643km from Pune to Goa, and is looking for his next challenge. When I first heard of Race Across India (RAIN), it seemed like the perfect test of endurance to level up in the world of ultra cycling. “Whenever I think of racing, the first thing is that it should scare me. Like they say, if your dreams don’t scare you, it’s not big enough.
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RAIN is India’s longest running ultra-cycling race and the numbers are staggering. The 3,651km ride will set him off from Srinagar on March 1, passing through New Delhi, Jhansi, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and finishing in Kanyakumari. In total he gains an elevation of 18,950 meters while traversing some of the country’s busiest highways. Solo his rider aged 18 to his 49, he has 12 days to complete this distance.
In recent months, Kini has followed a regular training routine, spending about 12-16 hours in the saddle each week. In addition to riding, he spends a lot of time strength training, doing three weekly sessions that primarily focus on his leg muscles.
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“There was a time when I believed in bodyweight training and was skeptical about joining the gym. I do a lot of certain squats, leg curls and core strength exercises.
As time went on, the results continued, especially during long rides. These days, not only does he run faster, but he can keep exercising for longer periods of time without feeling fatigue or pain. Now I can easily go 33-35 km/h, which is a big improvement,” he says.
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Recently, West Coast weather allowed Kini to stay on the highway for long rides. But winter fog in northern India has forced many cyclists like his Summer Bansal, 39, to train indoors. A weekly goal of around 450 km indoors is a big task for his trainer, and the monotony of the whole effort is often a burden. However, he recognizes the importance of sticking to a training plan given the enormous distance at hand.
“It is important not to stop during training until at least 150-200 km. You have to keep your sex, it helps you keep your distance mentally,” he says. “It’s a very long race, so you can’t really train. For example, you don’t know how your body will behave after a few days of riding. The idea is to plan the little things and it adds up. It makes all the difference,” he added.
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After riding the Shivalik Signature, a 615km ultra-cycling race that runs twice through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, Bansal has a better understanding of his nutritional needs. His daily calorie intake is a combination of protein and carbohydrates where he has 3,000 calories, but on weekends when he runs 250 km, it increases to about 4,000 calories. During the race, he believes the right mix of nutrition and sleep will be key when it comes to recovery.
“My intake is based on how many calories I burn on the ride. If I eat less calories than planned, I have a longer recovery period. Refueling is key when riding for days in a row,” he says.
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Manish Saini, 43, took a year-long course in sports nutrition to better understand fueling. His original goal was Iron Man, but an injury forced him to focus on RAIN. Much of his training out of the saddle is based on strength training, preferring to use bodyweight instead of equipment.
“Working out in an indoor gym with weights has never appealed to me. ,” he says.
These days, he’s been experimenting with food on his weekly long rides and hopes to quickly reach the right ingredients to fuel his races. He says he can do it and is also working on the mental side of the sport.
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“Biking is very difficult to climb. Start at a slow pace and after 5 hours you realize you have done less than 30% of the day’s distance. This is the best form of mental training to prepare for the race,” he says.
Over the next few weeks, Kini plans to continue his efforts to push his body before embarking on a taper phase that takes on a lighter workload. still accepting. That’s when you realize you have to get in the saddle and start pedaling.
“Every day there’s something new to learn. When I’m feeling down, I try to reflect on why I started this journey. And that’s enough motivation to do another intense session,” says Bansal. says.
Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer.
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