HYDERABAD RANDONNEURS - Audax Centenary 200K
BRM
“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short
as you feel. But ride.” – Eddy Merckx
After doing couple of 100km cycling events in
the past years (2017, 2018 & 2019), I have decided to test my endurance to cycle
200 km this 11th September 2021. In fact, I registered for 200km
brevet with Audax in Feb 2020 but couldn’t join the ride because of dry cough. My
last 100km cycling was in Aug 2019 and last ride was Women’s Day ride 30km in
March 2020 (before pandemic & lockdown). I couldn’t train for the event during
lockdown as I was in USA for 8 months. On ride day, I started cycling with full
of energy but dropped at 1st check point Aadhya Grand Restaurant
(69.6 km) after dragging there for almost 4:45 hrs and informed the volunteers
that I cannot push more further, and they noted DNF.
DNS/DNF – Do not Start/Do not finish are the
remarks for the riders who do not finish the ride on the stipulated time or who
dropped in between the event. These are the strict rules of randonneruring. Before
going further let me give you a brief about what is Randonneruring. (Data from
internet)
Randonneuring (also known as
Audax in the UK, Australia and Brazil) is a long-distance cycling sport with
its origins in audax cycling. In randonneuring, riders attempt courses of 200
km or more, passing through predetermined "controls" (checkpoints)
every few tens of kilometres. Riders aim to complete the course within
specified time limits and receive equal recognition regardless of their
finishing order.
A randonneuring event is called a
randonnée or brevet, and a rider who has completed a 200 km event is called a
randonneur. The international governing body for randonneuring is Audax Club
Parisien (ACP), which works with other randonneuring organisations worldwide
through Les Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM). Randonneuring is popular in France, and
has a following in The Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia,
United States, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, India, Korea, Japan and Malaysia.
This was my first brevet event
with Hyderabad Randonneurs. Thanks to my friends Ashish, Dev, Shiva and Praveen
who was supportive throughout the preparation for the ride in the form of
encouragement, warning and precautions for the ride. Dev let me borrow his
reflective jacket and cycle bag, Shiva gave his cycle stand for my car and
Ashish helped me buying the extra tube for the ride. They all trained very well
by riding couple of kms for 4 to 5 weeks before hitting the road for 200kms and
told me too many times to do practice. I just did 22km before a week of the
ride. No excuses but didn’t train my bad. I was pretty sure that I will only
ride till my stamina and will not stretch beyond the point. Preparation started
a week before the ride to make sure that I have all the mandatory accessories
for the brevet. Without these they will not allow the rider to start.
Mandatory items for the ride
-
Helmet
-
Front and Rear lights
-
AIR card/rider number
-
Reflective jacket
 |
| Tried holding it but later kept it inside |
Night before the ride, I checked all the mandatory accessories, clothing, and snacks for the ride. Packed few energy bars, raisins, ORS, and salt to keep myself hydrated. Loaded my cycle in the car at night to avoid morning rush as we must start early to the start point. We were 4 riders from our township (me, dev, Ashish, and Praveen) and reached to start point at our own time. I woke up 3 am in the morning and got ready for the ride & my friend and sweet neighbor Vandana made tea for me and her husband Ashish. Early morning tea is bliss 😊. Relished my tea and started to the start point in my car. It took me 40 min to reach the start point. It was energetic atmosphere at the St. Martins Engineering college where volunteers made sure that we are set for the ride. It was lovely to meet many vibrant volunteers including Anitha and Srinath Manda. Mandatory accessories were checked, reported, scanned our ride cards and directed us to the start point. Took few pics with fellow riders.
 |
| Me, Dev and Praveen |
Ride started at sharp 6 am from the start point and after 1.90km there was a
left at Dulapally Junction and then start road till the first check point (Aadhya
Grand restaurant) at 69.6km. Initially I was pumped up and started to enjoy the
ride by watching the beautiful nature and munching my raisins in between. Many
riders crossed me, and we wished each other a hello or good morning it was so
nice to see so much energy around you. Couple of them suggested that my seat
was very low, and I might injure my knees. I got adjusted my seat with the help
of another rider Bheem singh ji. He was checking on me now and then whenever he
crossed me during the ride.
Apart from fellow riders, road was filled with
heavy trucks, local buses, autos and 2 wheelers along with many careless 2
wheelers who are coming on the wrong side. Sometimes it was tricky and scary to
cross them along with the huge trucks beside you. In middle of all this chaos a
huge truck’s tyre suddenly burst with a loud noise and black tube flew on the
road near my way luckily it didn’t hot me or my cycle. But for few minutes my
ear was hurt due to that huge explosion. That truck guy carefully stopped his huge
vehicle to left. It was a heavy truck with 8 or 10 tyres with a full load on
it. That was scary but I didn’t stop and kept riding my cycle slowly. After 50km
my energy started to drain, and I was stopping now and then to drag myself to
the first checkpoint. I was all alone as
many riders went way ahead of me and 2 people dropped at 50km and my motivation
levels started coming down. I understood that I was not in a condition to finish
the ride as I had a bad pull on my right side thigs suddenly, but I wanted to
make it to the 1st check point to inform the volunteers that I will
be dropping from there.
It was beyond 10:30 am and I still must cover
12km to the check point. I called Hemanth and Rajeev Kalva to inform that I
will be reaching to check point for sure and then will decide to continue or
not. Hats off to these two who picked my calls and tried their best to resolve the
issues. I literally dragged my self at 10:55 am i.e., 4:45 hours since I start
my ride. I informed the volunteers that I will not be going further, and they noted
DNF.
Until then I didn’t eat my breakfast as I was
munching my nuts and sipping water throughout. I had idlis and bottle of mazza and
then called Rajeev to check the options to go back to the start point. As it
was self-support ride, we need to take care of bringing ourselves and cycle
back to the point. Rajeev was attending a rider who had an accident was rushed
to secunderabad hospital. Even then he lifted my call and suggested me couple
of options. There were 3 more riders who dropped there, one was badly hurt as
he fell down and other two had cramps. Two were picked up by their friends and
family and I was left with one fellow rider.
We both crossed the road and waited for an hour
to get the lift. Local bus and couple of autos rejected to take our bicycles and
then later we found a small empty vegetable van which was going towards Hyderabad
Malakpet to get some veggies. We were so happy that we got a ride back to start
point, I didn’t give a second thought that I was sitting with a stranger in a
vegetable van but was little cautious as traveling with total strangers. I made
sure that all were wearing mask in the truck and the driver offered me
sanitizer too. Ashish Ranjan (fellow rider) and two other men stood back side of
the van with our 2 cycles, and I was given seat in the front with driver and his
helper. It was a different experience hopping a van and chatting with the unknown
people. Driver was telling about the tough time they had due to lockdown and now
they are happy to be back on roads.
Finally, after an hour we reached at the Dulapally
junction and ride back to start point. My bad day didn’t end there when I found
that another car was parked in front of my car. I was hungry tired and wanted to
go back home. It was beyond 3 pm and I don’t want to wait until the event to finish.
I again requested Rajeev to keep my car keys and hand over to Ashish who can
help bring my car back and I took auto back home. I got my car back safely.
Didn’t finish the ride but still learned lot of
lessons throughout the ride. No regrets and will be back to track soon. Once
again, thanks to my family, friends, and volunteers to their wonderful support.
