srini_vas

I am part of History. That's what the organizers of India's First Duathlon say. Then, who is not ? :-)

On an unusually pleasant Sunday morning, the 14th of June, Runners For Life organized yet another meticulously planned endurance event. I was part of the enthusiastic crowd with their high performance cycles and running attire. We gathered at Inventure Academy, on the national highway that joins Sarjapur Road, Bangalore at Dommasandra, at 6 AM. Commissioner of Police (Traffic) flagged off the event and participated too.

As the commissioner himself was a participant, one need not worry about the treatment on a national highway. Traffic police manned the entire route and made sure that we were safe. We had taken to road at 7:20 AM. The race was divided into 5KM Run + 20 KM Cycling + 5 KM Run. Cycles were arranged in a transition area in the Inventure Academy. While doing the first 5 KM loop itself, the pain in the knee that I carried from Himalayas surfaced. As usual, I tried to ignore it and finished among the last few. Though, not many people could beat me in the next 20 KM. Credit goes to my Merida. Last 5 KM again pushed me behind a bit, but, I finished in a decent 130 minutes. The winner was somewhere around 85 minutes, I guess. The race was followed by an elaborate brunch in the enviable cafeteria of the Academy.

The highlight of the event was a sexagenarian, who cycled 40 KM to the venue, participated and touched the finish line and cycled back home.