This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Kabir Rachure is one of the strongest ultra cyclists from India. He recently completed his 3rd Race Across America in under 11 days which is the fastest time for an Indian so far.     

In this episode he shares his experience at RAAM 2023. We talk in detail about what went well and what could have been better. We talk about his hunger to keep learning and growing. We talk about his plans for the rest of the year and the major race on his calendar for next year. It is always great to talk to Kabir with his honest and open approach to life. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.   

0:00:00 Intro

0:02:30 RAAM 2023 Success, Goof ups?

0:15:00 Decision to keep pushing

0:17:00 Competition this year, pacing and nutrition strategy

0:23:40 Pacing strategy, how it developed

0:27:35 160k section bypass, road and wind conditions etc

0:31:20 Competition with other racers rather than cut offs

0:34:20 Talking about RAW, Reason for going for RAAM 2023

0:38:20 Respect between competitors, Srini, Amit etc

0:40:20 Race Around Austria in 2024

0:41:40 Acclimatization, climatic conditions this year vs other years at RAAM

0:48:15 Most memorable moments of RAAM 2023

0:52:10 Crew for his RAAM

0:55:00 Rest of the year for him, Deccan Cliffhanger, trying shorter races, BBCH

1:02:00 Closing comments

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Dr. Amit Samarth is one of the strongest ultra cyclists from India who successfully finished the Race Across America successfully twice once in 2017 and again this year in 2023. Amit has been on the podcast multiple times sharing his earlier experiences in RAAM 2017, Trans Siberian Extreme and more recently the Race Across India.    

In this episode he shares his experience at RAAM 2023. It is mind boggling to know that he was hospitalized with mountain sickness and lost almost an entire day but still managed to get back on the bike and finish the race strong. He talks in detail about that experience as well as the success of their fund raising campaign to raise funds for Akshayapatra foundation. It is really great to see Indian Ultra cyclists growing from strength to strength. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.   

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:30 Learnings from the first time RAAM that were helpful this time, experience, fitness

0:06:20 Being hospitalized with mountain sickness and almost DNFing in the race

0:21:40 Starting again after hospitalization

0:28:10 Competing against others instead of worrying about cutoffs

0:32:35 How the second half of Race Across America went!

0:37:10 Challenges and re-strategizing for the race

0:40:00 Conflicting feelings upon completion, amazing job by the crew

0:43:30 His nutrition at Race Across America 2023

0:46:30 Wife and kid being part of the crew

0:47:20 Raising funds for Akshayapatra foundation

0:53:00 Learnings from Race Across America 2023

0:58:25 Closing comments   

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Srinivas Gokulnath is the first Indian to finish probably the toughest ultra cycling race on the planet, Race Across America back in 2017. He shared that experience here on the podcast on episode #12. If you have not listened to it, I urge you to budget time for that 3 and half hour episode. We have done that when he was posted in South Sudan. The quality of the recording might not be great but the stories he shares are definitely great. I will leave a link to that episode in the show notes.   

In this episode he shares his experience at RAAM 2023 where he successfully finished for the second time. He shares the trials and tribulations of making it to the start line and what all went in to make it across the finish line. It is mind boggling to see the hardships ultra cyclists like Srini put themselves through. It was an insightful conversation with the ever honest and candid Srini. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:00 The struggles to get to the start line of RAAM 2023

0:09:15 Costs involved in Race Across America

0:20:40 Importance of crew, complexity of human interactions

0:27:45 Race Across America how the initial kms went

0:41:35 Blurry eyes and challenges

0:49:40 Equipment issues, food cravings, sluggish progress

1:00:00 Mental battles, how thoughts work with or against us

1:05:30 Being mindful of time, Shradda, Bhakti and Bhayam towards Samaya

1:16:30 Zoning out and finding the way back

1:29:00 Remembering the point where he gave up in 2016, his first RAAM

1:35:00 Riding strong and slowing down

1:46:00 Post race effects and disorientation

1:51:10 The Battle of RAAM

1:58:20 Why fight these battles at such cost

2:07:45 Closing comments

Srini's first visit at the podcast, Ep#12 can be viewed here:

https://youtu.be/HYmRWD0z88M

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Divya Tate is an ultra cyclist and ultra cycling race organizer from Pune. She was the founding member of India Randonneurs that played a pivotal role in the growth of brevet community by bringing together brevet clubs from across the country under one umbrella. She is also the founder of Inspire India which organizes many Ultra cycling races like Deccan Cliffhanger, Ultra Spice and The Great Himalayan Ultra.   

In this episode we talk about the growth of Ultra cycling and Ultra cycling races in India over the years. We talk about what it takes to be successful in self supported events like PBP as well as crewed Ultra races like the Race Across America(RAAM). It was fascinating to hear about various aspects of Ultra cycling from someone who has been involved in the growth of Ultra cycling in India in some capacity over the years. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:50 Her relationship with sport growing up

0:06:20 How she got into cycling

0:08:50 Getting into brevets, doing SR

0:14:45 2011 Paris Brest Paris(PBP) experience, learning experiences from there

0:18:05 PBP finish rates etc, the challenges in finishing an event like PBP

0:26:01 Tips for participants going to PBP, food, equipment, accessories

0:29:20 Crewing from RAAM, learnings from Race Across America, Deccan Cliffhanger

0:34:50 Successful finishes from India, 3 from 2023 edition of RAAM

0:36:50 The start of Deccan Cliffhanger and Inspire India, Ultra Spice Race, The Himalayan Ultra

0:41:00 Events and the role they play in developing the community

0:44:40 Evolution of Ultra cycling in India, need for strict rules and honesty

0:51:00 Where the Ultra cycling in India is going in future, TransAm

0:56:06 Closing comments

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

This episode is brought to you by Findbetter.ai. Find better is a social networking app for cycling & running enthusiasts to discover and shop together.

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest John K Sunny is a cyclist from Kerala who burst into the cycling scene with a bang. Barely one year into competitive cycling he made winning races almost a habit.   

In this episode we talk about his sports background growing up and how he got into cycling. We talk in detail about his beginnings and how he ended up representing Kerala at the Nationals within a few months of starting cycling. He shares the various mistakes he made in his earlier races and what all he learnt by taking part in as many races as he can. It was a super fun conversation with a really interesting youngster. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:30 His relationship with sport growing up, running, basketball, cycling

0:07:50 How he got into cycling

0:14:40 Cycling with C3 racing, cycling snobbery

0:21:50 Getting back to running working on getting faster

0:27:35 Regular training, first 40kmph ride

0:31:40 First race experience, bike troubles, running with the bike

0:50:40 Rick Nobel story, Tour of Thekkady, reliability of equipment, new bike story

1:11:30 Winning State championships, Representing Kerala at 2022 Nationals

1:24:30 Doing better at Tour of Thekkady second edition, BAR Handicap race

1:33:00 Ooty camp, losing weight and getting fitter

1:35:00 8 races in 8 weekends, BAR handicap, Goa race, Hassan highway etc

1:46:00 Club races in Kerala, The Monthly Cours indoor race, Mysore race

1:58:10 Namma Nandi Race 2023 experience

2:15:20 Learnings from racing and cycling

2:22:40 What's up next on his schedule, Bangalore classic, Nationals etc

2:23:45 Closing comments

John K Sunny can be reached at:

https://instagram.com/waywordrap

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

This episode is brought to you by Findbetter.ai. Find better is a social networking app for cycling & running enthusiasts to discover and shop together.

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out!

Today's guest MS SriRam is a cyclist who also has worked in the bike industry for a long time. Now a days with his venture Sprocket Science, he offers various services like at home bike service, coaching services for beginner riders as well as organize Granfondo rides at various destinations.  

In this episode we talk about his journey in cycling, the cycling industry experience and how Sprocket Science came into being and what all he does through it. I have known Sriram for a long time but we never really talked at this length. It was nice to use this platform to connect with others who are contributing to the endurance community in various ways. He is a great story teller and I really enjoyed our conversation. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:10 Talking of start of BBCH etc

0:06:30 His relationship with sport growing up, aerobics and running

0:13:10 Picking up his first bike from Rohan Kini, BOTS

0:24:10 Mysore to Kanyakumari ride as a teenager

0:30:30 Getting into road cycling and racing, BBCh, Wheelsports Kynkyny, Loki

0:41:10 Experience of working in cycling industry, Decathlon, ACE certification, MTB Himachal, SCOTT,

1:04:00 Sprocket Science, how it started

1:15:00 Doorstep bike servicing, Coaching, Gran Fondo rides with Sprocket Science

1:43:00 Closing comments

Sprocket Science on Insta

https://www.instagram.com/sprocketscienceindia/

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

A bit about myself:

I'm Venkat/Venkateswara Rao in my work avatar, working as a Chief Data Analyst in the IT industry in Bangalore. I'm Venky/Bikeyvenky for my friends in the cycling community.

All through my life I struggled with weight and health issues. After multiple failed attempts through the life to get fit and healthy, in 2008, I managed to lose 16kgs. My motivation was to be able to take care of my unborn son with the thought that "if I'm not able to take care of myself, how am I going to take care of my family?". When my son was 6 months old, having lost 16kgs, I picked up a bike to keep that weight off and stay fit. That became a passion and lost more weight and became better at it. I continue to train myself not just to stay fit but also race competitively in races in and outside the country. I also have been coaching a few riders to get stronger and faster at cycling since 2016.

With 'The Working Athlete Podcast', I hope to meet and talk to many people from all walks of life across different sports to learn how they manage an active lifestyle while doing well at work. I hope to share those learnings with all of you.

This episode is brought to you by Findbetter.ai. Find better is a social networking app for cycling & running enthusiasts to discover and shop together.

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Praveen Prabhakaran is a custom frame builder from Pune. I have seen a few of the frames he built and they are works of art.

In this episode we talk about how he got into frame building as well as what are the highs and lows involved in the process. We talked about how one can go about ordering a frame from him, what can be expected in terms of attention to detail etc as well as what are the budgets for various types of bike frames he works on. He is the only bike frame builder I know and it was pretty exciting to talk about bikes with him. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:05:10 Relationship with sports growing up

0:08:00 Love with frame building, how it started

0:16:10 Building zigs etc out of necessity

0:20:20 The love for mountain biking

0:23:30 Psynyde Bikes to Intent Bikes

0:28:10 Process of getting a bike built from him

0:30:30 How hard was the decision to go full time into frame building

0:35:00 Challenges and joys of being a frame builder

0:38:00 Budget for custom frame building from Intent bikes

0:41:00 Firsts in India, Special projects etc

0:45:00 Closing comments

Praveen can be reached at:

https://www.facebook.com/monztrluvr

https://instagram.com/intent_bikes

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

This episode is brought to you by Findbetter.ai. Find better is a social networking app for cycling & running enthusiasts to discover and shop together.

This episode is brought to you by www.thebikeaffair.com

If you are in search of a one-stop destination that caters to all your cycling needs, our today's sponsor, The Bike Affair, is the perfect place to check out! With over 14 years of experience, The Bike Affair has established itself as a trusted source offering honest advice and exceptional service. They are offering a special treat for the listeners of this podcast. You can enjoy a 10% discount on your first order by using the code 'BIKEYVENKY' on their website.  Visit their bike store in Hyderabad or shop online by using the link www.thebikeaffair.com  

Today's guest Deepa Nayak is a Boston qualified runner, ACE certified strength and conditioning instructor and a running coach.

In this episode we talk about her running journey of going from 4:17mins to 3:18mins for a Marathon. We talk about her experience at 3 world majors including running Boston and London marathons two weeks back to back. We also talk about her strength and conditioning routine, her race day nutrition and her journey as a coach. Deepa's inherent humbleness and honesty shines through in this conversation with her. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:10 Relationship with sports growing up

0:13:20 start of her running journey

0:16:50 Her first marathon experience

0:21:20 Learnings from first marathon

0:25:30 Her training through the pandemic

0:28:10 ACE certification

0:30:00 Her world majors, Berlin marathon, Boston marathon and London marathon

0:56:55 Strength and conditioning

1:02:00 Her nutrition principles

1:08:00 Tips for Working Athletes  

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker 

A bit about myself:

I'm Venkat/Venkateswara Rao in my work avatar, working as a Chief Data Analyst in the IT industry in Bangalore. I'm Venky/Bikeyvenky for my friends in the cycling community.

All through my life I struggled with weight and health issues. After multiple failed attempts through the life to get fit and healthy, in 2008, I managed to lose 16kgs. My motivation was to be able to take care of my unborn son with the thought that "if I'm not able to take care of myself, how am I going to take care of my family?". When my son was 6 months old, having lost 16kgs, I picked up a bike to keep that weight off and stay fit. That became a passion and lost more weight and became better at it. I continue to train myself not just to stay fit but also race competitively in races in and outside the country. I also have been coaching a few riders to get stronger and faster at cycling since 2016.