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  

In this episode I talk to Gautam Pothineni. Gautam is a runner who left behind a lucrative corporate career as a CA to become a fulltime running coach. His story of losing more than 45kilos going from 120kgs to 70kgs and completing iconic races like Comrades is quite inspiring. It was a pleasure chatting with him about his journey. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

0:00:00  Intro

0:04:00  His early life in sports, basketball and becoming a 120kg youngster

0:11:00  Start of his weight loss journey from 120kgs

0:17:10  Nutrition he followed to lose weight from 100kgs to 80kgs

0:22:30  His journey towards his first Marathon in 2017

0:29:30  Going low carb and MAF and how it worked until it didn't, injuries and slipping up

0:39:00  His Comrades marathon experience

0:43:00  Injury period, coaching journey, Bangalore days and getting back on track

0:47:20  Diagnosing the injury and getting over it through strength training

0:50:00  Dealing with the imposter syndrome; disassociating with your older self and best fitness

0:56:00  Malnad Ultra experience, getting a coach for himself, having a great support system

0:59:00  Getting back on the Marathon racing, fueling better for racing with carbs

1:04:20  Training with carbs, gut training

1:06:10  Going full-time with coaching; the word of mouth

1:12:50  Tips for fellow working athlete, motivation is overrated, consistency over intensity

1:14:00  Closing

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 | 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

In this episode I talk to Sailendra Nath. Sailendra was a national level cyclist who represented AP/Telangana for many years. After stopping to compete at the Nats he started working in a bike shop. In this episode we talk about his journey as an athlete and about the transition into a career in the bike industry. It was great to listen to his story of taking a journey off the beaten path. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:00 His school days and early days of cycling

0:09:00 Getting his first bike with the support of The Bike Affair

0:12:10 Training in the early days

0:18:00 Career paths - Parent's concern and guidance of his coach

0:22:00 Learnings along the athletic journey, nutrition, recovery, strength and conditioning

0:26:50 His journey at the Nationals cycling

0:39:10 His final season and how it ended with a series of unfortunate events

0:50:45 Transitioning into a career in a bike shop, the job satisfaction

0:54:00 The joy of bike commuting

0:56:10 Tips for working athletes

0:59:00 Closing

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 and hitting the bell icon so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

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

In this episode I talk to Thoudam Opendro Singh. Opendro is an ultra endurance cyclist and ultra runner. He recently won the Bangalore Backyard Ultra by being the last man standing after running 187km. He shares his ultra cycling experiences including the self supported TRANSAM race riding across America covering 6800km in 28 days. He shares his experience of winning multiple ultra trail running races including the recent Backyard Ultra in Bangalore. Opendro is a simple no nonsense athlete who likes to experiment a lot in terms of nutrition, hydration and likes to keep everything simple. It was inspiring to listen to his ultra journey.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:00 Talking of when we first met each other back in 2011

0:07:45 Playing and farming as kids

0:10:50 Taking a bet with a colleague for running; story behind running and cycling

0:22:30 Cycling, Brevets, BBCh racing, Cleated Warriors team

0:39:00 His journey to TRANSAM, Bliss in the Hills, Ironmans

0:58:30 How he fell sick before TRANSAM, finishing in 28 days despite severe illness

1:24:10 Moving towards more running to save time for family obligations, chasing ultras

1:40:45 Malnad Ultra experiences, 12 hour race

1:50:10 Backyard Ultra rules and experiences at Coimbatore and Bangalore Backyard Ultras

2:18:00 Closing

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 and hitting the bell icon so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

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

In this episode I talk to Gokul Krishna. Gokul shares his journey of recovering from a debilitating health condition through naturopathy and diet intervention. From not being able to do anything due to his illness to signing up for his first triathlon 70.3 and successfully finishing it at Ironman Goa 70.3 within an year is quite a feat of determination and courage. It was inspiring to listen to his health transformation and triathlon journey.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:00 How did the triathlon enter his life

0:05:20 Healing from piles issue using naturopathy

0:13:30 How the change in food habits changed his condition

0:25:00 Venky's experience with constipation and piles

0:27:40 Importance of enough fiber through salads and enough water

0:33:20 Getting back to workouts and learning swimming

0:41:20 Almost drowning in a lake on his first open water swim, getting better with swim camp

0:49:45 Getting dehydrated and cramping in water a week before Ironman Goa 70.3

0:55:10 Ironman Goa 70.3 2024 experience

1:00:10 Strength training with Mudgar/Indian Mace

1:10:00 Closing

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 and hitting the bell icon 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, please hit the like button and share with friends who could be interested.

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

In this episode I talk to Anjali Ranwade. Anjali is a promising talent in women's cycling. She is a medalist at school nationals and Indian cycling nationals. Her aspiration is to do well at Asian level in cycling and is working towards that. She won the women's category at the Goan Classic stage race where I met her and sat down for a small chat. She rode like a champ that she is and did way better than many of us men. This conversation is in Hindi as she is not comfortable in English. I hope you enjoy this interaction with a promising talent in women's cycling.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:30 Start of cycling 6 years ago

0:04:50 Medaling in School nationals and at Indian cycling nationals

0:06:10 Her weekly training schedule, indoor vs outdoor cycling

0:07:20 Her most memorable cycling event and silver at Nationals

0:08:30 Studies vs cycling and the support of parents

0:10:10 Asian Championships aspirations, On bike nutrition, recent race performances

0:14:40 Goan Classic race experience

0:17:30 Closing

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 and hitting the bell icon 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, please hit the like button and share with friends who could be interested.

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  

In this episode I talk to Dr. Aditya Ponkshe. Dr. Aditya is a master's rider and one of the founders of Sahyadri classic race, a one day climbing race in the Sahyadri mountain range near Mahabaleshwar. In this episode he shares his cycling journey and the genesis of Sahyadri classic among other things. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.          

0:00:00  Intro

0:04:15  Always an outdoors kid, trekking

0:05:15  Memories of Bombay-Pune Cycling Race in the 80s

0:13:10  How cycling entered his life for knee health

0:19:15  Pune terrain and climbing options

0:21:15  How Tour of Nilgiris 2017 happened, how it changed his perspective of service

0:27:35  Kalahatty stories

0:31:15  The genesis of Sahyadri Classic

0:34:50  Sahyadri Classic race format

0:38:15  Race safety

0:41:45  Registration fee, increasing local participation, organization

0:46:55  Managing riding and work, nutrition and recovery

0:49:00  Nutrition on and off the bike

0:51:55  Importance of sleep

0:54:20  Closing

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  

In this episode I talk to Mahesh Iyer. Mahesh is a masters rider from Pune Wolfpack who has been at it for a long time with cycling and racing. His consistent work ethic of more than a decade has now made him one of the strongest masters riders in the country. We sat down to chat when we met for the Goan Classic which he won. In this conversation he shares his process, his training, his mental tools as well. It was fascinating to listen to his journey from struggling to stay with groups to winning races. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.          

0:00:00  Intro

0:06:30  Body building days through college

0:08:55  Getting a bike to lose weight and getting into running

0:11:45  Lifecycle, Enduro races, Hill climbing challenge, meeting like minded people, Michael Lenig

0:13:50  Forming a team, training under Michael, BBCh races, Genesis of Pune Wolfpack

0:17:45  Memories from BBCh races back in the day, Criterium and Nandi Race

0:26:35  Tour of Nilgiris 2015 memories, Kalahatty stories

0:36:20  What kept him going, having a team

0:40:36  Importance of staying with the process and having goals

0:44:45  His breakthrough year, 2019, working with NJ, starting to believe in himself, mood follows action

0:51:50  His training cycle, training volume, strength sessions

0:54:40  Indoor vs outdoors training

0:57:00  Nutrition on and off the bike, learnings

1:03:20  Shout out to Sudarshan, Pune Wolfpack,

1:06:30  Getting vocal in races, being respectful

1:08:30  Learnings/tips for working athletes, don't stop, invest in yourself, get a coach

1:13:10  Closing

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  

In this episode I talk to Prashant Tidke. Prashant is a charted accountant by profession and a masters cyclist by passion. In 2019, he had to undergo an angiogram to deal with a potentially deadly 100% blockage in his heart. He not only recovered from his heart condition but also got back to full athletic activity and worked himself to becoming the fittest he has been all his life. In this episode, he shares the rehab protocol he used to recover from such a critical condition and advises on how to identify potential warning signs and respond in time. His story serves as another example of how fitness and health are two different things and what we need to do in order to take care of our health as we age. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.          

0:00:00  Intro

0:04:25  Moving to Pune and running cross country races

0:06:10  Focus on Charted Accountancy taking precedence over sports

0:08:36  Getting back to physical activity to quit smoking

0:12:06  Getting into brevet riding in 2011 and going to PBP the same year

0:15:15  Tour of Nilgiris 2012 taught me what bicycling is

0:16:36  Winning races in 2013-2015, masters getting stronger

0:19:26  How his heart blockage was uncovered, the signs

0:29:36  Health and fitness are two different things

0:30:10  Genetics and lifestyle issues

0:32:00  Rehab and medications; coming back from depression

0:39:00  How zone 2 training during the pandemic helped his road to recovery

0:40:20  Weight training in the gym

0:43:00  Advice for working athletes, regular health checks, no smoking

0:55:10  Closing

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  

In this episode I talk to Kiran Kumar Raju or KKR as we lovingly call him. KKR was the tour director of Tour of Nilgiris 2024. Both KKR and I have long relationship with Tour of Nilgiris. He started his journey in cycling as a volunteer at TFN 2010 and since then he has played many roles at the tour. From being a route marker to taking part in the tour as a rider after becoming a National champion in MTB, to now taking on the role as a tour director, he has seen the tour from various perspectives. In this episodes, he shares his perspective of how the tour and he himself have evolved over the years in various aspects. It was super fun talking about my favorite bike tour, Tour of Nilgiris with one of my favorite people, KKR. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.         

0:00:00  Intro

0:05:00  Various roles that KKR played at TFN

0:06:15  Kiran's first time on Tour of Nilgiris in 2010 as a volunteer, a marker

0:11:00  Marking team, most invisible and visible team on the tour

0:14:30  Missing 2013 and riding TFN 2014 as a fulltime rider,  

0:17:00  Nandi race 2011  

0:19:00  His first tour as a rider TFN 2014

0:23:50  Support stations evolution at TFN

0:29:00  Race segments at TFN

0:33:50  Is Tour of Nilgiris only for the pros

0:37:00  2016 TFN coming as a rider

0:40:30  Coming back in 2023 and 2024 as Tour director for Tour of Nilgiris

0:43:20  Sweep vehicle is there to support you

0:46:00  Hospitality support at TFN

0:48:20  People behind TFN over the years

0:52:00  Origin of TFN in 2008

0:55:10  Closing

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  

In this episode I talk to my team mate at Spectrum Racing Su Yin. Su Yin was an offshore geophysicist turned pastry chef who took up to cycling and triathlon by chance. She ended up winning in her age category in her very first triathlon at Goa Ironman 70.3 in 2019! In this episode she shares how that win followed by the pandemic almost put her out of love for the sport and how she slowly fell back into love with cycling while raising funds for GivingBack and riding Tour of Nilgiris. We also talk extensively about her experience at Tour of Thekkady where she finished second by fraction of a second after 145km of racing. Her journey is inspirational not just to women but all of us and makes us think what we need to prioritise for both our mental and physical well being. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.            

0:00:00  Intro

0:04:25  Her work, off-shore geophysicist to pastry chef

0:10:55  Running and hiking through college

0:14:55  Getting into cycling and triathlon, signing up for Goa 70.3 in 2019

0:18:10  Preparation for Ironman Goa 70.3 in 2019, learnings from her Olympic tri

0:22:10  Ironman Goa 70.3 experience in 2019, winning in her AG in her very first Ironman event

0:27:10  Training through COVID-19 pandemic, the pressure of training for world championships

0:29:40  Infected with COVID 2 weeks before her A-race, Ironman Goa 70.3 2022, external/perceived pressures

0:35:10  Falling out of love for the sport and doing other things

0:39:10  Falling in love with riding again through Tour of Nilgiris 2024 through GivingBack

0:43:40  Memories from TFN 2024

0:46:10  The reluctant athlete

0:56:40  Tour of Thekkady 2025 experience

1:19:10  Talking about Shayadhri Classic

1:22:40  Recalibrating what she enjoys doing, climbing; triathlon taking a back seat

1:26:10  Tips for fellow working athletes, how badly do you want it

1:27:20  Closing

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