A friend is setting up an alumni networking site and asked me to write about my experience of training and racing after college as a part of putting up some initial content. I thought it would be nice to log it here:
"Quite frankly, I still don't know why I took up cycling so seriously, there certainly wasn't a thought process behind it. I happened to rent out a cycle on a few occasions and loved the experience. I started off with the idea of touring but was soon drawn to racing.
To take up racing was a major commitment in terms of money and time. The equipment can be quite expensive and I would put in long hours training, both on and off the bike. Races at the national level are around 4 hours long, so training sessions had to be at-least that long to get to the required level of fitness. Planning so much of my day around training sessions meant that I had to compromise on my professional life. I worked part time so I could get more time to rest and recover. So, in terms of effective work experience, I lag my peers by that much. (I'm not complaining!)
I was lucky to find a like-minded riding partner in Raman (a batch mate from BITS-Goa) who also got me introduced to Maxwell Trevor, who later became our coach. Five days a week, we would head out for long hard training sessions before sunrise and come back around noon, completely spent, set to recover for the next day! I knew I loved cycling because I enjoyed the training sessions just as much as I enjoyed the races. I believe that is the true test of knowing what you are passionate about.
I rode some of my best races in 2012, finishing in the top 10 at the nationals, towards the end of the year. In hindsight though, there is so much more I got from these years of cycling that are a lot more valuable. The sincerity and discipline that went into training has had a lasting effect on my lifestyle. I feel an intrinsic need to keep a watch on my diet and exercise even though I am not actively racing anymore. Also, looking back gives me a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment of having spent some quality time doing something I truly love."
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