I have been riding 650 kms in my cycle for 11 days as a part of the 2000 km journey for my OMR Pedal Messengers advertising firm. And i had to visit Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India for my cousin's wedding. So i took the chance to travel a distance of 301 kms in a day averaging 20 kms/hour which will roughly take 16 hours.
Friends, I don't know who is going to read this, Please be kind to read the entire post completely and help me with this.
The journey list included a 5 kilogram aluminium box attached an iron angle( 4 kilograms) and
3 litre of bottle, 7 Bananas, Emergency LED flash which were taken in bag.
The journey begins
The journey began at 4.15 am on 6th June,2014 and i started from Perungudi with the aim of reaching Trichy under 16 hours.
The first 30 kms from Perungudi to Vandalur was quick i was able to cover it under 1.15 hours.
I stopped there to take a snap of Vandalur zoo and continued on till SRM University and to eat some bananas to refresh myself.
I took picture of SRM's board hurriedly and much to my dismay i learnt that the Digi cam broke out and what i was able to record was just random trickling flash. This got me psychologically a bit down.
Then i went until Mahendra world city, Maraimalai nagar and i sat there for the next ten minutes gorging upon a few bananas and a bit of water.
I was determined to make it and continued till Chengalpet without much trouble though the road was rising and falling all the way. The wind was not a problem.
As i crossed the breathtaking Chengalpatu lake striding across the toll, pain started to sear through my body. Hip and legs began to pain immensely.
The next stop was Maduranthagam but i had stop for Breakfast and i had four idlis and chunks of groundnut cakes.
I was still 7 kms from Maduranthagam and my mind told me to give up and park the cycle or cite some invaluable reason to give up this journey.
A fight between my mind and body began and it was tiresome for me to continue which made me stop at two spots. At one of the spot after Maduranthagam, the cycle along with the box fell on my head owing to the strong wind and wrong placement of the cycle.
The time was nearing Ten'o clock and i had traveled 80 odd kilometers out of 301 km.
My legs felt burnt and mind took complete control of my body ordering me to abandon the journey. I was looking for a spot tpark my vehicle and i reached Melmaruvathur. I felt disturbed by this lackluster preparation for the journey and i parked my vehicle in the paid parking and got a bus.
I have failed to complete the journey but i managed to cover 91.5 kms under 6 hours carrying immense weight which most cyclists avoid.
Why i failed?
I am the main reason apart from that i believe
1. Excess weight attached to the cycle.( This is my vehicle)
2. Bag filled with excess baggage.( Water and Banana was essential but they weighed substantially)
3. Winds were lifting my cycle while a larger vehicle overtook me.
I failed but i'm not going to give up!
Kamalakkannan Durairaju
Head- OMR Pedal Messengers Advertising
Chennai
089392-70181
