NAGPUR: Amit Samarth is known for doing the unthinkable consistently. On Sunday, the Bicycle Mayor of Nagpur cracked another such feat when he cycled 1,035km in 39.01 hours without any sleep breaks. The moment he arrived at the Zero Mile, he was thronged by hundreds of supporters and given a cheerful welcome.
Though Samarth wore a smile at the finishing line, he was still getting to terms with the gruelling journey, filled with challenges on Indian roads. "It was a tougher ride than I thought. There were many unexpected challenges. But, my target was achieved and my crew made it possible," said Samarth, who was aiming to create another World UltraCycling Association Record (WUCA).
There was more to the ride than what met the eyes of Samarth and his team initially. In planning, the team thought it was going to be a smooth ride considering Samarth's ability. However, the moment this bid began from India Gate, New Delhi, at 1am on November 27, the challenges started.
"At the beginning, I was expecting less traffic and was aiming to cover maximum distance but as I was exiting the national capital I was proved wrong. The roads were flooded. I had to switch plans. I took a halt after 44km to change my bike," said Samarth.
Samarth started to encounter dark roads and isolated patches of National Highway 44, with seriously cold weather, late on November 27 night, forcing him to change into suitable clothing. "First, I changed the bike, and then clothes. After that, I decided to go full throttle no matter what. I went 250km non-stop with a target of completing 750km in the first 24 hours," said Samarth, who followed all traffic rules along the way as per WUCA norms to complete the record.
"My calculations based on parameters like my speed had given a rough idea that I will complete it in 36 hours," said Samarth, the first Indian to finish Race Across America in 2017.
Samarth was roughly 60km behind his 24-hour target due to narrow, single-lane roads, and violation of traffic rules by heavy vehicles on highways. "But my crew constantly backed me up and made it possible to manage a good 687km in the first 24 hours," he said.
The most arduous and mentally challenging phase that Samarth encountered was after entering Madhya Pradesh. The 264-265km long stretch between Sagar and Seoni tested Samarth in every possible way.
It was so difficult that Samarth had to reach out for guidance to his crew leader - Milind Pariwakam, who was in an SUV. Running a bit behind their 36-hour target, they shrugged off all thoughts and decided to go all out against the clock.
"After beating the chills of north India, Madhya Pradesh was scorching hot. It had the steepest roads and challenging weather. At some places, the steep climbs were 5-7km long, and doing that on-and-off for around 265km was difficult but it also brought out my best," said Samarth, who holds the WUCA for completing Ride Across India 6,000 km on the Golden Quadrilateral Highway of India in 13 days 9 hrs 50 mins.
