How India's endurance athletes kept the fire alive when racing went into hibernation.
Written in the first weeks of India's COVID-19 lockdown, this piece checks in with endurance athletes — among them marathoner Nitendra Singh Rawat and well-known amateur runner Thomas Bobby Philip — on how they were coping with cancelled races and closed roads.
The common thread is improvisation: strength and flexibility work, calisthenics, makeshift cardio, catching up on rest, and finding motivation from within. It captures a moment when the whole racing calendar, Bharat's included, had paused, and athletes were quietly keeping themselves ready for whatever came next — which, for Bharat, would soon become a virtual RAAM.
This page is a short summary in our own words, shared with attribution to help readers find the original. The full article, its complete text and photographs are the work of Shyam G Menon, published on Outrigger · shyamgopan.com. Please read and share it from the source above.
Inspired to ride further?
Coaching cyclists of every level one-on-one on TrainingPeaks, with fortnightly personal interactions and daily WhatsApp support for issues.