Thursday at about 10:30hrs, I get a call from Varun informing apologetically that he would have to break from the team. He was warming up for the terse activity that was to happen in the next few days by playing football and happened to sprain his ankle pretty bad. Bed rest for a couple of days was mandated by the doc. and there went our plans to be a part of Enduro3 ‘08 into thin air.
Looking back, I guess it all happened for good! Through the year, as I build my endurance and stamina through those several treks in the Sahyadris, I realise what fools we would have been had we participated in Enduro3 ‘08. Then, we were a team of three - none really exposed to high levels of physical strain; neither of us had a complete picture of what we were to pass through and more importantly we had no idea of either team mates strengths and weaknesses - something I guess that’s quite an intrinsic aspect of the spirit of Enduro3.
This year we’re on an altogether different rung on the ladder and as we head to participate in Enduro3 ‘09 this Feb 07th and 08th we’re there with a spirit not to win but to live the moment. Winning would come in its own stride…
Here’s a video log that would give you a glimpse of the race:
Team Members [ Team - Borrowed Bones]:
Trupti Bhosale: She’’s been a hard core trekker for quite sometime now and been lucky to rappell down the mammoth Malshej ghat [ lucky , coz that’s one thing I’ve always wanted to but couldn’t get to Pune when it was organised ]. Of late she’s caught up on biking on her la sovereign, at times covering 130kms in one go!
Abhijeet Mallik: One of the founding members of Deccan Highlanders - The infy pune trekking club, with an amazing stamina and a hard core ‘give a damn’ attitude to anything in life. Roped him in the moment we got to know he was heading back to India post his short stint in UK. Though not much into cycling, one week of practise should get him in form.
Myself: Pretty comfortable trekking long distances on rationed resources. Started biking a couple of months back. 80kms in one go on the Lumala is all that I’ve managed to do till now. Bani says that would equate to 100kms on a high end bike and that’s what I’m banking on for confidence.
Back there in Pune, the teams in Pune [ at least, those I know of ] have been training for this event like crazy. Bani [ Founder of the Infy Pune biking club - Thunderbolts] has been doing a stupendous job in getting people spruced up for the event by getting them on their bikes every successive weekend. Forms have been submitted yesterday and all that’s left now is to play safe in the last few days and avoid playing football !