You can tell your coach the goal you have set for yourself, but the path towards the goal has to be set by the coach. The only aim of a coach is to get maximum results with minimum effort. A coach also keeps you motivated and keeps you moving towards your goal. I have been lucky to train with the best of coaches, who have always succeeded in extracting the best out of me.
"Your coach is like a ship's rudder — they determine where you are going."
Post the successful completion of the 1,000 km Ultra Spice Race in January 2017, I decided to train under a coach for any further event. The strong conviction behind this was the fact that a coach has already been through the journey you are planning to undertake. He will prevent you from making mistakes which can affect your performance, and passes on experience to make sure that you excel.
Race Around Austria — Chaitanya Velhal
Race Around Austria (RAA) was the first challenge in front of me, and a limited training window of just four months made it even tougher. At this critical juncture, 'IRONMAN' Chaitanya Velhal (Chai) came to the rescue and trained me for the event. My confidence level shot up when I saw happiness in his eyes at the improvement in my performance. And it is icing on the cake when your coach accompanies you to Austria for the event to motivate you. RAA was a great success — thanks to Chai for every bit of support.
Divya Tate (Director, Inspire India) was the crew chief for the team and her crewing experience in international races was instrumental in finalising a successful plan.
Ultra Spice Race — The RAAM Decision
Later, I did the 1,750 km Ultra Spice Race. This race was a litmus test: to decide whether to participate in RAAM or not. It went amazingly well, and the decision to go ahead with RAAM became concrete.
The biggest dream for any ultra-cyclist is to be a RAAM finisher. Preparations for such a big event require detailed planning and absolutely flawless execution. My initial RAAM training was initiated by Miten Thakkar (Cyclozeal), who primed me with the challenge ahead and guided the initial planning. His RAAM crewing experience with Mahajan Brothers in 2015 and Team Sahyadri in 2017 was a big asset.
A Break That Became Education
A break in training happened when I went for crewing with Team Sea to See at RAAM 2018, to gain first-hand experience of the race. The experience helped me prepare for my own race with a new zeal and insight.
By this time I was in touch with Tracy McKay for the role of crew chief and coach. He has participated in RAAM himself and has coaching experience of more than 25 years in the ultra-cycling arena.
As I was getting ready for the 1,750 km third edition of Ultra Spice Race 2019, my team was taking that event as a simulation run for the ultimate challenge at RAAM. My coach was monitoring my race to derive inputs for the bigger challenge, and our team was sharpening their skill-set to work in clockwork precision. The complete team was in an upbeat mood — but a collar bone fracture just before RAAM 2019 was a big setback. Post recovery, I resumed training to set new benchmarks, and the journey towards RAAM continued under the able guidance of my mentor Tracy McKay.
What a Good Coach Does
I have been lucky to be in safe hands throughout this ultra-cycling journey. They have taught me different facets of cycling, and I believe I have tried my best to be a good student who imbibes it all.
A good coach understands the pulse of the athlete and knows how to push to the limit. The coach ensures the athlete is motivated and developed — not only physically, but mentally as well. A good coach directly interacts with the complete team and stays invested in team building too. And above all, a good coach loves to see the athlete achieve their aim.
The list of people who have been guiding me on this journey is exhaustive, and I am thankful to each and every one of them.