This race was about exploring what I could achieve in the unsupported category — no crew, no support vehicle, carrying everything I needed. Just the bike, the road, and four days of India.
Race Overview
The Ultra Spice Race 2021 covered 1,170 kilometres from Bogmalo (Goa) to Anandapuram (Kerala) and back, with 13,000 metres of total elevation gain. The unsupported category means you carry all your supplies, arrange your own accommodation, and have no crew assistance whatsoever. Every decision is yours alone.
Day 1 — Bogmalo to Anandapuram (0–300 km)
The race began in the pre-dawn darkness at Bogmalo beach. The first 300 kilometres took me southward along the coast, through Karwar and into Karnataka. The early hours were the most pleasant — cool air, empty roads, and the reassuring sound of the sea.
I paced conservatively, knowing that four days of effort lay ahead. The Goa–Karnataka coastal stretch was stunning but deceptive — rolling terrain that never let you fully rest or fully push. I reached Anandapuram (the southern turnaround point near Kasaragod, Kerala) within schedule and without incident. One quarter done.
Day 2 — The Return Begins (300–600 km to Madikeri)
The second day was the hardest on paper and the most dramatic in execution. The return route turned inland, climbing into the Western Ghats toward Coorg. The elevation numbers started accumulating fast — long, grinding climbs followed by fast, technical descents that demanded focus long after my body wanted rest.
The cutoff at the 600-kilometre checkpoint (Madikeri) was midnight. I arrived at 23:59 hrs — one minute to spare. I had no buffer left, no margin for error on the second half. The relief was short-lived; I had a brief rest and was back on the bike before 2 AM.
Day 3 — Crash and Wrong Route (600–900 km)
Day 3 was when the race tried to break me. Navigation in the pre-dawn hours went wrong somewhere north of Coorg, and I rode an extra 30 kilometres on the wrong route before identifying the error and backtracking. Thirty kilometres is a casual morning ride under normal circumstances. At kilometre 700 of a 1,170-kilometre unsupported race, they feel like a different sport entirely.
Later in the day, exhaustion caught up with me physically. A crash — low speed, body simply giving way for a moment — left me with abrasions but no serious damage. I assessed, cleaned the wounds with my kit, and continued. Stopping was not a serious option I entertained.
The mental arithmetic of time, distance, and the dwindling cutoff buffer occupied every waking moment. Sleep deprivation began distorting perception. I kept riding.
Day 4 — Jog Falls and the Finish (900–1,170 km)
Day 4 brought Jog Falls — one of India's tallest waterfalls and one of the most spectacular points on the route. Under other circumstances it would have demanded a long stop and photographs. I allowed myself a few minutes, then pushed on north toward Goa.
By this stage, wrist numbness had become persistent and distracting. Long hours on the handlebars compress the ulnar nerve; I managed it by changing hand positions constantly and using the aerobars when possible. It never fully resolved, but it remained manageable.
I crossed the finish line back at Bogmalo at 22:00 hrs on Day 4 — 86 hours 15 minutes after the start. 4th place in the unsupported category.
What Worked — and What Didn't
Strengths:
- Pacing on Day 1 — the conservative early effort preserved enough for the Ghats
- Equipment selection — the bike setup held without mechanical issues across 1,170 km
- Mental resolve after the crash and wrong-route incident — neither created a prolonged psychological low
Weaknesses and lessons:
- Navigation discipline — the 30-kilometre wrong route in darkness was avoidable with better GPS discipline
- Wrist management — a more structured routine of position changes and off-bike stretches would have helped
- The Madikeri cutoff was too close — arriving with one minute to spare means the second half of Day 2 was ridden without any time margin
The Ultra Spice unsupported category is a unique test: not just of fitness, but of logistics, self-sufficiency, and the ability to make good decisions when you are deep in sleep deprivation and physical discomfort. I would do it again.