The definitive long-read on how a self-described late starter became one of India's foremost ultra-cyclists.
This is the deep-dive profile of Bharat's journey into ultra-cycling. Menon traces a path that began not on a bike but in an army family that moved across India, through an engineering degree and a commission in the Corps of EME, to a posting in Jammu where badminton, and then a Raleigh mountain bike, first sparked an interest in riding.
“lived a bland life”
— how Menon describes Bharat's years before he found cyclingThe 2016 transfer to Nashik becomes the turning point. Within days Bharat sought out RAAM veteran Col Srinivas Gokulnath, registered for his first brevets, met his future crew chief and friend Darshan Dubey, and — that same season — won the inaugural Ultra Spice 1,000 km. The piece follows the rapid escalation that took him to Race Around Austria in 2017, to crewing for Team Sea To See at RAAM 2018, and toward his first solo RAAM bid, with coach Tracy McKay then entering the picture.
Along the way Menon draws out the human details — supportive parents, the pull of recognition, the friendships made on the road — that explain how the progression happened so fast.
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.
