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Cycling 5,000km in 12 days... on a stationary bicycle in Pimple Nilakh... Lt Col Pannu takes on vRAAM 2020
The Race Across America (RAAM) is an endurance feat that has steadily seen a growing number of Indian athletes participate each year.
The Race Across America (RAAM) is an endurance feat that has steadily seen a growing number of Indian athletes participate each year.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 event is now the Virtual Race Across America (vRAAM), which will be conducted from June 16-28.
The announcement brought great relief to Lt Col Bharat Kumar Pannu, who was to take part in the event. Now, Lt Col Pannu will cycle 5,000km in 12 days, with a cumulative elevation climb of 73,500 metres, all on a stationary bicycle in Pimple Nilakh, Pune.
“I am all set to ride on a stationary bike integrated with the online application FulGaz,” said Lt Col Pannu, who could not take part in RAAM 2019 due to a fractured right collar bone.
Lt Col Pannu is based at the Army’s aviation unit in Bengaluru, but chose to ride the vRAAM from Pune, where he landed in on Saturday evening. Lt Col Pannu has been training indoors since April.
“I have a very old connection with Pune. Of my eight-member team, six are from Pune, and one each from Nashik and Mumbai. Calling all of them to Bengaluru was risky, so I decided to come here,” said Lt Col Pannu who had completed solo cycling expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) in 8 Days 09 Hours and 48 minutes in October 2019.
Pannu’s vRAAM attempt is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for supporting the education of the children of domestic helps in Pune, through an NGO called Punarjanmam.
“The situation has become worse due to coronavirus and I will appeal to people, via social media, to support my cause,” added the 37-year-old Pannu, who hails from Rohtak, Haryana.
Darshan Dubey, the crew chief, says, “We were disappointed when we first got the news, as the whole plan was to go to the US and be a part of RAAM, but now we are excited with the alternate option. vRAAM will have its own set of challenges for which the whole team is prepared.”
Team will be working in a group of four in 12-hour shifts.
What is RAAM
Race Across America is a race where the cyclist covers 3,000 miles, across 12 states. Solo riders have 12 days to cover the distance, while if one is participating in a team, then s/he gets nine days to complete the distance.
Professional and amateur cyclists can take part in the race, which runs between California and Maryland.
Now, vRAAM
The cyclist will complete 3000 miles with the help of smart indoor trainers and an application called FulGaz between June 16-28. A total of 40 cyclists from across the world are participating in the event.
Lt Col Bharat Kumar Pannu, pedalling to endurance glory
Began cycling as a sport in 2016
2020:
Winner of Ultra Spice Race (1,750 km) with King of the Mountain segment
Virtual Everesting Challenge
2019:
Winner of Ultra Spice Race 2019 (1750 km) with a course record
Bliss in the Hills (1200 km)
Kashmir to Kanyakumari Solo Cycling Expedition (K2K) Guinness Record; finished in eight days, nine hours & 48 minutes; the record also listed by World Ultra Cycling Association (WUCA)
2018:
Ultra Spice Race (Goa- Ooty-Goa; 1,750 km)
Crew member for US team ‘Sea To See’ which became the first blind/visually Impaired team to finish RAAM in 2018
Deccan Cliffhanger (Pune-Goa; 645 km) in 2018
2017:
Super Randonneur in Nashik
Winner of Ultra Spice Race (Goa-Mangalore-Goa;1,000 km)
First Indians, with Darshan Dubey, to successfully complete Race Around Austria (2,200 km)
Three from India who have completed solo RAAM
2019: Kabir Rachure, Mumbai
2017: Dr Amit Samarth, Nagpur
2017: Shrinivas Gokulnath
“vRAAM will be a very monotonous activity. As you will keep cycling in one room and he (Pannu) will be in one position for 12 days while cycling. He will not be able to stand and cycle,” says Amit Samarth from Nagpur who completed Solo RAAM in 2017.
“Cycling in the lap of nature is a completely different thing. Pannu will need to be very strong mentally for all 12 days,” says Mahendra Mahajan from Nashik who completed the RAAM team of two in 2015 with his brother Dr Hitendra Mahajan.
