On the 2nd of August, 2020, Anil Kadsur decided to ride 100 km for nine consecutive days alongside other cyclists from Bengaluru. The first day panned out smoothly, and Kadsur was surprised to have ridden the distance with relative ease despite a long training break due to the pandemic. It was no different over the next eight days; by the end of it, a little celebration unfolded for the cyclists who had managed to ride the entire 900 km.
As the celebrations died down, Kadsur was up in the dead of the night. He wanted to take on the 100 km distance yet again, and there’s been no stopping him ever since. As of May 25th, the 44-year-old has logged 1,027 consecutive days of going the 100 km distance. According to Strava, a popular Swedish phone app used by cyclists to track their timing and distances, Kadsur rode 40,004 km last year, which he says is the most distance logged by an Indian. So far in 2023, he has passed the 15,000 km milestone.
“I had ridden 100 km for 30 days in 2016, so I wanted to see if I could still do it again after all these years. Those nine days soon became a month, then six months, then a year and before I realised it, I had been riding for over two years. Then somebody informed me that I was close to the Guinness World Records mark, which stands at 764 days, so I went past that as well. And then I thought I should just keep going as long as I can,” he shares. “There was a lot of negativity that I experienced during the pandemic. So once the first lockdown was over in 2020, I decided to make the most of my time. Cycling for me was just right.”
Kadsur says it was a cure for his short temper and the perfect release for his energy. The workouts became more consistent over time. Cycling was introduced as part of his cross-training routine about 13 years ago, when he was still a part of the corporate world. He was soon commuting around Bengaluru on his bicycle to get to client meetings. “The first few rides were at a park near my home. But I realised I could avoid relying on cabs and rickshaws to get around town, so I started travelling on my bicycle. It felt good to have the commute in my control,” Kadsur says.
He was soon toying with the idea of doing longer distances. Twelve years ago, on his first attempt to ride from Bengaluru to Mysuru, a distance of about 280 km, Kadsur clocked it in 17 hours. Not satisfied with the effort, he looked to improve his timing and took on more of these rides. Soon, endurance cycling became his passion and a welcome break from the monotony of the corporate world, which he quit seven years ago to become a fitness trainer.
“Initially, most of my rides were solo. I would enjoy my own company and hitting the road for hours on end was a meditative experience, especially when surrounded by nature,” he says. “Even when I started on my fitness journey, it was all about consistency. If one can eat thrice a day, there’s no reason to miss out on the workout that lasts just about an hour or so. That’s the way I approach any physical activity.”
What is remarkable about his daily 100 km rides is that it hasn’t stopped him from working. Kadsur starts his day at 3 AM and he is on the road on his cycle in 30 minutes. He takes a break at 5 AM to train his clients for about four hours, and gets back in the saddle once more. By noon, he is usually done with about 90 km. After his afternoon fitness sessions, Kadsur tackles the last 10 km on his way home.
The wear and tear of all the miles have seen Kadsur switch his bicycles five times over through the years. He prefers riding a gearless bicycle or a ‘fixie’, which keeps things interesting for him, especially while negotiating traffic. “You must constantly keep pedalling while riding a fixie or the bicycle will come to a halt. So, it’s a lot of mindful riding. I also enjoy manoeuvring the bicycle in traffic to ensure that I maintain momentum,” he says.
Most of the riding happens on a 5 km loop near Kanakpura Road in South Bengaluru. He’s grown a steady fan following of sorts in the area, his effort appreciated by the wayside shopkeepers and the many commuters who notice him daily. “I didn’t realise that people were watching me. When I stop for a coffee break, I often have a stranger walk up to me and compliment me on my effort. One gentleman said, ‘sir, you don’t know how much you’ve influenced me. I have never seen someone so happy riding a bicycle in the middle of Bengaluru’s traffic. It’s a really nice feeling,’” he shares.
Kadsur has also had his fair share of mishaps. Last year, a biker kicked him when he was riding in the wee hours of the morning. Another time, he crashed into a motorcycle and was left with a swollen knee. It’s been concerning for his wife, Sindhu, but there’s no stopping Kadsur and his cycling. “I’ve told her that I’ll be accompanied by a friend, a short distance from home. This doesn’t happen 100 percent of the time,” he chuckles.
His friends from the local cycling community have christened the 100 km distance as the ‘Kadsur metre’. His teenage daughter, Chinmayi, cannot stop raving about her father’s prowess. But for Kadsur, riding the distance is just another part of his daily routine and he wants to continue doing it for as long as he can. “I want people to explore the limits of their endurance and physical strength,” he asserts. “That’s how you will really know what you are capable of.”
