The moment arrives. As the final beads of sweat rolled down his brow, Idris felt a rush of adrenaline propel him with his bicycle toward the finish line. This was what he had been training for these past few months. It was time to reap the fruits of all that labour. It seemed irrelevant now that he had been at the pedal for nearly 87 hours. What mattered now was conquering the 1,200 kilometre race—toward success and glory.
Idris Sibatra is a cycling enthusiast from Kolkata. Coming from a family keen on athletics, he talks fondly of his father, “My father always pushed me to be physically fit. He used to invoke the adage that the body—like the oiling of a machine—needed exercise to keep it in good working condition.” From an early age, Idris had an affinity with sporting activities. When he was not swimming, he was enjoying playing football with his mates. “There is this expansive area in central Kolkata which is known as the maidaan, that is like a melting pot for all kinds of sporting activities. Every weekend, it's like a celebration of athletics, especially for cyclists like me who while away the hours riding along the long stretches, enveloped by the green environs around the iconic Victoria Memorial.”
An affinity for cycling gradually turned into a life-long passion. “It’s a very wholesome sport to keep oneself fit and healthy,” Idris maintains. As someone who has covered more than 44,460 kilometres, and who has the habit of cycling twice a week, Idris is a regular customer of all the health benefits that cycling has to offer. “In addition to being good for your blood circulation which helps you remain on your feet all day long, cycling also increases your stamina and reduces the chances of having any chronic pain as you grow older,” he adds.
Having a cycling regimen has served him well at his workplace. A businessman in the hardware industry, Idris’ work requires him to stand for long hours in the sun keeping check of the loading and unloading of containers. Cycling rejuvenates and gives him the necessary strength to withstand this. “My friends often ask me how I am always so active, and I reply to them that it’s simple—through cycling.”
Besides long 100 kilometre rides, Idris also indulges himself in short rides in the company of friends. At the dawn of an opportunity, they set about planning for a breakfast or lunch meet preceded by short bicycle rides. In addition to physical exertion, each member is able to let off steam from the pressures of everyday life. ‘I think just the fact that we meet up and get to talk is more than an incentive to go out on group rides. It’s refreshing—for body and mind,’ says Idris.
When he is planning for a longer ride he prefers to ride alone so that he can track his time, distance and heart rate. “Cyclers prefer cycling alone for long rides because it allows them to maintain their original speed and distance. If you are in a group, you have to adjust your speed with others.”
However, Idris’ passion for cycling pushes him to help others. As an attempt to motivate his friends to take up cycling regularly, he teamed up with one of them to finish a ride together; motivating his friend to push beyond his limits and accomplish this feat.
Idris’ cycling accomplishments are plenty. He is a six-time Super Randonneur with 200, 300, 400, and 600 kilometres first-finisher. His journey began at the start of 2018 and is still ongoing. He has participated in cycling events worldwide. One of them was in Paris in 2019 where he was the gold medalist.
Before the start of any event, Idris has a ritual. He busies himself in free hand exercises like running and swimming to increase endurance and stamina for the event. He completes non-stop 50 kilometre rides (finishing the ride in a single stretch) where he maintains 35 km/hour of speed.
“I never participate in an event without finishing this training course. Some people believe that cycling is easy, you just put one foot in front of the other and that’s it. However, it is much more than that. Without proper practice you exert more energy; this increases your heart rate which sends signals of exhaustion to your brain. Before you know it, you are tired and on the verge of quitting.” He adds, “My trainer is very strict when it comes to preparing me for a long ride event. He has a simple concept: if your body is already used to cycling for long hours, you won’t feel the heat when you are at the event.” Thanks to this training, Idris proudly says he has finished first in all events he has participated in.
One thing that annoys Idris are the excuses people usually give him for not cycling more often, even though they have a bicycle lined up in their backyard. “People who tell me that there aren’t proper roads for cycling in Kolkata or India are just making excuses. There is a lack of dedication, that’s why these trivial matters are blown out of proportion.”
His most used applications for cycling include Strava, an app that tracks your distance and speed. For more accuracy and overall cycling data, enthusiasts like Idris use a tracking device developed by Garmin, which not only measures your distance but also your heart rate, speed and endurance. This data helps Idris identify areas of improvement.
Lastly, Idris shares that all his rides are memorable because he sees his time improve with every ride. He covers 50 kilometres faster than he used to and each ride holds a chance for breaking his own record. These accomplishments and avenues for further excellence are his inspiration to keep pedalling on.
