Chennai | Gear up for WCCG Aalam Deepam Duathlon to run, trip and take dwelling a medal

When the fourth version of WCCG’s (Chennai Cycling Group) Aalam Deepam Duathlon happened in 2023, the town was nonetheless reeling from the grips of the pandemic. Participants who had registered for this occasion, raced just about and solitarily to the whirr of their cycle chain.

They sped down acquainted lanes, huffing and puffing to complete the primary leg — the run, and ultimately accomplished with what they did finest — cycle. “One may’ve been in Timbaktoo and took part within the race. All they might’ve needed to do was add their statistics from a most well-liked health monitoring app,” says Priya Arjun, a member and coordinator of WCCG.

One 12 months therefore, this health occasion is again in Chennai. This time, members don’t have to trip solo. With their vibrant helmets, hunched backs and sipper bottles, the athletes can have the chance to line up exterior Mayajaal on the East Coast Road on March 10 for his or her first in-person race.

“Last 12 months, the WCCG chapters organised mini races for themselves. This time, they’ll run and trip in a bigger race with the bigger biking neighborhood. The race will lead one again to Mayajaal,” Priya says.

The classes this 12 months embrace a 5 kilometre stroll/run adopted by a 20-kilometre trip titled ‘dash’. The Olympic class includes a 10-kilometre run adopted by a 40-kilometre trip. Participants can select to tag together with a teammate for each these classes the place one can be nominated to run, whereas the opposite rides.

Running tends to be the much less most well-liked selection for cyclists. Training has therefore begun effectively prematurely to make sure that everybody’s cardiovascular well being is excessive, says Priya, including that those that are pressed for time ought to attempt the dash class to start with.

During their version in 2023, a lady a part of the OMR chapter took half from the United Kingdom as she was travelling. The coordinator says that they don’t need to deter such dedicated participation. Hence, the digital races will proceed and have to be accomplished inside a day on both March 8, 9 or 10. The digital trip can be tracked and verified on the backend by means of Strava (a health monitoring app). All those that full will obtain a t-shirt and a finisher medal.

The proceeds of the occasion will go in direction of the Humans of Cycling initiative, began by WCCG through the pandemic in 2020, the place cycles are given to working adults and college students from deprived sections of society. Last 12 months, 125 cycles have been distributed.

“The duathlon promotes two issues — doing one thing to be ok with oneself and doing one thing to raised another person’s life,” she says.

The final day for registration for WCCG Aalam Deepam Duathlon is March 3. The occasion takes place on March 10 at Mayajaal, ECR. The registration is priced at ₹649 and ₹1,199. Register at https://www.cct.chennaicyclists.com/ and phone 97899822110 for particulars.