It’s not every day that you meet a young athlete who only recently picked up cycling and is already clocking jaw-dropping speeds. But that’s exactly what Rudraksha, a spirited Class 8 student from Apeejay School, Charkhi Dadri, has achieved. With a blend of determination, discipline, and a dash of homemade churma, he bagged the second position in a 16 km cycle marathon, completing the race in just over 31 minutes. We caught up with him for a heart-to-heart about his training, motivation, and what lies ahead on the road.
Rudraksha! You’ve achieved the second position in the 16 km cycle marathon. That’s incredible! How long did it take you to complete the distance?
I covered the 16 km in about 31 minutes and 20 seconds.
What! That’s super fast! At what pace were you cycling?
At a pace of around 3.59 minutes per kilometre. I don’t have a metre on my cycle, but my friend helped track the pace.
Wow. And when did you actually start cycling seriously?
I started just one and a half months ago. Before that, I didn’t do much cycling.
That’s remarkable progress. How did you train for this race?
I usually train on Sundays. We cycle around 65 to 70 kilometres. We avoid cycling every day to prevent leg injuries. Sometimes, I practice for 2 to 3 hours.
What’s your school’s reaction to your achievement?
My school is very happy. They support and motivate us, not just in sports but in different aspects of life too. My classmates and teachers also congratulated me and encouraged me a lot.
What’s your next goal?
My next target is to complete a 5 km running marathon in 21 minutes. I’m also preparing for a triathlon that includes swimming, cycling and running.
Amazing! What’s your diet like to keep up this strength and energy?
I eat protein-rich food, butter, dry fruits, and drink juice. I also rest well to help my body recover. I’m a vegetarian—I eat dal, paneer, ghee and the favourite Haryanvi dish Churma and all the healthy traditional foods. Churma helps me a lot!