8 Weeks to SR

My Journey Through the 2026 Super Randonneur Series

Cycling started for me the same way it starts for many people — as a simple hobby.

When I first began riding toward the end of 2022, I had no real understanding of cycling as a sport. My first ride was on a borrowed bicycle during a casual trip to Palakkad. Soon after, I convinced my family to buy me my first bike — a Mach City Hybrid. It wasn’t an easy discussion, but eventually they agreed.

A few friends and I began riding together two or three Saturdays each month, exploring places around Coimbatore. At that time, even participating in events like Decathlon cyclothons felt like a huge achievement. A simple participation medal meant everything.

But life slowly changed our routines. Friends moved away, schedules became busy, and the rides became less frequent. For a while, I genuinely thought my cycling journey might quietly fade away.

The Push Toward BRM

Toward the end of 2025, fellow cyclist Mr. Sadish from Palladam encouraged me to try BRMs and aim for the Super Randonneur (SR) series in 2026.

The thought had crossed my mind before, but I needed that final push.

BRMs always felt like something meant for elite cyclists. They required time, money, planning, and commitment. I had plenty of doubts:

• Would I be able to complete it?
• What if I had to ride alone?
• Would my parents even allow it?

Eventually, I decided to stop overthinking and simply attempt one 200 km BRM.

The First Step — Ramble 200 (Madurai)

On January 11, I rode my first BRM: the Ramble 200 in Madurai.

The week leading up to it was chaotic — last-minute packing, figuring out how to transport my bike, and wondering what exactly I had signed up for.

But the ride itself was magical.

It drizzled almost the entire day, and I enjoyed every kilometre of it. When I crossed the finish line, my first thought was simple:

“I could ride more.”

Through the Night — Namakkal 300 (Coimbatore)

With that confidence — and some convincing at home — I registered for the Namakkal 300 BRM on February 7.

This ride introduced something new: my first night ride.

The first half went smoothly, but by afternoon the heat became relentless. After crossing 200 km, my bike suffered three punctures in quick succession.

I had spare tubes but lacked the experience to change them quickly. Without the help of Mr. Sadish and my teammates, I might not have finished in time.

After 11 PM, sleepiness began creeping in. But we were close enough to the finish that I kept pushing forward.

And once again, the same thought returned:

I could ride more.

The Crash — Natham 400 (Coimbatore)

Just a week later, on February 14, I attempted the Natham 400 BRM.

Convincing my parents this time was far more difficult. In fact, they agreed only on one condition — that this would be my last BRM.

I agreed… even though the 600 km ride still remained.

The ride was going smoothly until around 250 km, when I crashed due to poor road conditions. For a moment, I thought my ride had ended. I still had 150 km left.

But I had started this journey to finish it.

From that moment onward, Mr. Sadish rode beside me the entire way, even though my reduced pace slowed him down. His support made all the difference.

Past midnight, drowsiness became overwhelming — my first real experience of pushing through deep night riding.

By sunrise, I crossed the finish line.

Now I had two difficult tasks waiting at home:

1. Explaining the crash
2. Asking permission for the 600 km ride

The Final Test — Kancheepuram 600 (Salem)

Initially, I planned to attempt the 600 km BRM later in the year, after summer.

But my teammates had other plans. They were riding the Kancheepuram 600 on March 7, and they convinced me to complete the SR series with them.

In truth, riding with them was my best chance. Attempting it alone later would have been much harder.

Getting permission at home was once again challenging. Being a female rider meant additional concerns — logistics, safety, nutrition, and travel planning.

But the goal was clear: finish what I started.

The ride required two nights and one full day on the saddle.

The first night went surprisingly well. But by the next afternoon, exhaustion, heat, and sleep deprivation began taking their toll. At one point we covered just 50 km in nearly seven hours.

We were falling behind schedule.

After 350 km, my body felt completely empty. From there, it became purely a battle of the mind.

My teammates kept encouraging me to move forward.

Through the second night, despite exhaustion and countless internal battles, I kept riding.

I finally finished just ten minutes before the official cut-off.

Even today, I still struggle to understand how those final hours happened.

Serendipity

When I first imagined completing the Super Randonneur series, I thought it might take an entire year.

Instead, it happened in just eight weeks — from January 11 to March 7.

Looking back now, it feels like a perfect alignment of people, timing, and determination.

Maybe the best word for it is serendipity.

This journey would never have been possible without:

• My parents
• My teammates
• Mr. Sadish
• The incredibly supportive cycling communities of Tirupur and Coimbatore

Many people — some of whom I barely knew — encouraged me whenever I felt like quitting.

For that, I will always be grateful.

And while this chapter ends with an SR medal, I know one thing for certain:

This is far from the end of the road.

I am Indhu Nishalini K, Tiruppur district’s first female Super Randonneur.