Mysore/Mysuru: Proving that age is no barrier to fitness, a spirited team of 15 cyclists from Mysore Athletes Club (MAC) — including eight senior citizens — completed a seven-day cycling expedition from Mysuru to Kanyakumari via Dhanushkodi, covering a total distance of 950 kilometres.

The ride, which commenced on Nov. 1 and concluded on Nov. 7, was undertaken to promote and strengthen the Government of India’s ‘Fit India Movement’.

The cyclists averaged 135 kilometres per day, traversing diverse terrains including the scenic Sathyamangala forest, the steep Dimbam Ghat and the sun-scorched plains of Karaikkudi, Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi and Tuticorin, before reaching Kanyakumari.

Of the 15 participants, four hailed from Bengaluru. The group included two 75-year-olds, one 70-year-old and five aged above 60, each demonstrating remarkable endurance and commitment to fitness.

Throughout the journey, the cyclists were warmly received by curious onlookers in towns and villages. The cyclists used these interactions to spread awareness about physical fitness and objectives of Fit India.

The team comprised seasoned endurance cyclists, many of whom are Super Randonneurs (SR), a title awarded to those who complete a series of long-distance rides in a year.

The riders included Mohan Shenoy (75), Sahasranam Subrahmanium (75), D. Dhananjaya (70), M.S. Babu Kamalakar (65), K.S. Veda Murthy (65), Ramesh Narasaiah (62), Brigadier (Retd.) Ravi Muniswamy (62), H.S. Deepak (61), Rtn R. Muthukumaran (55), B. Manjunath (53), P. Venugopal (52), Harsha (48), Dr. R.D. Dayananda (47), Dr. S. Shivanand (45), and  N.C. Poonacha (42).

Entrepreneur Santhosh from Mysuru provided vital logistical support and other arrangements.

The ride was coordinated by Rtn. Muthukumaran, with support from Santhosh, Veda Murthy, Venugopal and Anil.

The day-wise route was as follows:

Day-1 – Mysuru to Sathyamangala (150 km), Day-2 – Sathyamangala to Ottanchathram (155 km), Day-3 – Ottanchathram to Karaikudi (135 km), Day-4 – Karaikudi to Rameshwaram (140 km), Day-5 – Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi and back to Keelakarai (125 km), Day-6 – Keelakarai to Thiruchendur (145 km), and Day-7 – Thiruchendur to Kanyakumari (100 km).

Total riding time across the 950-kilometre journey was 43.5 hours, spread over six-and-a-half days, with each day’s ride completed in 6 to 7 hours.