G D Vishnu Raam, a marathon-runner and cyclist from Coimbatore, set off on his Scott Addict 30 bicycle from Coimbatore Airport at 7.23pm on March 26. He rode non-stop and reached Salem in four hours, 28 minutes, and 19 seconds covering a distance of 161 kilometres. He is now ‘The fastest individual to cover 100 miles in road bicycling’, according to India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records. “At 41, I am fit, confident and healthy to achieve this. What is stopping the youth?,” asks Vishnu adding that this particular solo cycling expedition was to motivate youngsters to set fitness goals and achieve them. “Bicycling boomed during the lockdown. When gyms and pools shut and health suddenly became a priority, people turned to cycling as a fitness activity. Riding is healthy, fun and a low-impact form of exercise for all ages.”
Fitness goals
While he kick-started his fitness journey in the 1990s (when he weighed 95 kilograms during his college days) with athletic trainers who groomed him to run marathons, it was the fitness routine of C Sylendra Babu, the Director General of Police, that inspired him to go on cycling and car expeditions.
