Published On : Tue, Jan 9th, 2018

City’s ace cyclist Jyoti Patel accomplishes G2G mission with aplomb

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Jyoti Patel
Nagpur: City’s ace cyclist Jyoti Patel has added one more feather in her glorious crown by accomplishing an extraordinary feat. Jyoti completed 1460-km distance between Delhi’s India Gate to Gateway of India, Mumbai, in record six days. She had undertaken the G2G mission on December 16 and on the sixth day, Jyoti emerged triumphant.

An Interior Designer by profession, the 38-year old Jyoti Patel was accompanied by five women cyclists in her G2G mission. They travelled a distance of 250 kilometres daily. During this epic journey, Jyoti and her other companions made night halts at Jaipur, Bhilwada, Kherwada (Rajasthan), Baroda (Gujarat) and Talshri (Maharashtra). The ace cyclists reached the Gateway of India on December 21 to a tumultuous welcome.

The G2G mission was organised by Delhi Randonneur for creating awareness on child labour and safety of pedestrians. Jyoti Patel became a Super Randonneur by cycling 1,500 kms at a stretch twice in one year.

For someone who has cycled for 3,000 kms in one year, completing the 1,460 kms G2G event from India Gate in New Delhi to Gateway of India in Mumbai in six days was an easy task. But 38-year-old interior designer says that she participated because she loved the title of the event and also got to traverse across five states.

Jyoti has so far pedalled to Raipur, Hyderabad, Vijaywada, Pachmarhi and at other places. In December 2016, she traversed 600-km distance between Nagpur and Raipur within a record time non-stop. Dr Amit Samarth, a participant in ‘Race across America,’ is her trainer.

“Women are not lagging behind in any field. There are lot of opportunities for women in sports too. Cycling is best remedy for curbing air pollution, traffic problems, parking menace, and for overall health. Cycle is for multiple use,” Jyoti Patel says.

It was a friend who told her about the G2G event for which she enrolled in March-2017. Patel says she prepared extensively for four months to participate in this one. Terming the first day of the ride from India Gate as an exhilarating one, Patel says, “My troubles began from second day as I had a terrible backache, fever and indigestion. On the third day I had saddle sores and my stomach remained upset for almost the entire duration of the ride.”

Starting at 6 am every day and finishing around 8 pm for a night halt at one of the places earmarked on the route, she pedalled for 250 kms everyday.

“More than physical peddling I was riding on my mental strength. That’s why despite indigestion problems I could complete the ride,” she says while also encouraging women to take up such expeditions.