My first Chennai Trail Ultra was supposed to be a 16K trail run. Instead, it began the previous night with sore legs, a motorcycle, a Google Maps shortcut, muddy village roads and a classroom floor. From the darkness before dawn to the red-earth trails of Sholavaram and a 1:34:00 finish, this became much more than a race.

My first BRM 200 turned out to be a ride full of lessons in endurance and resilience. Battling two punctures, scorching 37°C heat, strong headwinds, heavy traffic, and long flyovers, the journey from Velachery to Tada and back tested both body and mind. What started as a nervous first attempt became a story of determination, kindness from strangers, and the stubborn will to keep pedalling.