Run, cycle, and lift funds: The annual Chennai Cyclists Aalam Deepam Duathlon is right here

Early risers and morning joggers alongside the ECR are used to a fluorescent inexperienced helmet gliding down daily at 4am. Wearing it’s Priya D, a member of WCCG (Chennai Cycling Group began by Divagaran Thiyagarajan), who cycles each morning down that stretch to the music of Sia’s ‘Unstoppable’ enjoying from the speaker hooked up to the cycle. Of late, the bicycle owner is extra decided to place in additional kilometres as she trains for the Chennai Cyclists Aalam Deepam Duathlon organised by Aalam, the philanthropic wing of WCCG. . 

Just like Priya there are a selection of different lovers throughout town and India who’re gearing up for the fourth version of this fundraiser. The proceeds  will go in direction of the Humans of Cycling initiative, began by WCCG through the pandemic in 2020, the place cycles are given to these from deprived sections of society.

“People had been strolling lengthy distances to get to their workplaces. In loads of circumstances, the only breadwinner of the household couldn’t go to work as a result of there was no transport and because of this they didn’t receives a commission. This included women and men who labored as home assist, milkmen, cooks, cobblers, school college students who had half time jobs and many others. So we began this initiative to make them cell. It additionally helps them lower your expenses on transport prices and has well being advantages.We need to make sure that extra individuals use non-motorised transport because it’s setting pleasant,” says Priya.

Beneficiaries are recognized by a group who determine if they’re eligible after visiting them. The duathlon in its first and second editions raised funds for its different social initiatives. The final one was devoted to the Humans of Cycling. So far, the group has managed to offer cycles to 150-plus individuals.

The Alam Deepam Duathlon contains biking and working. It is a digital occasion and can happen between April 1 and 9. Anyone from any a part of the world can take part. There are 5 totally different classes based mostly on expertise: 5 kilometre stroll/run adopted by a 20-kilometre journey; the Olympic class is a 10-kilometre run adopted by a 40-kilometre journey; there may be even a class that youngsters can take part in, which is 2 kilometres stroll and 5 kilometre journey. “One can do it as a person or group rally. The solely stipulation is all contributors must have a Strava ID,” explains Priya. Those who compete the problem win a medal and a T-shirt.

“The 10-kilometre run isn’t any joke,” says Priya including that for a bicycle owner, the run is just not simple. So they practise strolling 40 kilometres and using 400 kilometres in a month. Various using and working teams from throughout India wish to take part on this problem. The final version had over 850 contributors. This yr the occasion is concentrating on a bigger participation and goals to gather sufficient funds to sponsor at the very least 200 bicycles.

The registration price begins at ₹549 per head and varies relying on the class. For particulars, go browsing to www.chennaicyclists.com

Published – March 24, 2023 01:18 pm IST