Skip to main content

Sero fero - part 2 (KORA24)

Enrolling for the #KORA24 cycling event for the first time was an exhilarating decision. I chose 50 km, the shortest among 75, 100 and 140 km. 


At the break of dawn, I joined a group of enthusiastic cyclists at the historic Patan Durbar Square. The sight of such a diverse assembly of participants and bicycles was something I had never experienced in the city before.


The weather was perfect, setting an ideal stage for the journey ahead. For the first couple of kilometers, I rode alongside my friends. As the trail became more exciting, I found myself continuing at my own pace, mingling with different groups of cyclists before leaving them behind. Along the route, well-organized stations provided music, water, and repair services, adding to the vibrant atmosphere.


The route was a captivating blend of uphill and downhill paths, weaving beneath the hills surrounding the valley. Despite living in Kathmandu for years, I was surprised to discover parts of the city I had never seen before. Waterfalls and gorges hidden in the backyards of my neighborhood in Kirtipur were a delightful revelation.


As I pedaled ahead, the number of cyclists thinned out. From every point, the valley offered a different perspective. The densely packed houses, though somewhat unattractive, showcased the valley's immense capacity to accommodate a burgeoning population. This contrast made me appreciate Kathmandu's resilience and adaptability even more.

The route cleverly avoided the main roads, winding through narrow lanes that I found surprisingly enjoyable. The organizers had meticulously placed small signs at every turn and intersection, guiding us along the way. Their hard work and attention to detail were commendable, and I felt grateful for the smooth experience they provided. From the outset, I knew this trip would be memorable, but it also made me wonder why I had missed out on the KORA cycling event for so many years.


Navigating the narrow alleys gave me a sense of a treasure hunt, motivating me to keep moving. At times, when the route markers were scarce, I relied on my maps.me navigation, which added a layer of fun to the adventure. Staying hydrated and energized was crucial, especially since 50 kilometers was a significant distance for a novice cyclist like me.

The temples, hills, and towns along the way were packed with unexplainable experiences, deepening my understanding of Kathmandu. The vivid signs of failed urbanization and the city's aesthetic challenges were clear, yet it was also encouraging to witness the lively spirit of the expanding city. The adaptability of its residents highlighted a hopeful vision for the future.

I completed the route and was one of the early finishers. I patted myself on the back, feeling a sense of accomplishment as I was awarded a medal by the ex-military chief, who encouraged me to aim for a longer route next time.

So, I am encouraged and I look for more KORA and running events. I think, there should be more such events, which will encourage urban people to embrace healthy life.

Labels:

Comments

  1. BClaireB.November 5, 2024 at 8:02 AM

    The way you describe the events it was as if the readers were also doing the cycling and enjoying nature :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1000 Miles And Counting

I have completed 1,000 miles this year. I am not a big fan of the old metric system of miles. I prefer kilometres. But 1,000 miles sounds much cooler than 1,609 kilometres. So, I am going with miles. I did it. And yes, it feels like another proud moment. I did some math. It is only a little more than '6 kilometres a day'. Six kilometres! That sounds minimal when you look at it that way. Still, somehow, it feels good to think about the whole distance. The compound effect is amazing. I run on alternate days, so it is about 12 kilometres per run on average. Some days are different. On Friday, I ran 20 kilometres. I had no plan for a long run, but as I started running, the distance slowly added up to 20. And then I went to the office afterward. It was a happy Friday. I have been thinking about what this 1,000 miles really means to me. Perhaps it is simply an example of 'showing up, no matter what'. Six kilometres on an average day. Sometimes 20, sometimes less than 10. Some...
1 comment
Read more

Spicing Up My Run

After a few years of running, I have made my run not only about the distance, the pace, or the time on the Garmin. I weave stories out of it. I like to create little stories from my runs. Some come from my daughter. Some come from the streets of Kathmandu. Some come from my memories. Some are simply things I notice along the way. These little stories make my run interesting. They give meaning to the kilometres. They make the journey lighter. Take today's run. As we all know, the distance is never fixed. But when Garmin showed '13.99' km, I stopped it. Why? Because my daughter wanted my run to end at .99. I had actually run another 700 metres before reaching my destination. But I stopped the Garmin at 13.99. I could have recorded 14.69 km or more.  But then I would have spoiled the story. Sometimes, it is these little things that make running fun. A few days ago, I was running along the Bagmati River. I went out and came back along the same route. This happened because of an...
1 comment
Read more

Running with Dostoevsky

I completed  Crime and Punishment -  finally. I’ve recently started reading some of the classics, the books that are often referred to as “must-reads,”. This book is one of the longest books I have ever read. To be honest, I’m not ready to give any profound review of it. I am sharing my experience with reading the book. I started reading the physical copy, but somewhere along the way, I switched to the audiobook so I could listen while running. It took me months to finish. It wasn’t an easy read. I completed nearly half of the book on the physical book and then switched to Spotify. They were completely different experiences. Reading a physical book feels like reading, whereas listening is more like, the narrator has more control over it, but I enjoyed the audiobook version equally.  The characters and their details are so well described. The events almost pop out vividly. The monologues and thoughts, and ruminations of the characters - those make the book wort...
2 comments
Read more

My first Marathon - 42.195 kms

On November 1, 2025, I completed my first full marathon. I mean 42.195 kilometres, at the Kathmandu Marathon. It was rewarding and worthwhile. It was pure joy. One big, proud check off my bucket list. I had been preparing for this moment for months. I registered for it a long time ago, as an early bird. My training wasn’t exactly at an “elite athlete” level, but I did what I could: some long runs, some short ones, and some high-pace “show-off” runs. YouTube coaches and Garmin training plans became my virtual trainers. A week before the marathon, I got symptoms of a cold. A runner's biggest fear - my nose ran faster than I did. I googled "how to recover from a cold soon?" and the internet basically said, nothing much, it would take its usual course of about a week. I googled “how soon can you run after a cold?" Answers were not encouraging. But I wasn’t giving up. I took medicine, drank plenty of water. A few pre-runs that week were slow and tiring. I could only hope ...
4 comments
Read more

Do The Hard Things, But...

My daily routine is so set now that it almost seems boring. But I love to turn boring things into interesting things. Firstly, we have always been told, "Do what you love to do." I do not buy this. There is nothing wrong with doing the thing we love to do, but what if we don't love the thing that we have to do, ie, 'the hard things'? I have built a habit of doing the hard things, which I started to love doing, but not always. Yesterday was my scheduled running day, but the morning brought a heavy, relentless downpour. Running in the rain after you are already out on the road is tolerable, but stepping out the front door into a torrent feels counterintuitive and strange. All day at the office, I felt a lingering sense of incompletion. My body missed the familiar, satisfying fatigue that comes from a morning run. I kept promising myself that I would make up for it after work. The moment I arrived home, I changed into my running gear and headed south into the cool ai...
2 comments
Read more