Race: BAR Giving Back Duathlon
Date: Feb 15, 2026
Format: 30km bike + 6km run

 

Fifth time at the BAR Giving Back start line. Four attempts behind me, no podium to show for it.

It’s my marquee duathlon in Bangalore, and the podium has always been the goal. The race itself is something special, thanks to Dr. Arvind Bhateja, Bikey Venky and the Giving Back team.

Race History

2022: first attempt. No structure to the training, but the running held up. Came home pleased.
2023: off an Ooty camp, legs felt sharp on the bike. Then I watched shoes pass me on the run.
2024: ‘off’-season. Pot belly bouncing through every step of the run leg.
2025: skipped. The bike sat on the wall for six months.

2026

Build-up was good. I’d resumed training with Chinmay since October’2025. No run practice though. Got into Bangalore the night before at 11:30 pm. Didn’t feel like going to the race, didn’t feel like not showing up either.

Mistake number one: pre-race oatmeal. I’d switched from regular Quaker to Yogabar oats and it didn’t sit well. I could feel the bloat all the way to the start line. Neil picked me up and helped with the bibs.

Bike Leg

30km out and back

Still bloated, so the plan was to go by feel. No HRM. First 10 minutes I held 240W and the bike already felt quick. The one number I cared about was 40 kmph average, something I’d never hit on this course, not even on the clip-ons on my road bike. Kept glancing down and I was just over/under it. Eased off near the end to set up for the run.

 

Run Leg

6km overall. 2 loops of 3km

Got into transition and realised I’d overshot the dismount line. Sudden brake, got off, tried to put the shoes on. Couldn’t. Total brain freeze. I should’ve pulled the boas off the shoes on the way in. Lesson for next time.

Pacing plan was just over 5 min/km. Started easy on purpose so I wouldn’t blow up with a stitch like in 2024. Tried to tuck in behind a runner and sit on his shoulder, but the pace crept up a notch too high. Around km 3 or 4 the bloat had finally eased, but the pace was biting. Held on anyway. Crossed the line feeling really good. Sat at the finish, cheering the rest of the field in.

Results

Fifth time lucky. P3, behind Ravi on P2 and one guy on P1

I was quick on the bike on the Mercs, which more than made up for my run time. P1 had a ridiculous run split. Transition was actually really good. Surprising, given the brain freeze.

P1 -> ALBAN with an insane run time of 22 min
P2 -> Ravi with faster bike and run segments

Strava Files:

https://www.strava.com/activities/17401186297

https://www.strava.com/activities/10878269549

 

Good to catch up with the Bangalore community and Team CBR. I hadn’t raced all of 2025 apart from the BAR Nandi ITT in October.

Four years of trying, and P3 finally felt earned. Owe Neil for the lift and the bibs help. Then, just as we were about to head home, I had to take a dump. Twice.

Marking my territory, as Saurabh put it.