There is no stopping Pune’s Preeti Maske on the bicycle! Having completed the Golden Quadrilateral route – Pune-Bengaluru-Chennai-Kolkata-Delhi-Rajasthan-Mumbai-Pune — in just 24 days and six hours last year to create a Guinness Book of World Record of fastest timing, she is all set to attempt World Ultra Cycling record by pedalling from Leh to Manali.
Maske will start on June 22 to cover 480 kilometres in 60 hours at a height of 3,600 metres above sea level. Talking to Indian Express she said: “I am training hard for this Leh-Manali non-stop high-altitude expedition.”
Highlighting the obstacles she expects on this expedition, Maske told PunekarNews.in: “The most challenging part of Leh-Manali is sleep deprivation and the second challenge will be to manage extreme low temperatures. We are constantly checking the temperatures of Leh and Manali. It is -5C to -10C.”
On the issue of diet, she said: “I will be mostly on a high protein liquid diet for quick and continuous energy replenishment, it becomes tougher for a vegetarian like me.” She will be looking up to her crew of six people to support her nutrition and hydration in this continuous ride which will have a break of two to three hours.
She has this expedition to the Border Roads Organization, an organisation who according to her “has been doing amazing work”.
Interestingly, 44-year-old Maske who is a mother of two has been cycling for the last six years. When her health deteriorated a few years ago, she started cycling and running to remain fit.
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