This episode is brought to you by Barnowl Adventures.
Barnowl creates supported cycling tours across India, south east Asia and beyond — blending beautiful routes,
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I had the chance to ride with them on the Mae Hong Son Challenge in Northern Thailand back in 2024, and it was simply unforgettable — the roads, the stays, and the support they provide make it really special. And honestly, some of the best Thai food I’ve ever had was on that tour — these guys make sure local cuisine is central to the whole experience.
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In this episode I talk to Ashish Sood. Ashish is a mountain biker and the organizer of MTB Himalaya and MTB Shimla races. In this episode he shares the behind the scenes aspects of organising such races in the unforgiving terrain of the Himalayas. He also shares his insights on the MTB riding landscape and how it evolved over the years in his view. It was a fascinating conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:38 - Ashish's Relationship with Sports Growing Up
00:04:29 - How Ashish Got Into MTB Cycling
00:06:04 - The Origin Story of MTB Himalaya
00:07:33 - The Early Years & Growth of the Race
00:10:56 - The Race Evolves: Arrival of Pro Riders & Hero Cycles
00:13:01 - Experience Racing the Transalp in Europe
00:14:23 - Key Differences: Racing in Europe vs. India
00:20:06 - What Goes Into Organizing MTB Himalaya?
00:23:57 - The Logistical Nightmare of Remote Camping
00:28:17 - Safety & Rescue in the Unforgiving Himalayas
00:31:06 - A Pro Rider's Terrifying 200-Foot Fall
00:33:30 - Why Manual Rider Tracking is Best
00:38:01 - Funny Story of a "Lost" Rider
00:40:41 - The Toughest & Best Editions of the Race
00:47:12 - How Race Routes Are Selected in the Himalayas
00:53:05 - "Mission Smile": Giving Back to the Local Community
00:55:06 - MTB Himalaya vs. MTB Shimla: What's the Difference?
00:58:33 - Developing the Next Generation of Indian Athletes
01:06:03 - The Current State & Future of MTB in India
01:10:47 - The Myth: Is Mountain Biking More Dangerous Than Road Cycling?
01:14:33 - Positive Signs for the Future of the Sport
01:21:08 - Final Thoughts
About the podcast:
The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing and hitting the bell icon so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.
Who is a working athlete? Someone working fulltime/part-time, entrepreneur or anyone who has to work to make ends meet and doesn't let being busy to stop him/her from pursuing an active lifestyle is a working athlete. I consider stay at home moms/dads who pursue a sport, as working athletes because homemaking is a full-time job.
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