This episode is brought to you by Barnowl Adventures. Check out some amazing bicycle tour offerings at https://barnowladventures.com/In this episode I talk to Harshveer Sekhon, a multiple time National champion in skating who pivoted to cycling and won many medals both on track as well as on road. He is one of the most versatile cyclists we have today and is one of the strongest. It was great to sit down with him to talk about his origin story, his career trajectory, the Pune Grand Tour, HCL cyclothons and much more. 00:00:00 – Intro: The Vision for Indian Cycling (Pune Grand Tour 2075) 00:00:30 – Sponsor Shoutout: Barnowl Adventures 00:01:28 – Welcome to the Working Outlet Podcast 00:02:11 – Early Beginnings: 14 Years as a National Roller Skater 00:03:02 – Starting Sport for Fun and Weight Loss 00:03:30 – Representing India at the 2018 Asian Games (Skating) 00:04:04 – The Decision to Switch: Skating vs. Cycling 00:04:38 – Overcoming Financial Hurdles & Lack of Government Support 00:05:05 – Encouragement from Seniors and Potential in Cycling 00:05:35 – Meeting First Coach: Gurba "Baga" Singh 00:06:45 – The Cost Barrier: Being Offered a Spare Bike 00:07:00 – First Time at the Velodrome: Instant Potential Identified 00:07:34 – Early Success: Bronze at 2018 All India University Competition 00:08:58 – First Track Nationals in Jaipur (2019) 00:10:05 – Comparing Training: Skating Hours vs. Cycling Endurance 00:10:45 – Training Principles: Block Periodization 00:11:20 – Joining the National Team & Silver at the 2019 Asia Cup 00:13:30 – The Impact of COVID-19 on Training and Competitions00:17:45 – Evolution from Track Cycling to Road Racing00:22:15 – Mental Resilience: Dealing with Injuries and Setbacks00:29:40 – The Importance of Proper Nutrition for Elite Cyclists00:35:10 – Analyzing the International Cycling Scene vs. India00:41:20 – Gear and Technology: The Role of Aerodynamics00:48:50 – Advice for Aspiring Young Athletes in India00:55:15 – Future Goals: Target 2028 Olympics and Beyond01:03:10 – Reflections on the "Cycling Life" and Personal Growth01:07:40 – Closing Thoughts: Preparing for Life Beyond SportAbout 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.If you like this, please hit the like button and share with friends who could be interested.The audio version of the podcast can be found here: https://anchor.fm/bikeyvenkyRSS: https://anchor.fm/s/395ff0e4/podcast/rssApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-working-athlete-podcast/id1534754174Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1G3dJvBPqHhY35kD2rtXQ4Google podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTVmZjBlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/gp1tf758Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/the-working-athlete-podcast-WoK4pmBreaker: https://www.breaker.audio/the-working-athlete-podcastA bit about myself:I'm Venky/Venkateswara Rao in my work avatar, working in the IT industry in Bangalore. I'm Venky/Bikeyvenky for my friends in the cycling community.

This episode is brought to you by Barnowl Adventures. Check out some amazing bicycle tour offerings at https://barnowladventures.com/

In this episode I talk to Agasthi Chandrashekar and his mom Anupa Chandrashekar. Agasthi is an 18 year old BMX rider making a mark in races in South east Asia and the US. In this episode we talk about the amazing journey of this youngster and his family who went off the beaten track and pursued this unusual sport.

00:00:00 – Introduction and the "Next Race" Mindset; forgetting the previous run and focusing entirely on the next.

00:01:51 – Welcome Agasthi and Anupa Chandrashekar; Unlikely pursuit of BMX is in India, particularly in Hyderabad.

00:02:16 – Agasthi’s Early Start: From Endurance to Triathlons

00:03:42 – Discovering the Pump Track The "accidental" discovery of a local pump track in Hyderabad that changed Agasthi's athletic trajectory.

00:04:58 – The Big Choice: BMX vs. Triathlons Why Agasthi chose to focus on BMX over triathlons

00:05:21 – International Exposure: Racing in Malaysia The family's first trip to Malaysia for a BMX race, which opened their eyes to the global standard of the sport.

00:06:58 – What Makes BMX Special for Agasthi?

00:12:12 – Training in Hyderabad: Beyond the Track A look at Agasthi's current training regimen

00:16:28 – Targeting the 2032 Brisbane Olympics The family discusses their long-term vision

00:25:10 – Balancing Academics: The Homeschooling Advantage

00:27:22 – The logistical side of being a professional athlete, from setting a yearly calendar to managing finances and the "gate" at home.

00:31:24 – Challenges of BMX in India The difficulties of finding gear, safety equipment, and a local community of riders

00:37:02 – Exam Pressure vs. Race Pressure How Agasthi applies his "30-second race" focus to his school exams, finishing tasks quickly and efficiently.

00:46:00 – Is it the Parent's Goal or the Athlete's Goal?

00:55:33 – Representing India on the Global Stage Changing his USA BMX license to reflect his Indian nationality

01:02:42 – Overcoming Financial and Logistical Hurdles Anupa shares the reality of managing sudden challenges

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.

If you like this, please hit the like button and share with friends who could be interested.

This episode is brought to you by Barnowl Adventures. Check out some amazing bicycle tour offerings at https://barnowladventures.com/

In this episode I talk to Sreenath Lakshmikanth, 2025 Indian Road Nationals Criterium National Champion. He is one of the most hard working and most humble athletes I know. I have been following his journey from the very beginning and was fortunate enough to coach him for a couple of years at the start of his cycling journey. Over the years he has grown into a very accomplished rider and a great coach to many athletes. It is so heartening to see him succeed at Nationals and finally clinching a gold medal. It was fascinating to hear about his Nationals experience on how he overcame the disappointment of the road race to clinching gold at the criterium the very next day.

00:01:37 - Welcome and Congratulations on Winning National Criterium Gold

00:02:20 - Comparing the Gold to the Previous National Games Silver (Goa 2023)

00:02:46 - Discussing the Shift in Focus to New Events: Gravel and Mountain Biking (MTB)

00:04:51 - First Attempt to Qualify for Gravel World Championship in the UK (Greilok Race)

00:06:39 - Qualifying for Gravel World Championship in Kenya (Flat Tire, Crash, and Qualification)

00:08:28 - The Gravel World Championship Experience in the Netherlands

00:19:24 - Mental Preparation and Strategy for the National Criterium

00:23:32 - The Disappointing National Road Race Finish and Lessons Learned

00:30:19 - Breakdown of the National Criterium Gold-Winning Race (Attacks, Points, and Sprint)

00:37:44 - The Success of the Tamil Nadu Team and Importance of Support

00:41:37 - Future Goals: Focusing on Road Racing and the Granfondo world championships in Japan

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.

If you like this, please hit the like button and share with friends who could be interested.

The audio version of the podcast can be found here:

https://anchor.fm/bikeyvenky

RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/395ff0e4/podcast/rss

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-working-athlete-podcast/id1534754174

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1G3dJvBPqHhY35kD2rtXQ4

Google podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTVmZjBlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/gp1tf758

Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/the-working-athlete-podcast-WoK4pm

Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/the-working-athlete-podcast

A bit about myself:

I'm Venkat/Venkateswara Rao in my work avatar, working as a Chief Data Analyst in the IT industry in Bangalore. I'm Venky/Bikeyvenky for my friends in the cycling community.