We race the TransAm with Jai Arumugam, as we go on a 5300 km adventure of a lifetime. He talks about his prior experience of racing, training, nutrition, technical preparation and more…
“If there’s one reason I want this to go public is just to send one message to the world that if I can do it, you can too.“We start this article with the last line in our conversation with Jai. Which reminded us of the inspirational quote, ‘Anyone Can Cook’ from Ratatouille. Which comes as no surprise, as Jai can cook! He is a trained chef, who took to food photography. But we digress…
When Jai speaks, his enthusiasm for ultra-cycling is infectious, as he recounts his story of stumbling into the world of endurance cycling. His recent completion of the TransAm Bike Race, a 5300 km self-supported race across the United States, wasn’t just a physical feat—it was a journey of self-discovery, fuelled by gas station snacks, a love for his home country, and the unwavering support of the community.
This is the story Jai, a “COVID cyclist,” as he jokingly describes himself; who took on one of the world’s most gruelling races and emerged not just a finisher, but a reincarnated cyclist.
The Accidental Ultra-Cyclist
Jai’s athletic journey began not on two wheels, but on two feet. A proud son of Chennai, he started running seriously in 2019, running an impressive 25 half-marathons and 3 full marathons in a short time. The pandemic, however, put a halt to his plans of running the Paris Marathon. Stuck in Dubai and unable to run outside in the scorching heat, he needed a new challenge. Cycling, he thought, would be a good “secondary sport” until he could run again.
“Once I got my first bike, I never went back to running,” Jai chuckles.
What followed was an intense and rapid immersion into the cycling world. In his first year, he logged an incredible 9000 km. He credits his Filipino friends in Dubai for teaching him the ropes, from posture to proper technique. His dedication, however, was entirely his own. “When I do something, I go all out,” he says. This all-in attitude led him to discover the world of ultra-cycling after seeing two friends race in Rwanda.
He quickly built a reputation as a pioneer in Dubai’s burgeoning cycling scene, becoming one of the first few to embrace gravel and bikepack racing. While the Dubai community is dominated by road cyclists, Jai and a handful of others are slowly inspiring change, proving that there’s more to cycling than just smooth asphalt.
From Crash to Comeback
Jai’s journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. The Tour of Nilgiris (TFN) in 2022, his first long-distance ride in India, ended in a bad crash. He suffered terrible road rash across his face and needed stitches, but thankfully, no broken bones. He recovered quickly and, just two months later, completed the Race Around Rwanda, a brutal 1000 km race with 17000 metres of climbing and half of the terrain gravel. Jai was the first Indian to do so.
2023 was a season of triumphs as an ultra-endurance athlete. He completed the North Cape race in July, a monumental 4500 km adventure through Europe, finishing 4 days ahead of the 25-day cut-off. Jai raced North Cape just for the experience and with zero expectations of a good result. Finishing strong was the perfect boost he needed in his ultra life.
As he recounts his North Cape epiphany, “If you don’t come first, you come 5th or 50th, it’s all the same. you are basically cycling and racing against your former self.“
Later that year, just for kicks, he went and completed his first BRM. A 1000 km ride from Trichy to Kanyakumari.
These experiences, Jai says, taught him a profound lesson, “You think you will explore the world, but the reality is you actually explore yourself“.
The long days alone on the bike force you to confront your fears, your doubts, and find your inner strength. This introspection becomes a core part of ultra-endurance racing.
The Road to the TransAm with Jai Arumugam
It was after the North Cape race that Jai first heard about the TransAm Bike Race. Inspired by Bikey Venky’s podcast featuring Sundaram Narayan, he set his sights on the American adventure.
For Jai, the TransAm wasn’t just a race; it was a test. He approached it with scientific rigour and a whole lot of courage. He had to be at his best, which meant a year of meticulous training under the guidance of his ultra-cycling coach, Niel Copeland. His training wasn’t just about logging hours on the bike; it was a structured, disciplined regimen that averaged 18 hours a week in the three months leading up to the race.
But the most critical part of his preparation, and something that would prove vital on the long road, was his nutrition. As a type-2 diabetic, Jai has to be extremely careful. He worked closely with both his coach and his nutritionist, Vicky, to develop a plan that was both effective and safe. He realized that the key to success was eating, and eating often. His long rides weren’t fuelled by expensive gels and sports drinks, but by an eclectic mix of “gas station food”—chocolate bars, sandwiches, and dates. This practical approach meant he wouldn’t have to worry about finding specific food during the race.
“If you don’t eat, you cannot ride,” his coach would repeatedly tell him. This simple mantra became Jai’s guiding principle. He learned that correct nutrition before a training session was the difference between a successful workout and an incomplete attempt.
The American West and the Battle with Time
Jai arrived in Portland, Oregon, just four days before the race, insufficient time to acclimate to the 11-hour time difference from Dubai. The first week was a comical and frustrating battle with his body clock. Every day at 11 a.m. (10 p.m. Dubai time), he would be hit with an overwhelming desire to sleep. This meant his initial goal of 250 km a day was quickly abandoned. He readjusted, aiming for a more realistic 200 km a day and a finish time between 24 and 26 days.
The TransAm route itself presented a different kind of challenge. While the sheer distance was daunting, it was the relentless terrain that truly tested him. He faced long climbs in the first third of the race, but the real difficulty lay in the ‘rolling terrain’ of the later stages. Short, steep climbs of 7-9% gradients that never seemed to end. After days and days on the bike, these small climbs felt like mountains, and the lack of resupply stations only added to the mental pressure.
“It was mentally very hard,” Jai admits. “You get tired, and you don’t get a gas station for six hours. No water bottles. Then you see a climb like that.“
The battle with the clock was not just on the gravel roads, but in bed as well. As Jai spent 12-14 hours on the saddle every day and around 6 hours of bedtime. With even some of that devoted to seeing the next day’s route, waiting for the adrenaline to wear off and then finally passing out with exhaustion, with the phone still in hand!
The Mechanic’s Mindset and the Power of Community
In a self-supported race, mechanical skills are as important as physical endurance. Jai learned this the hard way during his Spartan 600 ride in India, where a simple flat tyre left him stranded . That failure, however, was his greatest teacher. He dedicated himself to learning bike mechanics, spending weeks at a bike shop in Dubai and taking notes. This preparation proved invaluable during the TransAm.
When his tubeless tyre suffered multiple leaks with sealant spewing out and eventually running dry. He still managed to hold his nerve. He got to a bike shop, fixed the issue, and continued the race. This delay cost him eight precious hours and a few spots on the final results.
He wasn’t riding alone, though. Despite the remote roads and poor network coverage, he felt a powerful connection to the cycling community. When he did get network, his phone would light up with messages of support from people all over the world. His wife, messaging him “good night” as he was starting his day, was a constant source of strength. The messages from his friends, many of whom were inspired by his journey, were a powerful motivator.
“All these little things you may sometimes think are little, but you don’t know what it does to the rider who’s on the course,” he says with genuine emotion.
The Finish Line and a New Beginning
Jai finished the TransAm Bike Race in 25 days and 7 hours, well within his self-imposed target. He placed 17th overall out of 40 riders. A remarkable achievement for an athlete who picked up cycling just a few years ago. But for him, the numbers were secondary.
He explains that his purpose in doing this race was not for charity, not for a podium finish, but for something more personal and universal. “It’s just to explore the human potential—what your body and mind can do when you give that time and, more importantly, when you give that training and those resources,” he says.
As he ended with his call to action to fellow cyclists and the community at large. “If I can do it, you can too,” he says simply.
With the TransAm now behind him, Jai is already looking ahead. The addictive nature of ultra-cycling means his mind is on his next challenge: the Coast to Crest race in India. He’s excited to take on a new adventure, not for glory, but for the experience, the exploration, and the simple joy of seeing what he can do.
Packing your Bike for a Bike-Packing Race
These are the things in Jai Arumugam’s bags for his TransAm race.
- Nutrition: Only Dates. Everything else was bought at gas stations.
- Clothes: A set of bib and jersey for use and an extra pair of bibs. Rain and cold weather cycling gear.
- Arm sleeves and leg sleeves
- Medicines
- One extra tyre, four tubes and sealant
- Chain links
- Chargers and electronics
- An emergency sleeping blanket
You can follow Jai on Instagram here and check out his entire race route on Strava here:
If you liked this article do read the Indian Contingent’s London-Edinburgh-London exploits in 2022. Also read hand-cyclist Michel Desmet’s journey from Gujarat to Tanglang La in Ladakh and 17-year-old Samidha Patel’s Guinness Record setting ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.