Well, in the follow up to my earlier blog (https://gadgila.com/training-for-my-first-goa-im-70-3/) about the Triathlon training, this is an obvious lead up to the main event that I was looking forward to!!!
27th October 2024 shall be always one of my favorite dates!! That will always be the day that I ticked off my first ever Half Ironman event in the brutal hot and humid conditions of Goa!!!
Now that I have already established a ‘Precursor’ leading upto the main event, in the previous blog, let’s get straight to the facts.
Do or Do not!! There is no Try!!!
Yoda
THE BUILD UP: 25th October 2024
So, the three of us, Dhananjay (DB) Siddharth Deshpande (Sid) and myself were the warriors and the support staff + cheerleaders who accompanied us were Shalaka (my wife, Neha (Sid’s better half), Jaswant and his wife, Manoj Nair, Rohit, Sagar and Dr.Aditi. We headed out for Pune with our luggage and cycles racked up on the cars on the 25th October. Sid, along with Neha, Jaswant and Vidula had reached a day earlier (24th October). Sid had already checked into the place where we all were supposed to stay. We had booked the entire place. It’s an amazing hostel called The White Balcao in the heart of Panaji, right in Fontainhas. This is owned and run by Aditi’s brother Aalok Khurana and hence we were treated quite nicely here by their staff. Since it’s a small place, we had the entire place to ourselves. The main reason for zeroing on this place, was not just the Aditi connection but also the proximity of the location to the event location.
GOA IM 70.3 happens around Miramar beach. The 1.9 km swim is scheduled in the amazing Arabian sea and the staging area is right on Miramar beach. The 90 kms cycling route is 2 loops of 45 kms upto Zuari bridge and back and the final 21.0 kms run are 3 loops of 7 kms upto Dona Paula side and back. Hence it was a great decision to be lodged at The White Balcao. Varada ( DB’s wife) was to join us on the 26th October night just before the event and Dr. Niranjan was to come directly on the 27th to celeberate the event. It was already assumed by him that we will be completing our first ever Half Ironman and then celebrate in style!! Of course, we did not let him down!!!
What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.
C.S.Lewis
Sid and the others reaching there a day prior than us made life easy for all. They were well settled by the time we reached Goa from Pune on the 25th Afternoon and he had already made enquires about a trial swim on Miramar beach for 26th morning. In addition to this, he had done a recce of sorts of the cycling route (in his car) which gave us a fair idea of the cycling route too. He kept informing us about the heat and humidity that was prevalent there!!!
So, the rest of us travelling from Pune, directly made our way to the Expo at the Panaji Gymkhana. We reached here around 03.30 pm on the 25th, slightly fatigued by the drive, but were refreshed seeing the ‘Mahol’ at the expo!! The atmosphere at the expo was electric. Triathletes, newbies like us and veterans who were doing this for the nth time had gathered to collect their race kits, some were asking last min queries to the organizers, a few of them were picking up stuff from the various stalls at the Expo and most of us were busy clicking photos to capture these rocking scenes!!!
Goa has its own charm and a generic term called SUSEGAD is associated with it. We too have experienced it many a times but it was a 180-degree turn here at the Panaji Gymkhana. The air was buzzing with high energy and enthusiasm. To see so many known and unknown faces of the Triathlon community at close proximity was an experience in itself. You realize that we, as a country are rapidly growing not only in infrastructure but awareness about such sports, spending capacities, competitiveness and much more.
After collecting our kits, we all headed back to the hostel and settled down. Chattering away in excitement of the days ahead and just being in a happy place was evident to even the staff at the hostel!!!! Even though the travel and the time spent at the Expo had already drained us, a visit to the Konkani Canteen is a must when in Panaji. The post dinner session was spent finalizing on the next day’s plans. Since we were off alcohol and spicy food, till the event, over indulgence of Goan delicacies was not at all on the menu!!! As mentioned, Sid had already found out about the trial swim session for the next day and that was all that we wanted to do in the morning.
Typically, in a triathlon, cycles are supposed to be kept at the holding area on the previous day itself as a rule. Hence a trail swim in the morning, ample rest, getting ready for the main event and dropping off the bikes in the holding area was the only agenda for 26th October 2026!!!
THE WARM UP: 26th October 2024: Day 0
The Swim Discipline of the Triathlon, starts once there is daylight. Hence the trial swim session was scheduled for around 0700 am and subsequent batches thereafter. So after the morning mandatory tea sessions we headed to Miramar fully equipped with our swimwear for the trail swim. It was already full of the participating triathletes all getting comfortable in the sea for the next day. Jaswant had tagged along with us since he wanted to make a Vlog on the entire event: from the buildup to the after party. So, he was busy capturing moments on the beach as well as in the sea, swimming!!! (Link of the Vlog here :https://youtu.be/k3oFoyZZC9E?si=Xn9Xg9zBAMU5zYj- )
After doing a few ‘laps’ of the sea swim we were a bit confident for the next day. We had our swim buoys during this trial. the only thing on our mind was that tomorrow the buoy will not be there and all the swimmers will be there together in the water probably creating a chaos!! However, putting aside any negative thoughts we headed to the Bike parking area. This is a good 800mtrs away from the Exit and Entry point of the sea swim. We all made a mental note to ourselves that after finishing the swim we have to make an additional distance of 800 mtrs to the bike holding area before we can mount our cycles. This time is included/ calculated in your overall time. We had to take cognizance of the fact that we may have to run this distance to save some time.
Now our stomachs and minds had started craving for some healthy Goan breakfast so we made our way back to the hostel, feasting away on Omlettes and rounds of good coffee!!! Obviously, the discussion was all about the main event!!!
Some shut eye post breakfast and we were ready to drop off the bikes. Now let’s take a pause here and let me tell you that the triathlete needs to ‘dress up’ the bike before she can be dropped off!!! Here are the rules:
- There are bike stickers and RFID tags that need to be put up on the bike at specific locations. These help the triathlete identify the parking spot, the organizers identify riders and of course the technology logs in your timing due to the RFID.
- There are bag stickers that have to be mounted on the transition bags for the same reasons as above.
- There is a temporary tattoo that triathletes are supposed to put on their arms or chests (recommended not mandatory) so that it is easy for the organizers to identify the triathlete in the swim leg.
- There is a RFID tag that the triathlete has to tie to their ankles which logs timings during the swims and a Bib number which logs the timing during the run.
- The swimming cap is also color coded as per the expected time that you think you can finish and accordingly swimmers are sent in the water.
- There are also additional stickers to be put on the Floor air Pump that can be kept in the transition area and car stickers too so that vehicles can drop/ pick up athletes pre and post event.
It’s a tried and tested system, that is followed all over the world in the IRONMAN events and hence is pretty sorted. In addition to this, we had to try on our TRI SUITS that we had got customized for the event. Shalaka had designed them and Apace had made them for us. For the uninitiated, a Trisuit is a body suit that is kind of tight fitting for efficiency. It has basic padding in the seat which assists in the cycling leg. But the padding is such that it is not a hindrance while running. Also, the suit is made of quick drying material so that it dries up quickly once the athlete is out of water. Of course, it has pockets for athletes to carry our nutrition in it.
Now, after doing all of the above-mentioned things and yet another round of coffee after a quick afternoon nap, we headed with our bikes to be checked and deposited in the ‘TRANSITION’ area. A transition area is basically where the bikes are kept in an organized manner. The slot for your bike is numbered and one has to park the bike at the designated spot only. You can keep some additional stuff at the same spot which may contain some nutrition, change of shoes, napkins, wet wipes etc. The bikes are checked for the following before you park them: Bib tag, Stickers, and the bike type. Once you are cleared, you park your bike the previous day and leave it there. Once you do this, the reality sets in!! Leaving your bike tells you that you are getting into the water tomorrow, first thing in the morning to begin this amazing journey called a TRIATHLON!!
Butterflies in the stomach, along with some carb loading, we set the alarm for a very early morning. But I doubt anyone of us slept well that night out of sheer excitement of the upcoming day!!!
THE D DAY: 27th October 2024: Day of Reckoning!!!
Before the alarm went off, I guess everyone was already up. Sagar had offered us to make us the tea and keep the morning nutrition ready for the three of us. And true to his word, it was all ready. Shalaka, Varada and Neha had already kept most of our things ready proving again that the support of the better half is extremely important. It calms you down in a way. Jaswant, Rohit and Mr. Nair were ready with their energy levels to cheerlead throughout. Finally, we set out from the hostel to the holding area at Miramar in our vehicles with the cheerleading squad doing the driving duties as well!!!
The area was abuzz at 0500 am in the morning with positive vibes and electric atmosphere like you see in grand marathon probably like a TMM. Even though there might be around 500 odd triathletes competing in the triathlon, families and friends accompanying each of them added to the festival feeling. Locals had also started to pour in for showing support to the overall event.
I must mention here that, to see some terrific athletes with their super bikes (bicycles, I mean) running attire, high end swim wear is an experience in itself. Jaswant was going berserk in shooting all these titbits for his vlog.
LET’S GO!!! Once we reached the location drop off point, we waved goodbyes and were wished ‘All the bests’ in return…. All the athletes started making way to the Swim holding area but not before checking on their bikes which were left at the parking area/ transition area, overnight. It is advisable to fill up air in the tires if your bike is parked outside overnight. Hence like all ‘good children’ everyone was busy topping up the air pressures in the bikes, doing a basic check of the bike and then heading towards the Swim start line.
As a rule, the swim always starts after daybreak or first light, purely for safety reasons and also a little dependency on the tide if it’s a sea swim. As soon as the first rays of sunlight hit the daunting Arabian sea in front of us, we could see that the sea was being cooperative. Extremely calm waters awaited us. A good sign to begin with for the day ahead!!! Soon the flag off time had approached and it was Leander Paes, the tennis great who flagged off the start… Generally, the swimmers are sent out in the water in batches and with every batch or wave.. the excitement kept building. The build up to the actual process is far more heart stopping than the actual event and it was no different for us…. Soon we were off running into the Arabian sea, on the Miramar Beach with the sole aim of completing our first ever Half Ironman. As soon as I started swimming, I could see the clear waters and the sand bed. The sea was really in a great mood and the temperature of the water too was perfect… I tried my best to calm my nerves and make a steady start… All the training came into use as I inched ahead of a few swimmers. Nervous and anxious thoughts started drifting away as I made my turn at the half way mark. As mentioned in my earlier blog, the trial swim at Diveagar and the trial swim on the prior day really helped overcome the apprehension of a sea swim. The sea was really forgiving and probably that was one of the best things that happened on this day!!
You’ve trained for this. You Got this!!
Anonymous( from the Internet)
Couple of things that I would like to mention.. I have far sight power spectacles. So as it is my confidence is a bit low during swims because of the visibility. Hence one needs to train for that too which I had made a conscious effort. But, due to some miscalculation, I drifted a bit and ended up swimming 2.1 kms instead of the 1.9 kms.. Thankfully I managed to swim the distance in 58 min which is within the cut off limit. Technically the cutoff time for the swim of 1.9 kms is 70 minutes (1 hr.10 mins) I had DB and Sid in my sights for the initial part of the swim but then I lost them in the crowd.
Completing the swim makes you feel that half of the battle is over!! I started heading towards the transition area. Of course, the cheerleading squad was around to welcome us with the loudest of Cheers and escort us till the transition area. What energy these guys were putting into supporting us… Also, there is an official app for IM where you can track any particular athlete by entering the Bib number pf that athlete. Back home, friends and family were doing just that! Of course, Shalaka, Varda, Neha, Manoj, Rohit, Sagar and Aditi had to cheer us and coordinate with all those who were tracking us back home!!!
Once in the transition area, next to my bike spot, I quickly (as quick as I could. Not even close to a good time by any triathlon standards!!!) shifted to my bike attire like helmet, shoes and riding glasses since the Goan sun was already making a statement by the time we were out of the Arabian sea. A quick bite of the energy bars and the healthy ladoos , I replenished my on-bike nutrition pack and headed out of the Transition area. Anyone who is looking to take part in a triathlon, remember, No helmet: Straight disqualification. Rules are pretty strict. There is particular line after which you can start riding the bike, again for rider safety reasons. All Bike things checked, and I was on my way on the second discipline of the TRI.
Initially, me and Sid started together but soon it was each one for himself. A straight ride into the Old Goa at Ribandar with the lagoon on one side of the road, it was tough for me to not stop for a quick photo!!But the rule says no Phones during the triathlon (yes, you guessed it.. for safety reasons!!) so even though I was tempted I had to keep going ahead. The road then heads towards Zuari river over the new bridge. At the Panaji Kadamba junction, again the familiar voices of the Cheer leading squad made sure that all the 3 of us were on track…. By now the Sun had really started showing its true colors. The heat was reflecting from the concrete wide road and the steady rolling terrain was adding to the effort. As pre decided, I was taking pit stops at certain intervals to fuel myself with energy drinks, water and nutrition bars. Coming back to complete the first loop, again the cheering squad shook me up from a zone that I was going into. With renewed zeal, I turned back at the designated U turn and started the second loop.
The sun had really started bearing down, add to that the heat being generated from the concrete road and the since it’s a new widened highway, there is absolutely no tree cover for shade relief. Some of the athletes really had a tough time navigating these harsh conditions and the heavy rolling roads. Thanks to decent hydration and nutrition I managed to finish the 90kms in a decent 3 hours 30 mins (Although I was aiming for 3hrs 15 mins). Again, into the Transition area for the second time with 2/3 rd of the Triathlon over, I started getting ready for the most dreaded discipline of the Tri, The 21 km run!!!
Breathe in strength. Breathe out weakness
Amy Hastings
Running has been my weakest forte always and the 21 km run ahead post a 1.9 kms swim and 90 kms of cycling seemed near impossible. A fleeting thought of giving up definitely crossed my mind while I was getting ready for the run after parking my bike back to the designated spot. But sure enough all the friends at the venue made sure that they cheered me on. By now, Dr. Niranjan had also reached the venue to be part of the Cheering team and seeing him come all the way from Pune just to cheer, made me think that it’s my responsibility towards friends like these to not let them down!!!
So with a strong mindset to finish this attempt at my first Half Ironman I set off running towards Dona Paula Church. It’s a 7 km loop to be done thrice to complete 21 kms( OBVIO!!) As soon as I started, my legs said.. Hold On.. We are jelly!!! I just couldn’t get myself to run…. The Pace started dropping and I started walking, literally. I had saved time from the technical cutoffs from the swim and the cycle part..so that extra bit got added to the total cut off time which is 8.30 hours. I knew I had another 3 hours and 30 minutes to finish off the 21 km rum. I have done half marathons before in less than 2 and half hours, so mentally I was sure that I would finish the run and grab that finisher’s medal at the finish line. But I had my doubts about my body supporting me…
The best part about loops is that you cross fellow triathletes and your support gang a number of times. Everyone is around for just one thing.. to encourage and motivate others to finish strong. Even the volunteers at the event were constantly clapping, cheering and trying to keep the energy levels high. There were sponges being dipped in ice cold water and being offered to us. We gladly accepted these relief measures to cool ourselves down. DB and Sid were already on their 3rd and last loop when I had barely finished my 2nd.. but inspite of them being tired themselves, they kept pushing me to make my final burst towards the finish line. Shalaka also tried running (at my crawl/ slow jog pace) alongside so that I could keep up the tempo but I just wanted to be left alone. Finally gathering every last bit of the energy left I decided to up my pace for the final loop and try and finish the event with atleast some time in hand!! It never crossed my mind that if I get a cramp or twist my ankle, all the efforts taken till now would just go in vain… But as I always say, best wishes of your loved ones and some guardian angles keep a watch on you!! I saw the finish line, now just a kilometer away… and then saw Sagar, Niranjan and Shalaka running alongside for final push!!!!
When you cross the last arch which displays your name saying you have completed a HALF IRONMAN… it’s an indescribable feeling. At the finish line, most of the athletes had tears of joy in their eyes and it was the same for me. It’s truly an overwhelming moment…. All the days of training, the regime, the efforts, the support from near and dear ones… all rolled into one for that one exhilarating moment as you cross the finish line. Not just me, even Shalaka had tears in her eyes and I can imagine why!! DB and Sid had already finished their races in a good time and they rushed towards me. The HUDDLE at the finish line, that hug from DB was truly special. I came to know that all our Speaking Wheels tribe members were also on the edge of their seats back home wondering whether I am finishing the race in time. The final Finish time: 08.16.50… yes, just in time before the 08.30.00 cut off. Someone rightly described it as a cricket match final with a six needed off the last ball which I managed to hit and calm down everyone’s nerves!!!
Another amazing thing that was waiting for me was a cold glass of beer!!! I had been off alcohol for 6 months prior to the event as part of training. Mr. Manoj Nair, being a great friend that he is, made sure that I had my well-deserved cold brew as soon as possible. Will always remember that beer for a long long time!!! We all soon went on a photo clicking spree, attending congratulatory calls and responding to messages!!
Collecting the finisher’s medal, posing in front of the camera for post event photos, even saying a simple thank you to the congratulatory message was so overwhelming and joyful, that it made me decide that the hours of training, schedule planning, cutting down on socializing, keeping a slight watch on diet, getting good sleep and rest, ensuring proper nutrition and hydration…was totally worth it.
As we collected our bikes and other stuff from the transition area, waved goodbyes to fellow triathletes and made our plans for a celebratory evening the feeling of an incredible personal achievement started sinking in.
I would definitely not stop at just one of these crazy events and would also encourage / motivate you all to do this once. Heartfelt thanks to Dhananjay for guiding me, encouraging me, pushing me to tick off something that probabaly I did not even have in mind a few years back. Not a coach in the conventional sense, but definitely a mentor and that too a great one!! Shall do a stronger finish at Goa once again, soon, is my promise to you ‘Coach’!!
Dhananjay Bodas!!
And before I leave you with this description of a day that has been one of my most memorable ones, a big shout out again to the entire cheering squad at the location and all those who rooted for me back home!!! This was definitely the first one but surely not the last!!!
Triathlon Goals: Mirror, mirror on the wall, I’ll always get up when i fall, And whether I run, walk or crawl, I’ii set my goals and achieve them all!
Cheers!!
Be First to Comment