Race Day Reflections
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Date: 10 May 2025 · Alcúdia, Spain · Finish Time: 6:33:01
The Why: #Fitat50andBeyond
About two years ago, I sat down to think about doing something meaningful to celebrate turning 50 in 2024. I didn’t want it to be just another vacation or a party. I wanted to do something I could look back on with pride — something that would push me, shape me, and stay with me. That’s how the idea for #Fitat50andBeyond was born.
The plan was ambitious but exciting. First, a cycle expedition from Srinagar to Leh in September 2024. Then, the Malnad Ultra 50K in November. In January 2025, I hit a personal best at the Tata Mumbai Marathon. And then, for the final act — one that would test every facet of endurance — I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Alcudia-Mallorca in Spain.
I knew it wouldn’t be easy. The bike course in Mallorca is famously hilly, but the island’s beauty, the community vibe, and the promise of a beachside finish made it irresistible. The format was classic: a 1.9K swim in the calm blue waters of Alcúdia Bay, a 90K bike ride through Mallorca’s winding climbs and descents, and a 21.1K flat run along the beachfront.
Coming off a strong showing in Mumbai, I had around 12 weeks to train for the triathlon, balancing swim, bike, run, and strength work. It meant about 10 hours of training per week amidst work, life, and everything else. The real power, I realised, was in showing up consistently. I made sure to get in two weekly strength and mobility sessions at Quad, which played a big role in keeping me injury-free. Huge thanks to the coaches there, especially for accommodating my training adjustments multiple times over the months. My Triathlon and Cycling Coaches, Sridhar and Sriram, provided support and guidance that were amazing, and I constantly fed off their enthusiasm and confidence in me.
Race Day
Race morning in Mallorca began quietly and methodically. I was up by 5:30 AM. Breakfast was familiar and simple — fruits, muesli with yoghurt, a banana, and coffee. I checked my red and blue bags one last time, packed gels into the bike, and prepped the Garmin. I’d also carried an extra pair of swim goggles just in case — that gave me some peace of mind.
The crowd was predominantly European, with Brits, Germans, and Spaniards making up a significant chunk of the participants. Hardly any Asians, and possibly three or four Indians.
Then, a bit of unexpected drama. The front tyre looked soft. Mini panic. But I kept my cool, went over to the mechanic’s tent, and re-pumped it. Trusted the tubeless sealant would do its job — and it did. With that sorted, I dropped off my white bag, zipped up the wetsuit, and did the optional warm-up swim. The cold water hit hard, but it was just what I needed to steady my nerves and focus my mind.
The swim start atmosphere was electric. I’d placed myself in the 50-minute corral — probably too conservative. That meant nearly an hour of waiting before I got into the water. Paul Kaye, the Ironman announcer, was working the crowd and building the energy. When it was finally my turn, I stepped in calm and composed.
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The Swim
The water was cool and clear. I stuck to the outer line to avoid the bulk of the chaos, but still found myself dodging breaststrokers and catching a couple of elbows, one right into my left goggle. Thankfully, it stayed sealed. I found a good rhythm early. Slowed down a bit midway but kicked harder in the final stretch. Managed some drafting, but still need to work on holding it longer. Exited the water strong and was genuinely surprised to see 42:18 on my watch — my fastest open water swim yet. Sea conditions, wetsuit buoyancy, and the collective energy of the race surely played their part. In hindsight, I should’ve carried a banana or gel to have 20–30 minutes before the swim — I did feel a bit hungry on the start line.
T1 was long — about 680 meters according to Garmin — but smooth. I spotted my family en route, which lifted my spirits. Wetsuit came off quickly, gear went on, had a Unived gel and a few sips of the Elite Drink Mix, and then began the long jog to the far end of the transition to reach my bike. Since I started late in the swim, most bikes were already gone — mine was easy to find. Still, next time, I’ll seed myself better to be mid-pack or earlier.
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The Bike
The bike leg began well. Conditions were good — 18 to 20 degrees, light breeze. The first 20 km were flat and scenic, and I focused on keeping a steady rhythm around 140W, 80–90 rpm cadence. Speed wasn’t the priority. I overtook a fair number of riders, always mindful of avoiding drafting violations.
Then came the climb up Coll de Femenia. It starts gently and pulls you in with the views, but keeps grinding. Never too steep, but always there. The 7 km to the top took me about 36 minutes — not too bad. Just needed patience and the right gears. After that, there was a short descent, a smaller climb, another descent, and one final 1.5 km climb near the Repsol garage.
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I’d started with 500 ml of Elite Drink Mix and 750 ml of water. Consumed nearly all of the mix and some water by the time I got to the top. Tossed the bottle before the aid station, expecting a replacement… only to realise it was water-only. That was a miscalculation.
The descent was technical but manageable — about 15 switchbacks. I made sure to brake early and not take risks. KM 30 to 60 passed through small towns and narrow village roads. Surface quality wasn’t great, so I kept it cautious. From KM 60 to 90, it was wide open roads, but with headwinds that made every kilometre feel longer. My butt on the saddle started hurting post-climb, and I had to stand up on the pedals now and then to relieve it.
By the last 30K, I was down to 120–130W, doing my best to push but feeling the fatigue. And then there was the nagging need to pee, which didn’t help. Nutrition-wise, I had a gel every 45 minutes and consumed around 2 L of fluids. The fueling was fine, but I’m keen to try solids in training going forward.
Finished the bike in 3:47 — I was on track till KM 60, but slowed down toward the end. Need to work on sustaining power and building comfort in aero. Training with aerobars is definitely on the list for next time.
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T2 was better — quicker. Racked the bike, then a 400m jog with cycling shoes to reach the run bags. Next time, I’ll take them off and run barefoot. Switched into running shoes, visor on, another gel, and off I went.
The Run
The run course was a three-loop route along the beach — fantastic crowd support all the way. This was my strongest leg, and I could feel it. I settled into a 5:00–5:10/km pace and kept it consistent. Loop 1 was about learning the course and spotting my family. I stopped at every aid station for water and ISO. Had to stop for two pee breaks — probably lost 1.5 minutes total.
Loop 2 went by quickly. Took gels at the end of loops 1 and 2 as planned. Legs felt good, energy was steady, and I was overtaking a lot of runners, which is always a nice feeling. The final loop was about soaking it all in and holding momentum.
As I came onto the final beachfront stretch, I saw the cheering crowds and smiled back, waving my “Gracias.” A couple of hundred meters to go — the signboard said “Finish Line”. And there she was — my wife by the barricade, holding the Indian flag. I grabbed it and ran the final 100 meters with the flag flying high.
On to the red carpet. Crowd cheering. Smile widely. Heard the announcer call out: “Flying the flag of India!” I looked up at the finish line — 6:32-something on the clock. Crossed the line, stopped my watch — 6:33:01. Done.
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… and the End!
At the finish, a medal around the neck. Found the athlete zone — only vegetarian food was pasta, but I happily had two servings and washed it down with Fanta. Got my medal engraved, and then walked out to meet my family. Seeing my wife and son there meant everything. I genuinely couldn’t have done this without them. They were my emotional Sherpas.
Ironman 70.3 Mallorca was not just another event. It was the final step in a long, deliberate journey I’d set for myself. It gave me everything I hoped for — a test, a memory, a milestone.
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Gratitude
This race — and everything it took to get here — wouldn’t have been possible without the people who supported me, trained me, pushed me, and stood by me through it all.
Thank you to my triathlon coach, Sridhar, cycling coach, Sriram, and running coach, Dhammo — each of you played a pivotal role in shaping my preparation across disciplines. To all the strength and conditioning coaches at The Quad, especially Chow and Vatsa, thank you for keeping me strong, balanced, and injury-free over these intense training months.
A special thank you to my wife, Nandhini, and son, Pranav, for your patience, encouragement, and unwavering belief. Every early morning alarm, every disrupted weekend, every long training session — none of this would have been possible without your support. You were not just cheering at the finish line — you were there every step of the way.
To my training buddies at Trizones — thank you for the companionship, accountability, and shared suffering. You made the hard sessions bearable and the long sessions memorable. Special call out to my race buddy, Gaurav, who initially mooted the idea of participating in this race.
And finally, special gratitude to Mani, my trusted Driver, who quietly and reliably showed up, time and again, to drive me to those early morning lake swims and long bike rides. You made the logistics invisible — and that made all the difference.
This wasn’t a solo effort. It was a team finish. And I’m deeply thankful.
#Fitat50andBeyond — complete. Proud. Grateful. Onward.
Anything is Possible
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