My Journey to IRONMAN 70.3 Goa | From 75 Meters to 70.3 Miles
Some journeys begin with a clear goal. Others begin with a question: Can I really do this?
For me, the journey to my first IRONMAN 70.3 began with that question. I had spent years building my running fitness and completing marathons, but taking on a triathlon meant stepping into two disciplines that demanded a completely different set of skills.
On 1 November 2026, after months of early mornings, swimming sessions, long rides, brick workouts, setbacks and learning, I crossed the finish line at IRONMAN 70.3 Goa in 6:43:31.
This is the story of how I got there.
About Me
From Running for Weight Loss
I am Uttam Mallya, working in the IT sector in Bengaluru, with no background in athletics or competitive sports.
My journey into endurance sports started back in 2013, and interestingly, it was never about becoming an athlete. I started running simply to lose weight. What began as a fitness goal gradually turned into an addiction, and running became a part of my life.
Over the years, I participated in multiple running events, ranging from 10K races to full marathons. Until the end of the COVID period, I trained largely on my own, eventually achieving a 52-minute 10K and a 1:56 half marathon.
COVID disrupted that rhythm. With limited access to gyms and a break in my regular training routine, getting back into shape became a challenge. I realised that I needed structure, consistency and someone to guide me through the process.
That was when I chose Shreyas Karnad as my running coach. Over time, he became more than just a coach, he became a friend who guided and supported me through my running journey. With his guidance, I gradually improved my performance, reaching a 43-minute 10K, a 1:43 half marathon and eventually a 3:31 full marathon.
Looking back, I never imagined that the person who started running in 2013 just to lose weight would one day stand at the start line of an IRONMAN 70.3.
This journey was never part of a master plan. It was one step, one race and one new challenge at a time.
Why IRONMAN 70.3?
The idea of taking on an IRONMAN 70.3 had been on my mind for some time. Having completed multiple marathons, I wanted a new challenge something that would push me outside my comfort zone and test me in ways running alone could not.
I decided to take on IRONMAN 70.3 in Goa on November 1, 2026.
The challenge was clear from the beginning:
Running was my strongest discipline.
Cycling needed more consistency and endurance.
Swimming was the biggest unknown.
I wasn't starting at the same level in all three disciplines. I had to build confidence and capability in a sport where I was almost starting from scratch.
My structured triathlon preparation took shape from March 2026, after the New Delhi Marathon, giving me approximately 35 weeks to prepare for race day. It was going to be a journey of learning, adaptation, and gradual progression.
Choosing My Own Path
One decision I made early in this journey was not to engage a dedicated triathlon coach.
I already had a running coach who planned my Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday running along with strength sessions. I decided to build the rest of my triathlon training around those runs managing my swimming, cycling, strength sessions and brick workouts independently.
It was a conscious decision, partly to keep the overall cost under control, but also because I wanted to understand the sport myself. I wanted to experiment, learn how the three disciplines complement each other, understand my body and figure out how to structure my training around my existing running programme.
There were certainly moments when planning everything independently was challenging. Balancing swimming, cycling, running and recovery required constant adjustments. I had to learn from my training sessions, identify what was working and make changes along the way.
It may not have been the conventional approach, but I wanted to achieve this dream in my own way taking ownership of the journey, making decisions, learning from mistakes and becoming a better athlete in the process.
The goal was not just to finish my first 70.3. It was also to understand what it takes to get there, learn from the experience and earn that finish line on my own terms.
A Typical Training Week
Managing Three Disciplines
Since I decided to plan most of my triathlon training independently around my running coach's schedule, having a consistent weekly routine was important.
I wanted to make sure I was developing all three disciplines without compromising the running sessions that were already part of my program. My training week was built around early-morning swims, cycling endurance, strength sessions and weekend long workouts.
A typical week looked something like this:
The Tuesday and Thursday sessions were particularly demanding, with swimming followed by running in the morning and strength training in the evening. Wednesday was generally reserved for an easier cycling session to build consistency without adding too much intensity.
Friday gave me an opportunity to spend more time in the pool and work on swimming endurance. Saturday was dedicated to the long run, while Sunday was the key triathlon-specific training day.
On Sundays, I alternated between long bike rides followed by brick runs and open-water swimming sessions combined with cycling and running simulations. These sessions helped me understand how the body responds when moving between disciplines and how to manage effort when already carrying fatigue.
Of course, not every week followed this schedule perfectly. Work commitments, weather, recovery and occasional interruptions meant that adjustments were sometimes necessary. But having this weekly structure gave me a framework to plan around and helped me remain consistent throughout the preparation.
It was a balancing act three sports, strength training, recovery and everyday responsibilities. But over time, this routine became part of my lifestyle.
The biggest learning was that triathlon training is not about doing more every day. It is about finding a sustainable rhythm, managing the workload and making every session count.
Learning to Swim Again
Starting from 75 Metres
Swimming was undoubtedly my biggest challenge.
I started relearning how to swim in March 2026 at Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre, after a gap of almost 20 years.
Initially, even swimming 75 metres continuously was difficult. I could manage around 300–400 metres in a 50-minute session, with multiple breaks in between.
The challenges were fundamental:
Learning to breathe comfortably underwater.
Getting the freestyle breathing rhythm right.
Correcting stroke mechanics and body position.
Understanding how to use my kick efficiently without wasting energy.
Building the confidence to swim continuously.
In the beginning, I was more focused on surviving each length than swimming efficiently. With correct coaching and consistent practice, my breathing and technique gradually improved.
Within the first few weeks of getting into the pool, I came down with a cold, a sore throat and an ear infection. What I thought would be a straightforward start to my swimming journey turned into an unexpected break. I had to stay away from the pool for a couple of weeks, and the interruption also affected the rhythm of my other training sessions.
A couple of visits to the doctor, medication and plenty of saltwater gargling later, I gradually recovered and was able to return to the pool.
It was a small but important lesson early in the journey: building endurance is not only about pushing harder or adding more sessions. The body needs time to adapt, and sometimes recovery has to take priority over the training plan.
By March, I was working on my kick, breathing and stroke efficiency. Over the following months, the focus shifted from basic technique to continuous swimming, endurance and open-water confidence.
Building Open-Water Confidence
Doddaballapur and Gunjur Lake, Bengaluru
I realised that getting comfortable in open water would require more than occasional practice. I needed consistency, guidance and, most importantly, the confidence to swim beyond the comfort of a swimming pool.
I started attending approximately two open-water swimming sessions every month at Doddaballapur and Gunjur Lake in Bengaluru, conducted by the Open Water Swim Tribe.
These sessions became an important part of my preparation. I knew I was in safe hands, learning something new under the guidance of people who understood open-water swimming. The sessions provided a structured and safe environment, with the necessary safety measures in place, to gradually extend my swimming experience beyond the pool.
Ask from the group here was having the ability to swim continuously for around 300–500 metres comfortably is a useful foundation before stepping into open water. From there, it is about building confidence, understanding the surroundings, learning to navigate and gradually extending your distance.
Every session taught me something new. Swimming in a lake is very different from swimming in a pool. You have to become comfortable with the open environment, manage your breathing and maintain your composure without the familiar pool markers and boundaries.
The Open Water Swim Tribe gave me the platform to explore these challenges in a controlled and supported environment. What started as an effort to overcome my hesitation gradually became an opportunity to improve my open-water skills and build the confidence needed for triathlon swimming.
Looking back, these twice-a-month sessions were more than just swimming practice. They helped me move from being a pool swimmer to someone who could confidently take on the open water an important step towards my first IRONMAN 70.3.
Learning to Swim in the Open Sea
Kovalam, Chennai
To get comfortable with the sea, I attended an open-water swimming session at Kovalam, Chennai. The objective was not just to swim a certain distance, but to understand the sea and learn how to handle its conditions.
The session introduced me to some important basics of sea swimming, how to read and break through incoming waves, when to enter the water, how to navigate the rough patches and, equally importantly, how to exit safely. It was a completely different learning experience compared to swimming in a controlled pool environment.
But the sea had another surprise waiting for me: jellyfish! During the session, I suffered a jellyfish sting on my right hand, which left a deep mark. The itching continued for the next four to five weeks, making it an experience I certainly wouldn't forget.
Looking back, the Kovalam session was a valuable exposure. When I compare it with the sea conditions at IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, the Goa swim and jellyfish encounters felt almost 90% calmer than what I experienced at Kovalam!
The experience also gave me exposure to rough sea conditions, jellyfish and the importance of staying composed in open water. Along with two days of running in Chennai's weather, it provided useful exposure to heat and helped me understand what training in warmer conditions could feel like.
My First Proper Bike
A New Learning Curve
Cycling was another discipline where I had to build experience and confidence.
Before I could start building cycling endurance, I had another challenge to solve: finding the right bike.
I spent almost one to two months researching and looking for a bicycle that would suit my triathlon requirements. A decent-spec road bike was costing upwards of ₹1 lakh, and at that point, I was still unsure how far I would take this triathlon journey. I wasn't ready to make a significant investment before knowing whether this was something I would continue pursuing.
So, I decided to explore the resale market. My objective was to find a well-maintained bike with the specifications I needed, without stretching my budget.
After weeks of searching, I finally found one that ticked all the boxes. The cherry on top was that it was a well-maintained carbonfibre bike, available within my budget.
It turned out to be a great find. What started as a practical decision to manage the cost of entering a new sport became the starting point of my cycling journey.
I got my first proper bicycle towards the end of January 2026. The early rides were a learning experience in themselves. Understanding gears, cadence, riding position, saddle comfort and managing longer distances all took time.
Unlike running, where I already had a strong foundation, cycling required me to develop a new kind of endurance.
The first thing I did after getting my bike was to get a professional bike fit.
A bike fit is about adjusting the bicycle around the rider making changes to the saddle height and position, handlebar reach, riding position and other contact points to suit your body and riding style.
This was particularly important for triathlon. Unlike a standalone cycling event, a 70.3 requires you to get off the bike after 90 km and run a half marathon. Any discomfort, poor positioning or unnecessary fatigue accumulated during the ride can affect how comfortably you transition into the run.
I was advised to get the bike fit done early rather than wait until I started experiencing discomfort during longer rides.
It was a small but important investment in making the bike work for me, rather than trying to adapt my body to an unsuitable riding position.
Initially, the focus was on getting comfortable on the bike and building consistency. Gradually, rides became longer, and I started working on maintaining a steady effort over different terrain and conditions.
As training progressed, I moved towards longer endurance rides, tempo efforts and eventually brick workouts running immediately after cycling.
The long Sunday rides became an important part of my preparation. I also made a conscious effort to start some cycling and running sessions after 8 AM to experience conditions closer to race day.
I also decided not to invest in an indoor bike trainer at this stage. Since I was already trying to keep the overall cost of getting into triathlon under control, I wanted to avoid adding another significant expense.
That meant I had only one option for cycling training: get outdoors and ride!
Finding My Training Routes
Kanakapura Road and Gunjur Lake
Most of my long cycling sessions were split between two locations: Kanakapura Road, beyond the Kaggalipura toll, and rides following open-water swimming sessions at Gunjur Lake.
The Gunjur Lake sessions offered something particularly valuable. After completing an open-water swim, I could get on my bike and follow it up with a run. This gave me the opportunity to experience all three disciplines in one session a practical triathlon simulation. It helped me understand the physical and mental transition between swimming, cycling and running, rather than training for each sport in isolation.
Kanakapura Road, on the other hand, became my preferred training hub for long rides and brick sessions. The stretch beyond Kaggalipura toll offered some good elevation and challenging sections that tested my cycling ability. The elevation profile was also reasonably comparable to what I expected on the Goa bike course.
Another important advantage was its proximity to home and relatively lower traffic, making it a convenient and practical location for longer training sessions.
Over time, Kanakapura Road became a familiar training ground where I could work on endurance, climbing and pacing, while Gunjur Lake gave me the opportunity to practise the complete swim-bike-run experience.
Both locations played an important role in my preparation. One helped me build strength and confidence on the bike; the other helped me bring all three disciplines together.
The Running Background I Brought into the Journey
Running was the discipline I brought into this journey with the most experience.
Before starting triathlon-specific preparation, I had completed around nine full marathons over the previous three years. My marathon personal best was 3:31 at the New Delhi Marathon in February 2026.
Running had already taught me consistency, discipline and how to manage physical and mental fatigue over long distances.
However, triathlon running is different from standalone running. The challenge is not simply to run 21.1 km. It is to run 21.1 km after swimming 1.9 km and cycling 90 km.
Therefore, the focus was not just on improving running speed. It was also about maintaining endurance, managing effort after cycling and adapting to running on tired legs.
I continued to follow my running coach's structured sessions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. These included quality workouts, easier runs and long runs.
Brick sessions became increasingly important, helping me understand how my legs would respond when transitioning from cycling to running.
Thirty-Five Weeks of Preparation
Building the Engine
The preparation from March to race day was not about trying to improve everything at once. It evolved through different phases, with each phase serving a purpose.
Phase 1: Foundation and Technique : March to April
The priority was to establish consistency and address the weakest discipline.
Swim: Freestyle technique, breathing, body position and basic endurance.
Bike: Comfortable riding, cadence, gears and gradually increasing distance.
Run: Maintaining the existing running routine under my running coach.
Strength: Building general strength and stability to support all three disciplines.
This phase was about building a foundation and avoiding the temptation to do too much too soon.
Phase 2: Base Building and Endurance: May to June
Once the basic routine became more consistent, the focus shifted towards aerobic endurance.
I gradually increased swim distance and continuous swimming ability, began open-water swimming as access became available, extended cycling distance and continued structured running sessions.
Brick workouts became more consistent, along with a couple of sprint-distance triathlon training sessions to get used to combining all three disciplines.
The objective was to become comfortable spending longer periods training across all three sports.
Phase 3: Build and Race-Specific Preparation: July to August
This was the phase where training became more demanding and specific to triathlon.
Longer bike rides, including sessions approaching 80–100 km, became part of the routine. Brick workouts combined cycling and running, while longer open-water swims and triathlon simulations helped develop the ability to maintain effort across multiple disciplines.
Nutrition and hydration during extended sessions also became an important part of training.
Phase 4: Specific Endurance and Race Preparation: September to Mid-October
The focus shifted towards preparing for the actual demands of a 70.3.
Training included longer endurance rides, open-water swimming, brick sessions and race-specific simulations. Nutrition became an important part of preparation. I started practising how much carbohydrate and fluid I could consume during longer rides and how to manage fuelling during the run.
Training in warmer conditions in Mangalore also helped me understand how heat could affect pace, heart rate and overall performance.
The objective was to make race day as familiar as possible not just physically, but also in terms of nutrition, equipment, transitions and pacing.
My 35-Week Training Log/Record
The table below shows the recorded distance in each discipline. Swimming combines pool and open-water distance, converted into kilometres.
Across the 35 weeks, the recorded totals were:
1,504.1 km running
2,032.5 km cycling
83.3 km swimming
Bergman Olympic Triathlon :The First Major Test
6 September 2026
The Bergman Olympic-distance triathlon in September was an important milestone.
Completing the event in approximately 3 hours and 31 minutes gave me my first real opportunity to experience the demands of a triathlon event.
It was more than a training session. It tested open-water confidence, transitions, pacing and the ability to move from one discipline to another.
It also helped identify areas that needed further attention before Goa.
The experience gave me a better understanding of what to expect on race day and reinforced the importance of practicing the complete sequence rather than focusing only on individual training sessions.
BMF 2.0 : A Race That Tested More Than Endurance
4 October 2026
Some races are about pace; others are about how you respond when things do not go as planned.
BMF 2.0 was an important part of my preparation for IRONMAN 70.3 Goa. The day started with a challenging swim, followed by a bike leg that tested my confidence and problem-solving skills.
During the bike course, I had to brake suddenly at a U-turn point. I lost control and went down. My chain slipped, and I also suffered a puncture.
For a few minutes, I was unsure how to proceed, especially without a pump. After a brief pause, I regained my composure, borrowed a pump from another cyclist, fixed the puncture and got back on the course.
The incident taught me an important lesson: race preparation is not only about fitness. It is also about being confident with your equipment, knowing how to handle mechanical issues and staying composed when something unexpected happens.
The run gave me an opportunity to put everything behind me and finish the event.
BMF 2.0 was a useful reminder that things do not always go according to plan. What matters is how you respond.
The Final Taper
Preparing to Arrive Fresh
The final two to three weeks were about arriving at the start line fresh rather than trying to gain additional fitness at the last minute.
The focus shifted from building fitness to absorbing the training already completed.
The taper involved:
Reducing overall training volume and long-session duration.
Retaining short, controlled efforts to keep the body familiar with race intensity.
Avoiding unusually hard workouts and unnecessary fatigue.
Prioritising sleep, recovery and mobility.
Keeping nutrition and hydration consistent.
Checking race equipment, bike setup, nutrition supplies and logistics.
Mentally preparing for the swim, bike and run, including pacing and transitions.
The most important part was resisting the urge to squeeze in extra training. By this stage, the fitness had been built over months. The priority was to reach race day healthy, rested and confident.
Race Week: Travel, Acclimatisation and Activation
I decided to drive from Bangalore to Goa a week before race day rather than travel at the last minute. The idea was to settle in, get comfortable with the surroundings and complete a few short swim, bike and run sessions in Goa.
I planned to complete all the hard training by Wednesday. Thursday was reserved for a light swim, while Friday was planned as a complete rest day.
However, knowing that my body was not particularly accustomed to taking a full day of rest immediately before an event, I made a small adjustment for Saturday. I planned a short activation session consisting of approximately:
650 m easy swim
5 km easy run
6 km easy cycling
The intention was not to build fitness at this stage, but simply to keep the muscles active and maintain familiar movement patterns before race day.
Another important consideration was the Goa heat. I ensured that all my training sessions were completed before 9:30 AM. I did not want to expose myself to unnecessary heat stress during the final week, as the priority was recovery and arriving fresh at the start line.
Personally, I feel that introducing additional heat training during the final week is not ideal, particularly when the body is already carrying fatigue from months of preparation. Heat adaptation should be developed progressively during the training phase rather than attempted at the last minute.
The race-week philosophy was simple: no fitness gains to chase, no unnecessary fatigue to accumulate just stay active, recover well and get ready for race day.
IRONMAN 70.3 Goa
Racing Along the Coast
An unforgettable race experience shaped by Goa's coastline, open water and challenging road course. Goa is a beautiful destination for an IRONMAN 70.3, but race day is about much more than the scenery. The coastal setting, warm conditions and three different disciplines make it a memorable endurance challenge.
The swim is held in the Miramar beach in an open sea , where athletes have to navigate the course while managing the conditions and the excitement of a mass-start race. Unlike a pool swim, open water demands confidence, sighting and the ability to stay composed when surrounded by other athletes.
The bike course takes athletes away from Miramar through Panaji, along the Ribandar Causeway and towards Divja Circle, Merces and Bambolim, before continuing towards Agassaim and the New Zuari Bridge. The 90 km distance is completed over two loops, offering a mix of urban roads, open stretches and the memorable crossing of the Zuari Bridge. The scenery is impressive, but the exposed sections and Goa's heat make pacing and hydration important.
The final 21.1 km run is a three-loop course starting from Miramar Circle, heading towards NIO Circle and Dona Paula, with a short out-and-back section on Lok Bhavan Road before returning towards Miramar. The coastal humidity and rising daytime temperature can make the run demanding. Each loop brings athletes closer to the finish line at Miramar Beach
The Race Expo, Athlete Briefing and Bib Collection
Race expos were not entirely new to me. Having participated in multiple marathons, including an international World Major, I was familiar with the excitement around race expos, event merchandise and bib collection.
However, the athlete briefing experience at IRONMAN Goa was something entirely new.
A couple of weeks before the event, the organisers shared a detailed 38-page Athlete Information Guide covering the important aspects of the race. This was followed by an online video briefing session with the Race Director.
The experience continued at the expo, where multiple briefing sessions were organised, along with dedicated Q&A opportunities for athletes.
What I particularly enjoyed was listening to the event organisers explain their plans, walk participants through the race-day arrangements and provide practical guidance. It gave me a much better understanding of how the event was being organised and what was expected of every athlete.
Another highlight was the wall displaying the names of all the participating athletes. Finding my own name on that wall was a special moment. After months of training and preparation, it was a small but powerful reminder that I was now part of this event.
And then came the bib collection.
Holding that race bib made everything feel real. Until then, IRONMAN 70.3 Goa had been a goal on my calendar something I had been working towards for months. With the bib in my hand, the realisation finally sank in:
My first IRONMAN 70.3 was happening. Race day was here!
IRONMAN 70.3 Goa :Race Day
1 November 2026
After months of preparation, the day had finally arrived.
My objective was to execute the race sensibly, manage my effort across all three disciplines and, most importantly, cross the finish line.
I did not want to start aggressively. The plan was to conserve energy during the swim, maintain a controlled effort on the bike and keep enough in reserve for the half marathon.
Race Morning : The Hours Before the Start
After months of preparation, the morning of 1 November 2026 had finally arrived. It was time to put all those early mornings, training sessions and sacrifices to the test.
Race morning felt very different from an ordinary training day. There was excitement, anticipation and, somewhere in the background, a little nervousness. I had prepared for this day for almost 35 weeks, but no amount of training could completely prepare me for the feeling of standing at the start of my first IRONMAN 70.3.
The Early-Morning Routine
The day started early. There were no last-minute training plans or fitness targets to chase. The focus was entirely on getting everything ready.
I went through my race-day checklist, checked my equipment and nutrition, and made sure the bike and transition requirements were in place. Every small detail mattered because I did not want to spend the morning worrying about something I could have prepared the previous day.
There was a lot to take in the swim gear, bike setup, nutrition, running shoes and all the little things that become important during a long-distance event.
I kept reminding myself to stay calm and follow the plan. The hard work had already been done over the previous months. Today was about execution.
Race-Day Nerves: Excitement Meets Reality
Despite all the preparation, the nerves were definitely there.
This was my first IRONMAN 70.3. I had completed marathons and other endurance events, but a triathlon brings a completely different set of uncertainties.
The swim was still my weakest discipline. Open water, a large group of swimmers, the course and the cutoff were all things that crossed my mind.
I also wondered how my body would respond after the swim, how the bike would feel in the Goa conditions, and, ultimately, whether I would have enough left for the half marathon.
But I reminded myself that I had trained for this. I did not need to prove anything in the first few minutes. I just needed to stay composed, trust the preparation and take the race one discipline at a time.
The Race Location : An Atmosphere Like No Other
The atmosphere around the race venue was something special.
Athletes, families, volunteers and supporters were all getting ready for the day. Everywhere you looked, there were bikes being checked, transition bags being arranged, athletes warming up and people discussing their race plans.
A unique energy filled the air. Everyone had their own journey and their own reason for being there, but we were all preparing for the same challenge.
Seeing so many athletes ready to take on the swim, bike and run made the occasion feel real.
The Start Corral : Waiting for the Moment
As the start time approached, athletes began moving towards the designated start areas. The waiting itself was an experience.
Standing there with everyone around me, I could feel the excitement building. Months of preparation had led to this one moment.
There was a mix of conversations, last-minute checks, encouragement and nervous anticipation. Some athletes looked completely relaxed, while others were focused and quiet, going through their own pre-race routines.
For me, it was a moment to take a breath, settle my thoughts and remember why I had started this journey in the first place.
I was not there to chase someone else's race. I was there to complete my first 70.3, execute my plan and enjoy the experience.
And then, it was time to begin.
Swim 1.9 km | 55:14
With all the prayers going through my mind, the swim started with an unexpected challenge.
Within the first 600 metres, I suffered multiple jellyfish stings on my left hand and leg.
It was uncomfortable and mentally unsettling. At one point, I even lost track of time and wondered whether I had overshot the swim course or the swim cutoff.
Rather than panic, I focused on continuing steadily and getting through the swim. My priority was to complete the distance without wasting unnecessary energy.
My pre-swim nutrition was two bananas and one gel, followed by another banana after the swim.
Eventually, I made it out of the water in 55 minutes and 14 seconds.
Bike 90 km | 3:19:12
The bike leg was probably the most controlled part of my race.
I focused on maintaining a sustainable effort rather than chasing speed in the initial kilometres. The first part of the ride went well, and I was comfortable with my pacing.
However, by the second loop, around the 50 km mark, the Goa heat started catching up with me.I realised that managing body temperature was becoming just as important as managing my effort. I started taking ice-cold water from the aid stations and pouring it over myself to cool down.
My bike nutrition included:
3–4 gels, Two bars
Approximately 600 ml of carbohydrate drink
700 ml of electrolytes, 1 litre of plain water
I kept taking fluids and nutrition throughout the ride, at approximately 15–30-minute intervals, aiming to maintain energy levels for the run.
I completed the 90 km bike leg in 3:19:12, averaging approximately 26.9 km/h.
Overall, I was happy with how controlled the bike leg felt.
Run 21.1 km | 2:16:49
This was undoubtedly the toughest part of the day.
With temperatures crossing 34°C, the run became a test of endurance, patience and mental strength.
My initial pace was reasonably comfortable, but after approximately 7 km, the heat started taking its toll. I realised that holding my planned pace was no longer the priority.
My strategy changed from chasing the full 21.1 km to simply getting from one aid station to the next.
I poured ice water over myself at almost every aid station. But with the heat, by the time I reached the next station, I was already dry again!
Instead of thinking about the entire half marathon, I broke the race into manageable sections. One 7 km loop at a time. One aid station at a time. One kilometre at a time.
My run nutrition was limited to one gel, along with approximately 500 ml of water and 100 ml of electrolyte drink.
Looking back, this is one area I would plan differently for my next 70.3, particularly for a hot-weather race.
I eventually crossed the run finish in 2:16:49.
Race-Day Split Summary
The Finish Line : 6:43:31
There is something special about crossing an IRONMAN finish line.
After months of early mornings, pool sessions, long rides, weekend brick workouts and countless kilometres of running, the journey finally came together in Goa.
My first IRONMAN 70.3 was complete.
6:43:31 a finish time I will always remember.
My result:
22nd in the M45–49 age category (80 participants).
274th overall (1,114 participants).
250th among male participants (993 participants).
For me, the biggest achievement was not the ranking. It was completing a distance that required me to learn an entirely new discipline, build cycling endurance and bring my existing running background into a completely different sporting challenge.
Feeling After the Race
The feeling was a combination of relief, exhaustion, satisfaction and pride.
The swim had tested my composure, the bike had tested my ability to manage the heat, and the run had tested my mental strength.
There were moments when the race did not go according to plan, but I kept adapting rather than giving up.
Looking back, there are definitely things I would change, especially around run nutrition and heat management. But that is also what makes the experience valuable. Every race teaches you something, and this one gave me plenty to take into my next challenge.
It Was Never a Solo Journey
Running and triathlon are often described as individual sports. You are the one standing at the start line, putting in the effort and crossing the finish line. But I have come to realise that a journey like this cannot be achieved independently.
There is always a community behind the athlete.
My family was always there, supporting me through the early mornings, training commitments and the time away from home. Their patience and encouragement made it possible to stay consistent through the preparation.
My Run coaches played an important role in helping me build the skills and discipline required for this challenge. Their guidance helped turn a difficult goal into a manageable process.
My friends and training partners made the long sessions easier. The conversations during runs, the group rides, the open-water swims and the brick workouts all contributed to the journey.
That support system made a real difference.
What This Journey Taught Me
The biggest lesson from my first IRONMAN 70.3 is that endurance is built one session at a time.
I started this journey struggling to swim 75 metres continuously. I had to learn how to ride longer distances, understand a new sport and adapt my running to the demands of a triathlon.
There were good training weeks, difficult weeks, unexpected setbacks and plenty of lessons along the way.
On race day, not everything went according to plan. Jellyfish stings disrupted the swim, the heat affected the bike and run, and my run nutrition was not where it needed to be. But I kept adjusting and moving forward.
The finish time of 6:43:31 is a result I am proud of. More importantly, the journey has given me confidence that I can take on challenges outside my comfort zone, learn what is required and work consistently towards a goal.
From struggling to swim 75 metres to completing 70.3 miles this was much more than a race. It was a journey of learning, patience, resilience and the people who made it possible.
And this is only the beginning.
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