BHARATI PAWASKAR
It’s one of the toughest tests of your endurance in swimming, cycling and running in a single day one after the other to complete the triathlon in eight-and-half hours. But a mother of two and a working woman Melita Lopes has accepted the challenge and signed in for the event “ Ironman 70.3 that’s happening in Goa on October 20. Practicing two hours on week days she doubles the time on weekends. Melita who kick-started running in 2016, won third place a 10 km run completing it in an hour and has been participating in various events since then. This is her first Half Ironman. “My husband Karl is very supportive and keeps lifting my spirits,” smiles 37-year-old Melita who is focusing on a healthy diet with lot of proteins and practicing on the same route “ Miramar to Ribandar. “Indeed, it would be very tiring to run on a hot afternoon, especially after swimming and cycling but I am going to make it,” says this Goan who even burnt her skin while rehearsing the triathlon on Sunday.
Another Goan, an IT professional who runs his own company, Agnelo Desa mentions some of the challenges. “Beginning early morning at 4.30-5 am I finish by 9 to leave for work. But believe me, running or cycling on empty roads is not fun as dogs chase you and cows rest in the middle of the roads as if sitting on a ‘rasta roko’ mission. One has to be careful of reckless drunken drivers too. And mornings are cool. But practicing during day-time is tough. One has to acclimatize the body to the hot, humid temperatures. The pot holes on the roads are another nuisance, which will be covered before the event,” shares Agnelo who feels that unless it is a technical route, with ups and downs, turns and twists etc, there’s no hassle in practicing on any route.
Agnelo mentions of an earlier incident from Ironman 70.3 at Colombo in February 2019 when he faced bad luck. The tyre of his bicycle got burst and he could not participate further. Prior to that he had swam some extra miles by mistake and wasted time which would have been covered up had he continued. Always into running Agnelo learnt swimming two years ago and did serious cycling too, covering 200-300 km in private events before he began participating in triathlons. Presently, he practices one hour daily for maintenance. Add to that the two-and-a-half hours that he is devoting for the October 20 event.
“This is my second Ironman event, as the February 2019 Colombo one was my first,” states 39-year-old Wilbert Egipsy Sousa who has 8 full marathons and a smaller triathlon to his credit. An excellent athlete, a football and hockey player in school and college, Wilbert is not scared of the ocean and can take up any challenge in the sea. Training with a group of people, he does not believe in training on the same track. “I will take the route map a week before the, as there’s no fun in riding or running the same trodden path. The real challenge lies in exploring new routes,” shares Wilbert who schooled in Pune, worked in Dubai and Indonesia before returning to Goa in 2012.
“When I started a small consultancy at Baga I had lot of time on hand, which allowed me to participate in runs, cycling and swimming. I don’t do this for records or awards. I just love doing such events and test my endurance from time to time,” maintains Wilbert.
Running a boutique-style stay at Assagao, Ruchir Goenka, who moved to Goa three years ago, has been running for the past eight years. Since 2012 he has done half as well as full marathons. Ruchir likes to be in the endurance sports, to see his limits, stretch them and continue training. Excited to participate in his first Ironman, Ruchir (40) signed without giving much thought to the challenges that come with it. However, as he began practicing for the Ironman, problems started cropping up one by one.
“I met up with two major bike accidents in a span of two weeks, one on August 15 and another two weeks later, thanks to the potholes on the roads. Thankfully, I didn’t fracture myself, but I had to slowdown my training and take a break,” laments this vegetarian who weighs 61 kg and is 5.7” and is confident of completing the triathlon, despite his raw wounds from the recent accidents. For Ruchir, it is the excitement that matters, not physical limitations.
A very good runner and the only person from Ponda participating in the event, Bhagwant Lotlikar has 16 half marathons and two full ones as well as swimathons to his credit. Already an Ironman, completing in 8 hours 1 minute (29 minutes early than cut off time), Bhagwant is a regular participant in the events in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
He practices with a local group ‘Amhi Antruj Runners’ in cross training. Boasting to have a certificate of completing 21 km in 2.5 hours, he shares, “I started running with half marathon, then took swimming lessons first at Nageshi Devasthan tali and then at swimming pool in Ponda to learn the proper techniques. In the last three years I did 2 km and 5 km swimathons and also participated in Probike event in Panaji. I do long distance cycling too, 100-200 km.” Bhagwant is an ideal example of how determination can lead a person to push his limits and win titles. Bhagwant who began exercising to reduce weight, did not succeed much and could lose only 10 per cent from his 100 kg weight, but cycling, swimming and running made him an Ironman. His only worry is the October heat, that may slow down
his speed.
