'Endurance nursery' Gurgaon produces 5 Ironman contenders

The Ironman Triathlon has come to be known as one of the toughest endurance races in the world. Organised by the World Triathlon Corporation, currently there are about 40 Ironman races held in a year, where participants have to complete a 3.86km swim, a 180km bicycle ride, followed by a full marathon (42km), and all within a time limit of 17 hours. The sport started gaining popularity in India only a few years ago, and so every Ironman Triathlon sees participation from only a handful of Indians. But the upcoming Ironman Malaysia in Langkawi is proving to be a watershed moment for Indian aspirants. For the first time, the number of participants for the full Ironman event from India is over 20, and more importantly, Gurgaon alone has five of these participants. Add the 70.3 event (also known as Half Ironman) to it, and the number grows to six. What makes this special is that the event is so tough that winning is not even on the radar of most athletes. Merely finishing within time is enough of an achievement to be called an 'Ironman'.

This group of Gurgaon triathletes consists of both seasoned veterans and first-timers, whose work profiles range from corporate CEOs to full-time athletes. Before leaving for Malaysia today, the six Gurgaon triathletes talk about what makes this city the 'fitness capital of India' and a nursery of endurance athletes, and why staying in this city has helped them prepare.



(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

Known as Negi in Gurgaon's fitness circles, Nagender Singh shatters the image of the pot-bellied sarkari babu. The PWD employee has finished three Ironman Triathlons and is now gearing up for Malaysia. Talking about how Gurgaon helps create so many world-class triathletes, he says, "The biggest factor is the association of like-minded people here. We all train together mostly and compare notes and tips at all times. We push each other to do better. That company and support helps a lot."


(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

Abhishek was the first Ironman from the city, when he finished Ironman Spain in 2015. Earlier this year, he took it a notch higher when he finished the Ultraman Challenge, where the distances are more than twice as compared to an Ironman. This is his third Ironman event, and he is now on a mission to complete all 40 Ironman races around the world by 2020. The Sector 56 resident says, "For me, this is not a competition but a way to explore different cultures and different cities. It helps in training when you have a group of like-minded people and an overall culture of fitness in the city, and Gurgaon is amazing when it comes to that."

ENDURING MEN: Gaurav Makkar, Prabhakaran, Nagender Singh, Neetin Verma, Bipin Kaul and Abhishek Mishra (BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)


(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

The newest member of the group, Neetin is competing in the Ironman 70.3 event (also called Half Ironman), which consists of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run. "I started training only this year so I am a newcomer in this circle. And that helps because despite the competition, there is a lot of camaraderie in Gurgaon. The seniors always give me insights, tips, and practical advice on how to be more efficient. It comes from their experience. They make sure that we don't repeat any of the mistakes they may have made," says the Sector 50 resident.

(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

An entrepreneur who works in the fitness industry, competing comes naturally to Gaurav Makkar. Not only does he train himself but also doubles up as a trainer for several other runners and tri-athletes in the city. "Gurgaon has become the fitness capital of India now, overtaking Mumbai. The sheer number of accomplished runners emerging from the city shows that. It helps me to be a part of a group here, where people not only train together but push each other. We have a WhatsApp group of Ironman aspirants where we share our weekly workout volume and seeing how hard the other person is working inspires us to do better," says the Sector 48 resident.



(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

A senior executive in a big banking firm, Bipin Kaul is one of the newest inductees in the Gurgaon Ironmen group having completed his first Ironman in New Zealand earlier this year. He says that it is a healthy competition from within in Gurgaon that boosts people to push their boundaries. The Golf Course Road resident elaborates, "We have an ultra competitive group of Ironman aspirants in Gurgaon. Sometimes, I start training at 4am thinking I will outdo others, only to find that people have been up since 2.30am and have completed some 100km of cycling by then. That motivates you to stay ahead of the curve. Agar woh week mein 20 ghante kar raha hai, toh mujhe 22 ghante train karna hai. Only then can I be even at par with these guys."


(BCCL/ Ajay Kumar Gautam)

Originally from Chennai, Prabhakaran started participating in runs and triathlons back in his hometown. But it was only after moving to Gurgaon in 2014 that he was bit by the Ironman bug. "The fitness culture here helps a lot. You are part of so many groups that you are always surrounded by like-minded people. Then, triathlon is an expensive sport. You need sponsorship to participate in Ironman, and there are corporates in Gurgaon willing to do that. That is because people here are aware about Ironman, Ultraman and such events. The visibility helps the athletes," he shares.