Man of steel

HYDERABAD: Move over Robert Downey Jr to hail Hyderabad’s very own Ironman Anurag Guduru. The 30-year-old has made the city proud achieving what many can only dream of. He is the only athlete from the city and one of the two from the country to have participated in the Ironman triathlon held at Bolton, UK, earlier this month. 

For the uninitiated, the triathlon is one of the toughest competitions in the world — it includes a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycling and a 42.2 km marathon — all to be completed one after the other. Anurag, who completed the three races and crossed the finish line in 16 hours and 30 minutes, talks about how the race turned out to be filmy: “I was initially wasn’t very confident of victory, given an ankle injury and my bike malfunction in the middle of the race! I’m glad I refused to give up and kept on going to make my country proud.” 

Anurag, a Hyderabadi currently living in Manchester, participated in the very arduous and challenging triathlon after undergoing intense training for more than a year. “I trained hard, both in the morning and evening. My training time varied from 4 to 8 hours per day, along with a well-balanced diet and adequate sleep. I joined the Manchester Triathlon Club and trained with other athletes. I practised cycling for about 80-90kms in the hilly areas a couple of times during the week. In preparation for the triathlon, I also competed in UK’s toughest race, where he cycled 100 km in Peak District, UK. I went swimming in the lakes, open waters, and indoor pools as much as I could,” he tells CE. 

The road to victory was obviously not an easy one the race is one of the toughest single-day events in the world. Anurag explains, “The total distance covered in the day is 226 km which needs to be covered in 17 hours. I saw many of my fellow triathletes succumbing to physical limitations and being unable to finish the race. My ankle got twisted which made it very painful for me to keep going. Also, my troublesome bicycle made it difficult for me to switch between the different gears. However, I stayed focused without getting distracted by physical pain and mental fatigue.” He adds that none of this would have been possible had his parents, friends and partner not been supportive and encouraging. 

Anurag recalls the experience to be one was one of the best days of his life. “Although I was absolutely exhausted, I was on cloud 9. It took me some time for it to sink in that I had finally achieved my dream of completing the race and becoming an Ironman. It still feels surreal! I remember how my chest swelled with pride as the Indian tricolour came up on the scoreboard display after I crossed the finish line,” he shares.

The athlete does not waste time talking about the importance of sports in an individual’s life. “I have always been into sports and athletics since a young age. I have trained myself to stay focussed on my goals and never give up despite any obstacles big or small. Sports teach us life lessons in a unique manner worthy of remembrance. It also provides functional and social skills that will be quite beneficial both on and off the field,” he asserts. 

After having finished the race like a true champion, Anurag has more events lined up for this year and plans to train for a full marathon towards the end of 2022.