Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

Anu Vaidyanathan

You would not expect a CEO of a company to be an Ironman triathlon athlete. But Anu Vaidyanathan surprises you in more ways than one. In a casual kurta and jeans and a bag slung over her shoulder, she is shares her thoughts on how she dared to take flight with her dreams. While studying in the U.S., Anu’s trick of beat the cold and staying fit was to put on her shoes and jog. And, when she tried to follow the same mantra in India, she says, the road was not easy. “Empty roads were hard to find due to heavy traffic even in the mornings and then there were prying eyes and posers like, ‘Itna subah subah kahan jaarahe ho madam’,” she says.

However, with a rock-solid will, she zoomed off exploring new roads and before she could realise, she was running, biking and swimming for the love of it. Ironman triathlon was lurking in her mind and to test waters, she put her best foot forward at a small race in Canada.

In January 2006, if it was Auckland half-Ironman (2k swim, 90k bike, 21k run), in May 2007, it was Ironman Brazil (3.8k swim, 180 k bike, 42.2 k run, where she was placed 10/19 in her age-group and overall fifth in the run) which tested her strength, stamina and endurance. “I was swimming in an ocean for the first time and my swimming goggles got knocked off. It was a tough journey yet I carried on to go beyond what I thought I can do.”

While she was going that extra mile to redefine old rules, her professional life was also on the up. After working in IBM for some time, the techie decided to be her own boss and set up a consultancy firm in Bangalore and a branch office in Chennai. “My day begins by 3 a.m. and after four hours of running and cycling, I drive back constantly talking over the phone and planning my office work. In the evenings, I am ready to splash in the pool,” the twenty-something points out.

Balancing her work and passion needs extra effort but Anu is not complaining. She does not believe in role models (“If they turn out to be normal people, what will we do?”) but there have been a few positive influences. “It was heartening to see a young participant running without shoes in one of the races. It just proved how high her motivation level was. I admire Leelamma and also my coach Scott Molina who has made the whole process look so easy,” she says.

Anu is the first Indian participating in such Ironman triathlon international events. Her itinerary for the coming months is packed where she will be participating in an Ironman triathlon challenge in New Zealand and a half-Ironman in China.

l The Ironman Triathlon involves a 3.8 kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bike ride and a 42.2 kilometre run.

l There are more than 50,000 competitors in the age-group of 18-80 years from over 50 countries.

l The award money totals $580,000 for the various winners.

l The average Ironman triathlete spends 18 to 24 hours training every week.

l A typical week’s training includes seven miles of swimming, 225 miles of biking and 48 miles of running.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail