From Fear of Water to Ironman 70.3: My Journey of Faith, Grit & Blessings

 If someone had told me a year ago that I would complete Ironman 70.3 Goa, I would have laughed. Not because I didn’t believe in endurance sports—but because I couldn’t swim. I had zero experience in open waters, no exposure to the sea, and absolutely no comfort being in deep water.

In fact, just a year back, while boating with my wife at Pavna Lake, I had casually said,

“Swimming in open water is crazy… I can never do that.”

Even imagining it scared me.

Little did I know that God had different plans for me.

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 Struggle Before the Real Journey Began

Almost 2 years back, I had already spent three months trying to learn swimming under a different coach.

And after all that time, all I could manage was just… moving my legs.

No technique.

No confidence.

No progress.

That was the biggest set back and felt i could never swim

Looking back, it felt like God was simply preparing me — not through success, but through struggle — so I’d value the right guidance when it came.

And then, I met Pratik Sir.

That was the turning point.

I still remember walking up to him for the first time and saying,

“Sir, just get me out of the water in one hour… do whatever you can.”

I’m sure he must have thought I was crazy — someone who didn’t even know how to use a swimming cap or goggles properly, yet talking about an Ironman swim!

But he didn’t laugh.

He didn’t judge.

He simply said, “We will work on it.”

And that reassurance changed everything.

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The Registration I Tried to Avoid — Thanks to Dhananjay

Meanwhile, my friend Dhananjay, who had already registered for Ironman, kept pushing me.

I gave every excuse possible:

“No time.”

“I’ll drown.”

“I can’t swim.”

“I’ll do it next year.”

But Dhananjay is strong-headed.

Once he decides something, he makes sure it happens.

He was fully confident that even I could finish an Ironman.

“Just register,” he said. “You can do it.”

Sometimes, one person’s belief becomes bigger than your excuses.

And that belief came from him.

With hesitation, zero confidence, and a million doubts, I finally registered.

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Tri Camp in Goa — My First Exposure to the Sea

With just one month left, I attended a Tri Camp in Goa.

For the first time, I stepped into the sea.

The waves, the pull, the saltwater, the fear — everything hit me at once.

 

But the highlight of the camp was the people.

I met incredible athletes, each with powerful stories of grit, failures, goals, and comebacks.

Listening to them gave me hope.

I realised everyone was battling their own fears.

I returned from the camp with new learnings, courage, and calmness.

It strengthened me for the final month

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Three Months. One Goal.

Most people train 6–12 months for a 70.3.

I had just three months.

Three months to learn swimming (again).

Three months to build endurance.

Three months to mentally prepare for the sea.

Every training day was a test.

But slowly, fear turned into trust — trust in my coaches, trust in the process, and trust in myself.

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Race Day — A Day Where Anything Could Have Happened

Standing at Miramar Beach on race morning, staring at the huge waves, one thought hit me:

“Last year I said open water was crazy… and today I’m about to swim 1.9 km in the Arabian Sea.”

Anything could have gone wrong — fatigue, panic, currents.

But when hard work, luck, and God’s blessings come together, everything falls into place.

The swim went smoother than expected.

The bike was steady.

The run pushed me but filled me with purpose.

I genuinely felt like God’s grace and the wishes of my loved ones were carrying me through every kilometre.

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Crossing the Finish Line

Crossing that finish line was not just completing a race.

It was defeating a fear that once controlled me.

It was turning doubt into discipline.

It was proving to myself that beginnings don’t matter — belief does.

Ironman doesn’t just build athletes — it builds character.

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Reflections

God’s plans are bigger than our fears.

A strong-headed friend like Dhananjay can change your destiny with one push.

Meeting Pratik Sir was a blessing — the coach who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

Coaches Omkar Sir, Vardhan Sir, and Shalmali Ma’am helped shape me stroke by stroke, step by step.

The Tri Camp reminded me that every athlete carries a story worth hearing.

Faith, effort, and blessings can turn impossible dreams into reality.

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The Journey Ahead

From struggling to move my legs in a pool…

to not knowing how to wear a cap or goggles…

to giving excuses and avoiding registration…

to facing the sea for the first time at Tri Camp…

to swimming 1.9 km in the Arabian Sea…

to crossing the Ironman 70.3 finish line —

this journey has transformed me.

And today, I truly believe:

When God has a plan, when the right people walk into your life, and when you dare to try, even your biggest fears can become your greatest victories.