‘Time management was the toughest part’

City girl Solonie Singh Pathania becomes the third woman in the country to finish the Ironman race held in Sweden recently

Imagine yourself in the middle of an endurance sport, and all that’s running through your mind is how to overcome terrible menstrual cramps. And all you have with you is water for your parched throat, an energy bar to keep you going and a GPS navigator device to show the way. This is the story of Solonie Singh Pathania, 30, who not only finished the most difficult triathlon, but also surprised herself with her timing. She was 50km into the run, when the menstrual cramps kicked in and she was in agonising pain. Her speed dropped to 23 kmph in the cycling leg, but she was determined to keep going.

She is now India’s third woman to complete the full Ironman race, recently held at Kalmar, Sweden. An Ironman Triathlon, organised by the World Triathlon Corporation, is one of the world’s toughest races comprising a 3.86 km swim, a 180.25 km bicycle ride and a 42.2 km marathon run without a break. Solonie managed to cross the finish line in 13 hours.

She found the weather conditions in Sweden vastly different from what she was used to when training in Pune. She trained under 15-time Ironman finisher Kaustubh Radkar, who prepared her to fight the windy conditions and 13 degrees in the water. She arrived a week in advance to get accustomed to the new climate, alongside 3,000 athletes from across the globe. “I followed a strict regime with at least three hours of workout, which was extended to five to six hours on weekends. My diet comprised fruits, green leafy vegetables, and limited carbohydrates. I avoided sugar completely,” she explains.

A Pune-based marketing executive, Solonie started running in June 2013 to get fit. Her first novice triathlon was in December 2013 and that is all it took to get her hooked to the format. “My father is an army officer, and he would wake up early for his morning walks. I joined him, and fell in love with running. Gradually, I started with triathlons and loved the exhilaration and the adrenaline rush I experienced while finishing,” she adds. With a full-time job, she was on a very tight schedule. No two days would be the same in a week; on some days she would work on speed, on others distance and some days would just be for active recovery. “Time management was the toughest part. It was difficult at times, as it drained me out. I was sleep deprived at times too. But the passion for crossing the finish line was what kept me going,” she says.

Solonie wants to create awareness of fitness among the youth of our country. She hopes that more youngsters get inspired to pursue their fitness goals and objectives. Next on her list is running the half marathon in Pune and the upcoming Pune triathlon. “I am also preparing for the Ironman race again next year. I love to challenge myself, and this time want to get better with my timing,” she adds.

zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

Originally published on The Golden Sparrow