If someone had told me a few years ago that I would one day complete a middle-distance triathlon in Finland, I probably would not have believed them. But when I look back, I realize this journey started much earlier – not in a swimming pool, not on a bicycle, and not on a race course. It started during my childhood in India. I grew up as an active child who spent most of my time outdoors. My friends and I were always running, playing and challenging each other. One of our favorite games was simple: I would run, and everyone else would try to catch me. We ran through fields and open spaces, and most of the time they eventually gave up because I just kept going. Even as a child, I had a feeling that I could run forever. That love for running stayed with me. During school, I took part in athletics competitions, including running events and long jump. Those early experiences created a lifelong connection with sport and helped me discover how much I enjoyed testing my own limits. Running never felt like something I had to force myself to do – it was simply something I loved.

Later, I moved to a coastal city in India to study engineering. During that period, I experienced a lifechanging accident while diving into the sea. I suffered a serious neck injury that required surgery, and a titanium plate was inserted into my neck. That experience changed my perspective. I realized how valuable it is to appreciate the ability to move, stay active and challenge yourself. I consider myself fortunate that I recovered and was able to continue an active life. Although I learned swimming as a child in village wells, I had never experienced true open-water swimming before moving to Finland. After graduating, I started my career as a hardware chip design engineer in India, later worked in Singapore, and eventually moved to Finland to continue my career at Nokia in Tampere. Throughout these years, running remained an important part of my life. During my time in Singapore, I ran a 10 km event, and after moving to Finland, I completed the Tampere Half Marathon three years in a row.

Then one day, I decided to swim in Lake Kaukajärvi. The clear water, peaceful surroundings and beautiful Finnish nature immediately attracted me. I fell in love with open-water swimming. Although I was not a competitive swimmer, being in the water gave me a completely different feeling of freedom and enjoyment. Around the same time, I started seeing triathlon and Ironman events online. The idea of combining swimming, cycling and running into one challenge fascinated me. Running was already familiar. Swimming was becoming something I loved. Cycling, however, was almost completely new. Apart from learning to ride a bicycle as a child and occasionally cycling to work in Singapore using city bikes, I had very little cycling experience. Still, the challenge stayed in my mind. Around that time, I met a friend who had completed Ironman Tallinn. Listening to his experiences made me wonder: maybe I could do something like that one day. I started searching for triathlon clubs and found Tampereen Triathlonklubi. I contacted Mikko and explained my goal of completing an Ironman. I decided to join the club, and looking back now, it was one of the best decisions I have made.

The club taught me much more than just swimming, cycling and running. Through weekly swimming sessions, indoor cycling classes, brick workouts and open-water training, I improved my technique, gained confidence and learned the importance of training together with other athletes. Every session gave me something new – whether it was technical advice, motivation or simply the feeling of being part of a community. Following Mikko’s recommendation, I registered for Challenge Turku Middle Distance. Since this was my first middle-distance triathlon, I did not set a specific finishing time goal. My main goal was simple: finish within the cutoff time, enjoy the experience and learn as much as possible.

Race weekend itself became a lesson. The short journey from Tampere to Turku, preparing equipment, collecting race bags, organizing transitions and checking in my bike showed me that triathlon is much more than just the race itself. A lot of preparation happens before the starting line, and I realized how much planning and attention to detail are involved in this sport. The night before the race was probably the funniest part. I barely slept because my mind was constantly imagining different race scenarios. At one point, I woke up in the middle of the night and realized I was practicing freestyle swimming movements while lying in bed. Only after a few seconds did I understand what I was doing – something that still makes me smile. On race morning, I felt nervous but ready.

This was my first middle-distance triathlon, but I trusted the training I had done with the club. The swimming sessions, brick workouts and group training had prepared me for this moment. The swim was one of the biggest surprises of the day. From the beginning, it felt comfortable. I realized how much my swimming had improved since joining the club. Open water, which once felt unfamiliar, had become something I genuinely enjoyed. The bike section was exactly how I wanted to approach it. Many athletes passed me, but I never tried to chase them. I focused on my own pace, followed my nutrition plan and enjoyed the beautiful scenery around Turku. I knew this was a long race, and the goal was to arrive at the run with enough energy. One important lesson I learned was about cycling equipment. During most of my training, I used running shoes on the bike. I did start practicing with cycling shoes and cleats, but I fell a few times while learning and, with limited time before the race, I did not give myself enough opportunity to become comfortable riding outdoors with them. For race day, I chose confidence over equipment advantage and used my running shoes. It was the right decision for my first middle-distance race. However, before my next challenge, Ironman Tallinn, I want to spend much more time training with cycling shoes and become more efficient and comfortable on the bike.

The first part of the run was challenging. During the first 2 km of the run, my calves started cramping. With the fuel and support from the aid stations, I gradually recovered and was able to continue the run. Every time I passed an aid station or heard encouragement from spectators, volunteers and fellow club members, I received a new boost of energy. Hearing people shout ”Go Tampere!” along the course is something I will always remember. Seeing my club name on my trisuit and hearing that encouragement gave me extra motivation during the race. After 6 hours, 20 minutes and 2 seconds, I crossed the finish line. That moment was not about the time on the clock. It was about proving to myself that the thoughts and possibilities I had imagined when I first discovered triathlon could become reality. Challenge Turku gave me something more valuable than a finishing time: confidence. It showed me that triathlon is a sport I truly enjoy. I love the combination of swimming, cycling and running. I enjoy pushing my limits, learning new skills and discovering what I am capable of. This is only the beginning.

My next goal is Ironman Tallinn. Until then, I want to continue improving in every discipline, especially cycling, while becoming more comfortable with cycling shoes and building the strength needed for the next challenge. Most importantly, I want to continue enjoying this journey and learning from the amazing athletes around me. I would like to sincerely thank everyone at Tampereen Triathlonklubi. The coaching, training sessions, encouragement before the race and support throughout the weekend all played an important role in helping me reach the finish line. The guidance, encouragement and training environment helped me grow as an athlete and gave me the confidence to step onto the start line and take on this challenge. The knowledge I gained from the coaches, the motivation from training together with other athletes and the support from the community made this journey even more meaningful. Challenge Turku was my first middle-distance triathlon.

But it will not be my last.