Asima Barik, a young sales girl, had always enjoyed running. She liked swimming, was adventurous and nurtured a dream of winning a sports event. Last year, her dream came true when she stretched the limits of physical endurance to secure the third place at the National Triathlon Championship held in Chennai. “It was quite an achievement since only the fittest of the fit can take part in the triathlon,” smiles Barik.

Barik’s assertion stands true in the face of an event that normally involves one-and-a-half kilometres of swimming, 40 km of cycling and 10 km of running without a break. “It is very strenuous,” emphasises Rakesh Gupta, secretary of the Indian Triathlon Federation in Delhi. The sport is a recent one in India, having been introduced in 1990.

The game starts off with athletes changing into their swimming gear and taking to the water. The transition from water to land involves their riding cycles after a quick change of gear. As soon as the players complete their journey on their two wheelers, they rack their cycles and head for the final event, running. “Triathlon does not give you any breathing space and seasoned competitors are often surprised at how tired they feel,” explains Barik.

Having made its debut in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, triathlon is now a full-fledged Olympic sport. “We are now trying to popularise the event in India,” says Gupta. At present, two national triathlon events are conducted in India every year. The Indian Triathlon Federation runs the Indian Triathlon Academy in Chennai which coaches youngsters to participate at the international level. “Triathlon requires special skills,” says Rahul Mitra, secretary of the West Bengal Triathlon Association. It consists of timed-in sections, so there is swimming time, cycling time, running time and the total time. “A competitor’s official time in the sport includes the time needed to change his clothes and shoes during an event.

So athletes have to learn to race at each stage in a way that helps preserve their energy for subsequent stages,” he says. Also, in order to excel, one has to be aware of one’s timing at every stage.

This is one sport where men and women compete together, and help is always at hand. That’s because any lapse can prove costly. In most races, aid stations located on the tracks provide water and energy drinks to the participants as they pass by. At the advanced level of the sport, these kiosks offer gels and various types of food, including energy bars.

The most challenging form of triathlon is the Ironman Triathlon which involves four kilometres of swimming, 180 km of cycling and 42 km of running.

The West Bengal Triathlon Association has also developed aquathlons, a form of triathlon that has two stages — swimming and running. “We introduced this to serve the interests of those who are keen on triathlon activities but may not be able to match the fitness standard required to do all three activities,” explains Mitra.

So what attracts people to a sport in which only a limited few manage to stay the course? “It is the thrill of testing oneself,” explains Ritwick Bose, a triathlon trainer in West Bengal. “I love the outdoors and have participated in swimming competitions and mountaineering expeditions. So I guess I was physically prepared for the sport,” he says. He was fascinated when he saw a triathlon event in the state in 1996 and has, ever since, been practising the game.

At present, Bose is coaching youngsters in an effort to motivate them to take up this expensive sport. The cost of a racing cycle is around a lakh. Many athletes import them since they are not available widely in India.

There is also the factor of persistence in an event that requires acute concentration and long hours of practice. “A good triathlon athlete must be committed to the game,” notes Gupta, adding, “This is a game where no half measures will do.”

So, if you feel you’d like to stretch the limit of your physical endurance, by all means, go for a triathlon.