India’s oldest Ironman, fit as a fiddle at 67

Even the idea of the Ironman triathlon — which is held all around the world and regarded to be one of the most challenging and physically demanding single-day sporting events ever — is enough to make most of us in our twenties quake. And yet, it is challenges like these that give Arun Krishnan a high. “Participating in them shows you that nothing is impossible and it doesn’t matter what age you are or you where you come from. It shows that if you have dedication and are passionate about something, you can absolutely go ahead and do it,” says Arun. It is perhaps this perseverance and the courage to take on a challenge, no matter how daunting, that has made this 67-year-old India’s oldest Ironman, a unique honour he achieved after completing the Cairns (Ironman) Championship in Australia recently.

For the uninitiated, the Ironman is a triathlon challenge that consists of a gruelling 3.8-km swim in the open sea, 180 km of cycling, and finally, a 42.2-km run — a feat that Arun completed in 16 hours, 27 minutes and 35 seconds, barely two minutes and 25 seconds ahead of the stipulated time. To prepare for the championship, Arun went through a vigorous 24-week-long training in the city. “But all that arduous training, risks and hard work, seemed more than worth it when thousands of people cheered me on and my wife proudly waved the tricolour as I crossed the finish line,” adds Arun, an engineer who diversified into business and calls himself semiretired. But the race to the finish was dotted with uncertainty and there were moments when Arun wondered if it was even possible to survive it. “The sea was rough. The waves swelled to almost two metres and I lost all sense of direction for a while. On land, my cycle emitted a constant noise that couldn’t be fixed,” recalls Arun, who had also developed cramps during the race. However, despite the hitches, he marshalled all his resources determined not to lose out. And his finish was an epic one (as described by the Australian media). In fact, he was the last finisher and the volunteers created an arch to welcome him as he crossed the finish line. “The last leg was the most exhilarating, despite the pain,” he says.

Arun is no stranger to marathons. It was on a lovely summer morning at the lawns of the Boat Club here, way back in 1986, that he and his friend Chandramouli, decided, on an impulse, to train for a marathon after an hour of rowing. “I’d always been into fitness since a young age, but it was only after that conversation that I took to it with earnestness,” says Arun. He ran the Pune Marathon in 1987, the beginning of a long journey of runs, participating in international venues such as Singapore, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo and Chicago. Arun has also participated in the Austria Half Ironman and the Chennai Iron Triathlon organised by the Chennai Trekking Club.

Taking part in these marathons has been a journey of self-discovery and discipline. “It has helped me deal with life’s challenges – made me realise that life, just like in races, is not about winning, but it’s the journey, the enjoyment, the friendship. It has also taught me to plan my life and live by the plan, and to steer clear of alcohol and smoking, which has contributed a great deal to both my physical and mental well-being.” Arun hopes to run another marathon in a few months and has plans to set up a fitness centre where he can train youngsters. “The centre will be more about inculcating the same passion that I have for fitness in others rather than a commercial endeavour. This is my way of giving back to society,” he says. 

For the nonce though, he says, “I hope to bid adieu being not just India’s, but the world’s oldest Ironman.”