Realty veteran Dhaval Ajmera talks about his penchant for endurance races

A structured scientific approachmdashwith focus and expert opinionmdashis the stuff of strategy meetings and board roomsDhaval Ajmera the director of Ajmera Realty amp Infra India Ltd takes it to training sessions for his runs and marathons Most recently it is the reason he finished IRONMAN 703 Barcelona one of the worldrsquos most challenging endurance eventsHe confesses that fitness wasnrsquot always a priority in the past he wasnrsquot particular about working out His friends in the real estate sector who were dedicated runners inspired him to change his lifestyle ldquoTalking to them understanding their perspective gave me more incentiverdquo he saysNow his routine entails training three to four times a week He began carving out time for fitness when he saw how running was lifting his mental state ldquoIt was a reason to keep moving forward It gave me ample metime which would help me evaluate my actions at work and in my personal life It has also given me the space to generate ideas for growth strategiesmdashfrom time to time it gave me fresh perspectiverdquo he explainsAjmera is grateful for the ways in which fitness has changed his everyday life offering him increased stamina and energy His biggest learning however has been that it helped him navigate stress better in a sector that he entered 20 years ago ldquoThe business that wersquore in therersquos a lot of stress and action on a daytoday basis Irsquove noticed that those who work out tend to have more resilience and mental strengthrdquo he saysFifteen years ago he ran his first marathonmdash21 kmndashand hasnrsquot looked back since Then came the question of full marathons 42 km which called for more time and effort It gave Ajmera pause ldquoI had always considered fitness a passion and not a compulsion This is also how I view my work and the reason why I enjoy doing both each dayrdquo he explainsBut run he did at 40mdashputting his endurance to test in an attempt that wasnrsquot connected to an event During the lockdown when Mumbairsquos roads were deserted Ajmera set off from his Juhu home and finished 42 km ldquoIt felt good to achieve this target without the incentive of an eventrdquoHaving undertaken several 21 km marathons in the city he set his eyes on the triathlon because of the company he found himself in Again it was his developer friends like the Wadhwa Grouprsquos Navin Makhija who inspired him to take the leap assuring him that he had both the time and strength needed ldquoI used to frequently run with two of my peers In the past we discussed the triathlon but I set the thought aside because I didnrsquot have the capacity to do it This year however I wanted to give it a shot and signed up for it in January By February I was pushing myself to work out with renewed discipline and determinationrdquo he saysThe strenuous triathlon spans over 100 km and most participants take it up with the sole intention of finishing rather than winning When it came to the running leg Ajmera was in familiar ofttreated territory it was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and cycling by its coast that were the challenges ldquoI went for a fourday camp in Dubai to be better acclimatised to sea water and learn how to take care of myself as I negotiated itrdquo he revealsIt may seem like a personal victory for a consistent devoted athlete but Ajmera asserts that he could not have done it without expert advice as well as unwavering support at home and the workplace ldquoIronman Barcelona doesnrsquot just concern the participant To focus on two to three hours of physically taxing prep each day you need people around you My wife parents and kids supported me wholeheartedly in achieving my dream I wanted this journey to be injuryfree so a nutritionist and physiotherapist were also involvedrdquo he saysThough Ajmera did set a time goal for his Ironman debutmdasha little over seven hoursmdashhe did not fixate on it It was the question of finishing the swimming course on time to qualify for the next leg that gave him the jitters ldquoWhat kept me going was the wish to finish strong with the Indian flag in my hands to make the country proudrdquo It has brought a new and improved sense of resolve to his everyday life he saysWellwishers commend him for IRONMAN 703 Barcelona but advise him to not push further Ajmera is taking it easy for nowmdashbut hersquos determined to keep his fitness momentum going ldquoIrsquoll consider the next adventure soon based on my evaluationsrdquo