Her acting chops have always earned critical acclaim, but few would know that Saiyami Kher is quite the storyteller too. We get a glimpse of her way with words when she paints a vivid picture of her German escapades as she set on to become the first Indian actress to complete the Ironman 70.3 Challenge. In chronicling how she completed the endurance race—comprising a 1.9-kilometre swim, a 90-kilometre bike ride, and a 21.1-kilometre run, within the span of eight and a-half hours—Kher takes us on a journey that’s synonymous with a cinematic take on a sporting victory.

This narrative picks up pace when she chronicles how she was told she’d be disqualified mid-race. “I had completed the first 45-kilometre bout of the cycling leg and missed the [exit] for the second loop. The officials subsequently told me I was disqualified and would need to end my race because I wasn’t supposed to be where I was. Twenty athletes had been disqualified for the same reason, but because I wasn’t exhausted, I wanted to keep going. There was no road to cycle back [to the starting line], so, I carried my bike on my back and ran for 2.6 kilometres to [start again]. This was difficult for two reasons. Running in cycling shoes is tough because they are [designed differently]. Also, I had wasted 30 minutes in the process,” recalls the actor, who was subsequently told that she would only learn if she could continue competing after she entered the second loop.

“So, I’d have to cycle 45 kilometres again, but this time, I wouldn’t even know if I was still in the race or out of it. This was a mentally challenging space to be in. Since the others had already moved on, the journey, this time, was [lonely]. It wasn’t until the 64th kilometre that I spotted people who had stopped due to exhaustion. It was only after I finished 90 kilometres that I learned that I could still compete. The 90 minutes leading up to that were nerve-racking.” 

It’s in moments like these that Kher says one’s athletic spirit is expressed. Riding along the picturesque roads of Germany, she recalls staying motivated by convincing herself that “the journey is more important than the destination”. “These are silly things that you tell yourself to stay on track,” she playfully confesses, going on to reflect with some gravitas, “This whole trip has been about losing the way and finding my path.” 

Distances covered by athletes in endurance races like Ironman, and Spartathlon often seem incomprehensible to enthusiasts who may count 10-kilometre runs among their notable achievements. Several practice sessions in Mumbai would have preceded D-day, we assume, only to be corrected by the actor.

“One isn’t supposed to cover the whole distance during training. Usually, you practice one to two components in a day. And even then, you don’t cover the entire distance of each component. You may perform brick workouts on some days, which implies doing small chunks of all three components. An example would be executing a 70-kilometre bike ride, followed by an eight-kilometre run. If one is prepping for a 42-kilometre marathon, the maximum distance that they’d cover during any training session would be 35 kilometres. As far as I am concerned, the maximum distance I covered in a day was a two-kilometre swim, a 60-kilometre bike ride, and a 10-kilometre run.”

While she had access to the knowledge of several coaches well versed in the field of endurance training, Kher also turned to a seasoned athlete known for covering long distances on foot. “I was shooting with Milind Soman, and he said he would cover full distances [during practice as well] so that he could get accustomed to the feeling of covering it. However, since I was shooting an action film [before] the race, I had limited time to train like people do in the last month, which is a crucial window.” 

The subject of endurance training is likely to illicit a mental picture of athletes huffing as they attempt to cross the finish line. Kher, however, remained fairly composed as she navigated the distances in her first shot. She credits her athletic prowess to two factors.

“I’ve always known that [covering a long] distance is not a problem for me. I have never worked on [improving my] speed, but, if I attempt a race calmly, I don’t find it tough to finish it. I was worried about the cut-off time. I have many friends who were disqualified in the first Ironman. In fact, a week ago, during a race in Berlin, six Indians could not finish the swimming bout, and four couldn’t complete the cycling bout. So, none of them even made it to the running leg. But, surprisingly, I performed [better than I have] in the cycling and swimming bouts. The excitement of being in the race helps you perform better.”

She also credits her “base training” for helping her breeze through the race. “I adhered to low-intensity endurance work and ensured that [my heart rate] did not go above a certain number. In Mumbai, maintaining that is tough, given the weather conditions. But, I’d train with two friends, and we’d ensure that [we maintained a heart rate so low that] we could speak to each other throughout the race. If you can have a conversation while running, your heart rate is in the [optimal zone].”

Despite her athleticism and exposure to the three endurance components from an early age, Kher says her journey to winning the title wasn’t bereft of challenges. Having never swam in open waters, she recalls having struggled to cover 50 metres in her first attempt. “I wondered how I’d swim two kilometres,” she says, as though still carrying the fear of the feat with her. “But when you’re consistent with your training, you learn what your body is capable of. It’s quite amazing.”

Moments after returning to Mumbai after her race, Kher tells us she has her eyes set on another challenge. “I’m finding the next race to sign up for,” she excitedly exclaims. Ask her if it would be the full Ironman challenge, and she is quick to dismiss us. “I’m giving myself time for that and would like to do it before I turn 45. Before that, I want to do another full marathon [42.2 kilometres].”

Having kept an arm’s length from protein supplements, Kher says she turned to adequate portions of eggs and chicken to meet her requirements. “I would have six eggs, and at least two portions of chicken for lunch. In the day, I’d also have dal, sabzi, greens, and some fruit. Dinner comprised salads and either chicken breast, or fish. While managing my eating habits at home was easier, doing so during shooting legs was harder. Often, I’d eat a lot of fish to meet my requirements, because protein is extremely important.”

Given that carbohydrate loading plays a vital role during endurance races, Kher ate “whatever I desired” two days before the race. “A friend who has participated in similar races had told me to avoid fibre before the competition, so I did that as well. I also eliminated dairy from my diet during that window. I stuck to pizza and pasta in the four days leading up to the race. Carb-loading is the best part about endurance sports,” she signs off.