Daily training journal — building toward IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne.

I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. That's the honest part. Yesterday's work sat heavy in my legs, and pulling on my shoes took nearly five minutes—each one felt like a negotiation with myself. But I moved anyway, still dark outside, heading toward Nehru Park where the Adidas running club gathers before dawn.

The first 2.16 km was just a shake-out, my body waking up at 6:16 per kilometer. By the time I'd turned around, a small group from the club was organizing an interval session: 800 metres three times, then 400s, then 200s. I'd arrived reluctant; I stayed curious. The pace picked up—165 bpm, holding 6:17 across the full 8.72 kilometres—and something shifted. The intervals had structure, intention, other people pushing alongside me. It made the work feel less like punishment and more like purpose. Halfway through, I caught myself thinking: what if I'd stayed home? The question lingered after I got back.

By 8:22, I was on the indoor trainer for a MyWhoosh session: 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds recovery, repeated. Fourteen kilometres in 31 minutes, 156 bpm average, nothing glamorous but the kind of work that compounds over months. The bike felt easier after the run—my legs already warm, the indoor effort almost meditative by comparison.

I'm 192 days from Melbourne now. Today taught me something I already knew but needed to remember: motivation isn't something I wait to feel. It's something I build by showing up when showing up is the last thing I want to do. The Adidas club didn't know they were answering my question this morning. They were just running.

Some days the answer arrives in your shoes.

#nehrupark #ironman703 #delhi #earlymorning #intervaltraining #triathlon #turbtrainer