The past few days have given Mayur Bothe plenty of reason to celebrate. He celebrated his son Rajveer’s first birthday on November 30, his own birthday on Wednesday and an Ironman finish in Busselton, Western Australia on December 1.
Bothe (35), a Pune-based Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), says he initially didn’t think he could chase the Ironman tag. “Someone else believed in my abilities more than I did. That someone was my friend and colleague Deepak Pawar, who saw potential in me. Deepak said, ‘You can do it Mayur. You have what it takes.’ It planted a seed in my heart that strengthened my resolve,” says Bothe.
For the uninitiated, an Ironman event consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle ride and a 42.2km marathon run.
Bothe completed the triathlon in 13 hours and 22 minutes. “The weather was very unpredictable and very challenging. About 30 participants gave up on that leg because the water was more than expected. While cycling, I encountered some rain as well as crosswinds and headwinds. The final stage – the marathon race – ended late at night when the weather suddenly turned cold,” he says.
A native of Ahmednagar, Bothe did his early schooling in Pune before moving to other cities for higher education. He was posted in Pune in 2020 as Assistant Conservator of Forests.
After finishing his first full marathon in Baramati in December last year in a little over five hours, Bothe, with the encouragement of his friend Deepak Pawar, also grew in confidence in his sport.
Both trained under coaches Vijay Gaekwad (cycling and running) and Sanjeevan Walawalkar (swimming). Talking about Gaekwad, he says, “Vijay sir not only trained my body; He shaped my mindset. Trust the process, he says, even on days when my muscles feel like giving up and my mind is filled with doubt. He broke down the Ironman challenge into small, achievable milestones.
Long training hours meant Bothe was not always present for his family, and the physical toll of preparation was immense. “I survive on just two to three hours of sleep most days. On the toughest days, my family, friends and seniors (NR Praveen, Rahul Patil, Salunkhe and others) were my anchor. And then there was my silent champion, my wife Kajal, She took on all the responsibilities without complaint,” he says.
Looking ahead, Bothe says he has already started training for the 89km Comrades race held every year in South Africa. Bothe will attempt the race in 2026, deciding to give some time to his family in 2025.
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