MY TRIATHLON JOURNEY - NIKITA SOLANKI

I enjoy swimming, cycling and running individually as well as together in a Triathlon. I am also an aspiring Mixed Martial Art Fighter!
 

NIKITA SOLANKI

Yoga Instructor/ Content Writer/ Plant-based Nutritionist

29-year-old Nikita is from Bhayander, Thane (Mumbai). She is a yoga instructor, a content writer, a plant-based nutritionist by profession and a triathlete by heart.  I enjoy swimming, cycling and running individually as well as together in a Triathlon. I am also an aspiring Mixed Martial Art Fighter!

I enjoy swimming, cycling and running individually as well as together in a Triathlon

I am also an aspiring Mixed Martial Art Fighter! All my life, I've been told that I look like an athlete but I was never really one until 2016 when I did the longest ride of my life, a 200km BRM on an MTB. This was my point of initiation into sports so soon after I learned how to swim and run. What did I do next? I enrolled myself for a Triathlon. 
 

It's the experiences that you remember and it's what makes you want to pursue something even more

For me, it's my experiences of swimming in the open water, cycling on unpaved trails and running under the open sun which developed my passion for triathlons. I train very hard. Either for all three sports individually or in a combination of two sports at a time. A proud moment for me was to be able to complete the half IronMan distance Triathlon in Mysore very recently. 
 

I have been able to overcome multiple hurdles to be where I am now

I have dealt with Aquaphobia in this process by taking baby steps. My attempt at swimming in the sea for the very first time in January 2017 was when I won over my fear. When I first started out, I could hardly finish 2km but now I comfortably finish half marathons.  Cycling uphill has had me crying but I've taken the stairs for 40 floors just to train to do a kilometer long climb. All of this is a big personal achievement but I still wouldn't say that I have achieved and mastered it all, I am learning each day. 

At every swim, ride and run, I learn something new which helps me in my journey

Now I see challenges as an opportunity and a way to grow out of them.  

I have a few more targets and aspirations for myself. One of which is to complete the full IRONMAN and also participate in Amateur MMA fight!

It's a rare combination to see a yogi as a fighter! I would like to call myself a warrior Yogini. While Yoga teaches me to be in the moment, MMA flights teach me to face my fears head on or another way around!    Don't you think, it's all interlinked