Fatigue clawed at my muscles, a premonitory taste of the arduous journey that lay ahead.

The past few days had seen me trek sixty kilometers, scaling sixty floors, and now, a mere three days away, was my next great endeavor—The Race.

The struggle was real as I found myself in the water, just meters away from the shore. Thoughts of giving up raced through my mind, fueled by my inability to catch my breath. Fighting the element drained my energy rapidly, and I couldn't even see how far I needed to swim. It was an unfamiliar sensation, one that I hadn't experienced before.

In April 2023, I made the decision to register for my second triathlon, which was set to take place on June 3rd. The Blenheim Palace Sprint triathlon, consisting of a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride, and 5-kilometer run, seemed deceptively easy. Little did I know what awaited me.

My first triathlon occurred in 2021 and was half the distance. I had been terrified of open water swimming and had only trained for a month before tackling the London triathlon. But this time, in 2023, things were different. I hadn't fully considered the time of year and the fact that the water would still be cold in many places. This oversight would prove to be crucial.

Sports, to me, is a way of life. I engage in various activities such as running, swimming, cycling, tennis, and more. The thrill of pushing myself and achieving greater results makes me feel alive. It fuels my motivation in business, projects, and life in general. I believe that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. It's what drives me forward.

When I embarked on my triathlon journey in June 2021, my greatest fear was open water swimming. The depths, the lack of a solid floor beneath me, the darkness, and the coldness all filled me with unease. My swimming experience had been limited to pools, where I mainly swam underwater with goggles. Additionally, the worry of not being able to wear my wetsuit if it became too hot did not make it easier. It took me a couple of years to gather the courage to register for my first triathlon, but I'm glad I did. It opened the door to a world of challenges and opportunities that I would have otherwise missed.

Returning to the event of the 2023 race, I realized that my fears were misplaced. It wasn't my sensitive ears that posed the greatest obstacle—it was the impact of cold on my breathing, composure, and overall control.

The night before the race, I completed an online course on swimming in cold water. It turned out to be a fortunate choice.

Race day arrived, and with it, a whirlwind of emotions. We registered, collected our race packs, arranged our bikes in the transition area, and made our way to the swim start. There, a whiteboard displayed the temperature—16.1°C. I knew that water below 15°C was considered cold, but that single degree did little to alleviate my growing apprehension.

I cautiously entered the water, which initially felt tolerable. But as I began my usual front crawl, I found myself struggling to breathe. Each time I submerged my head, my ability to catch my breath diminished. And this was just the first leg of the race, with 750 meters of swimming ahead of me. Panic set in, as this was an entirely new experience that I hadn't anticipated. My previous training had been limited to pools and open water temperatures above 20°C, so a 16°C front crawl was a completely different ballgame.

Desperate to find a solution, I switched to breaststroke. To my dismay, this only drained more of my energy in the current conditions. I felt lost and unsure of what to do. Within the first 100 meters, exhaustion overtook me as I struggled to breathe, panic taking hold.

But then, a strange swimming technique emerged. It was my own improvised style—a way to keep going, to avoid giving up. Slowly, taking deep breaths in and out, I managed to move forward. Concerned lifeguards in their kayaks checked on me, their genuine care evident. Yet, I assured them that I was fine. I had discovered a way to keep going, and that was all that mattered.

Finally, I reached the swimming finish line, not only last in my wave but nestled among the next group of swimmers. It didn't bother me, though. The bike ride and the run proceeded without major incident, but the lingering effects of the challenging swim hampered my overall time.

Nevertheless, this race was my personal challenge, my win against the odds. I was immensely grateful that I had managed to finish it.

My journey through the depths of my second triathlon has left an indelible mark on myself. It is through adversity that we truly discover who we are. So, embrace your challenges, relish in your victories, and never let fear deter you from achieving your dreams.