Realty veteran Dhaval Ajmera talks about his penchant for endurance races

Ajmera persevered through the triathlon with the wish to finish strong, with the Indian flag in his hands

A structured, scientific approach - with focus and expert opinion - is the stuff of strategy meetings and board rooms.

Dhaval Ajmera, the director of Ajmera Realty & Infra India Ltd, takes it to training sessions for his runs and marathons. Most recently, it is the reason he finished IRONMAN 70.3 Barcelona, one of the world's most challenging endurance events.

He confesses that fitness wasn't always a priority; in the past, he wasn't particular about working out. His friends in the real estate sector, who were dedicated runners, inspired him to change his lifestyle. "Talking to them, understanding their perspective gave me more incentive," he says.

Now, his routine entails training three to four times a week. He began carving out time for fitness when he saw how running was lifting his mental state. "It was a reason to keep moving forward. It gave me ample me-time, which would help me evaluate my actions at work and in my personal life. It has also given me the space to generate ideas for growth strategies - from time to time, it gave me fresh perspective," he explains.

Ajmera is grateful for the ways in which fitness has changed his everyday life, offering him increased stamina and energy. His biggest learning, however, has been that it helped him navigate stress better in a sector that he entered 20 years ago. "The business that we're in, there's a lot of stress and action on a day-to-day basis. I've noticed that those who work out tend to have more resilience and mental strength," he says.

Fifteen years ago, he ran his first marathon - 21 km-and hasn't looked back since. Then came the question of full marathons (42 km), which called for more time and effort. It gave Ajmera pause. "I had always considered fitness a passion and not a compulsion. This is also how I view my work, and the reason why I enjoy doing both each day," he explains.

But run he did, at 40 - putting his endurance to test in an attempt that wasn't connected to an event. During the lockdown, when Mumbai's roads were deserted, Ajmera set off from his Juhu home and finished 42 km. "It felt good to achieve this target without the incentive of an event."

Having undertaken several 21 km marathons in the city, he set his eyes on the triathlon because of the company he found himself in. Again, it was his developer friends, like the Wadhwa Group's Navin Makhija, who inspired him to take the leap, assuring him that he had both the time and strength needed. "I used to frequently run with two of my peers. In the past, we discussed the triathlon but I set the thought aside because I didn't have the capacity to do it. This year, however, I wanted to give it a shot and signed up for it in January. By February, I was pushing myself to work out with renewed discipline and determination," he says.

The strenuous triathlon spans over 100 km, and most participants take it up with the sole intention of finishing rather than winning. When it came to the running leg, Ajmera was in familiar, oft-treated territory; it was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and cycling by its coast that were the challenges. "I went for a four-day camp in Dubai to be better acclimatised to sea water and learn how to take care of myself as I negotiated it," he reveals.

It may seem like a personal victory for a consistent, devoted athlete, but Ajmera asserts that he could not have done it without expert advice, as well as unwavering support at home and the workplace. "Ironman Barcelona doesn't just concern the participant. To focus on two to three hours of physically taxing prep each day, you need people around you. My wife, parents and kids supported me wholeheartedly in achieving my dream. I wanted this journey to be injury-free, so a nutritionist and physiotherapist were also involved," he says.

Though Ajmera did set a time goal for his Ironman debut - a little over seven hours - he did not fixate on it. It was the question of finishing the swimming course on time, to qualify for the next leg, that gave him the jitters. "What kept me going was the wish to finish strong with the Indian flag in my hands, to make the country proud." It has brought a new and improved sense of resolve to his everyday life, he says.

Well-wishers commend him for IRONMAN 70.3 Barcelona but advise him to not push further. Ajmera is taking it easy for now - but he's determined to keep his fitness momentum going. "I'll consider the next adventure soon, based on my evaluations."