IN SESSION

Nikhil Kapur, Founder and Managing Director, Atmantan Wellness Resort, tells us his inspiring story

Nikhil Kapur, Founder and Managing Director, Atmantan Wellness Resort Steve Jeisman, Group Director, Alila Experiences Aurelian Lis, Global CEO, Dermalogica

Does your family share your love for fitness?

Working out has always been a part of my life, whether it was sports like squash, golf or cricket in my teens, or then some strength training and road running in my 20s. Not many know that my dad (ex-army) has been a sportsman all his life, (he played Junior Badminton Nationals and Squash Nationals) and as I look back today, I realise how he has been instilling this value for fitness and a love for the outdoors in my sister and me forever!

My sister was also very active in sports and has represented her college in badminton, table tennis and volleyball. Kiyan, my 9-year-old, runs, does yoga and tries to have an active day and still enjoy some unhealthy eats once in a way too. He shares my love of the outdoors and sport, and we, as a family, had a fabulously unique vacation when we participated in Atmantan’s Family Wellness Camp, a retreat for the whole family.

In my 30s, I took up running in a big way and did a couple of marathons as personal milestones too. Right around this time (2012) I came across the IRONMAN triathlon. I must say I was really impressed with the sheer stamina this kind of a triathlon required…i started reading up on it and started unconsciously strategising my workout plan (I am a chronic planner and researcher, which more often than not, works in my favour) and the more I read and saw, the feeling of this being a human being’s ultimate physical and mental milestone took over me (this was slowly looking like my ‘Mount Everest’).

By mid-2013, I had already signed up with a coach (a celebrated American triathlete himself). I was on my way to racing the first one by 2014 as this even requires a minimum of 8-10 hours of consistent training a week that goes up to 25 hours a week. The first time in January of 2014 (113km), it was about getting my feet wet in this 'one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world' and figuring out the ins and outs of an IRONMAN, while my second one that same year (226km) was about challenging the mental and physical body to its limits.

Tell us about your IRONMAN Triathlon journey.

I gave myself a year to do the full IRONMAN event (226km), considering I had a good running background. I trained for seven months for the Auckland IRONMAN and then, after another 6 months of training, I went for the Zurich IRONMAN. This included roughly 10,000km of biking, about 300km of swimming, and approximately 2,500km of running a year. I also regularly practice yoga for recovery and to avoid injury due to the over use of muscles.

For my first race, I did everything by the book (this was focussed on increasing my endurance for this 16hour triathlon), and after the second one, the training started focussing more on strength and speed.

I have one of the best coaches in the business, Nate Llerandi, who has represented The U.S.A in swimming, cycling and triathlons. He is always available over the phone and email and

shared his training plan via an app. With him, I learnt that I needed a structured plan to prepare for an IRONMAN. I got a plan that helped me build my aerobic fitness gradually with enough recovery workouts so as not to break my body. I have been training with him since 2013.

My diet is healthy home cooked food; I eat three to four well-balanced meals a day, and snack on nuts/fruits/salads in between the big meals, with plenty of hydration. During my workouts, I have upto 500ml of water per hour of workout and about 200 calories per hour in the form of fruits, organic nutrition bars, energy drinks, gels and the like.

My routine started with 1.5–2 hours daily (8–10 hours a week) to around 25 hours a week during the peak periods of training. On most days, I have two workouts out of the three disciplines. The training is based on the heart rate zones to prepare the body for the objective of covering long distances most efficiently. After the first two events, the training shifted to building power to focus on becoming faster.

What did you learn from your recent participation at the event in Hamburg?

I have done 5 IRONMAN events so far – IRONMAN Auckland (70km, Jan 2014); IRONMAN Zurich (140km, July 2014); IRONMAN Kalmar (140km, Aug 2016); IRONMAN Copenhagen (140km, Aug 2017); and IRONMAN Hamburg (140km, July 2018). The most taxing one was the one in Hamburg, which I completed a few months ago. I feel this is the medal I had to work most for, but that could also be a cognitive bias, considering the Hamburg IRONMAN is my most recent achievement.

This last IRONMAN makes me feel like the 'M' in the IRONMAN logo which stands for mental fitness. And it was because of this sheer mental determination and focus that I crossed the finish line. My left leg seemed to shut down quite early on the bike course (75km) with cramps and from there on I had to nurse these severe cramps, for the rest of the 180km ride, and the 42km run after. While the mind was alert, my body was pushed like never before. I just kept going towards the words I was happiest to hear again: “Nikhil, you are an IRONMAN!”

How about recovery from the hectic regime?

Recovery is a scientific process and a compulsory part of every athlete’s training. Recovery doesn’t translate to rest for me. I follow the active form of recovery, which means doing some cross training or some of the runs/rides/swims at a low intensity (short duration). This drains out all the lactic acid build-up, thereby reducing soreness and making the body fresh. Active recovery improves muscle recovery and muscles become stronger because they know another tough workout is coming soon.

How do you deal with the injuries along the way?

The best way to deal with injuries is to avoid them. The most serious injury that I had was five years ago because of which I couldn’t run for three months. Since then, I have incorporated physiotherapy and yoga into my schedule. Physiotherapy sessions help me strengthen muscles, including vulnerable ones that can be prone to repetitive stress. Yoga is great for recovery, flexibility and balance.

What are the other forms of physical activity that you do?

I love variety, which I get when I train for triathlons – run, bike and swim. I am an occasional golfer and love to row when I can.

How do you unwind?

Today, being a father to my 9-year-old son defines my life and the decisions I make. He is my stress-buster. I am a complete family man and love spending time with family and friends.

As someone who celebrates wellbeing in day-to-day life, what is your matra for wellness?

Moderation is the key to a healthy life. Don’t go to extremes since it's not feasible.

Were your personal wellness ideologies the driving force behind the birth of Atmantan?

The IRONMAN also in its unique way defines my fitness regime, mentality and approach to wellness, and Atmantan rightly culminates everything in wellness lifestyle that I can offer to the world! The fact remains that the IRONMAN is truly a lifestyle. And while it has become just that for me, Atmantan is that ideal retreat destination, where people incorporate holistic and integrated wellness lifestyles. For me, every person partaking in this wellness journey is his own IRONMAN. After all, it’s not really about the ‘metal’ but one’s true ‘mettle’!