The Triathlon Man: A Maximiser’s Story at Flipkart

No dream is distant, if you have the will to put in the work! Of all the maximising stories at Flipkart, one that stands true to how Flipsters ‘Leave a Mark’ each day is that of Prarabdh Awasthi. This one is symbolic of grit, tenacity, support and a desire to grow and succeed, no matter the odds. In short, maximise your potential!

Donning the hat of a Software Engineer @Flipkart, Prarabdh has been consistently working towards his passion of competing in elite endurance competitions. In particular, the Triathlon, considered to be the most difficult one-day sporting event in the world, is something that called out to him! Prarabdh Awasthi had to navigate many aspects of his life as he prepared for his EPIC5 Ironman Triathlon, his wedding, and an adventurous honeymoon that brought his passions together.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but not my spirit!

For the uninitiated, an Ironman Triathlon is a series of long-distance races consisting of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bicycle ride followed by a 42.2 km marathon run, raced in that order. And the EPIC5 challenge is doing 5 Ironmans in 5 days across 5 different Hawaiian islands. Talk about a challenge! In a conversation with the team, Prarabdh says,

“I’m simply looking to challenge myself each time; to push myself beyond what I achieved before. It's a way for me to keep exploring my passion.”

His journey in the Endurance world began with weekend getaways, and 10K runs with other Flipsters. He found his motivation and pushed himself to train for the Ironman. Although Prarabdh began training in January 2020, the Covid waves pushed the event from August 2020 to May 2022. But without feeling dejected in any way, he kept preparing for two and a half years to develop aerobic base endurance and strength, and thoroughly educated himself about nutrition & recovery. He spent ~15 hours every week swimming, biking on hilly terrains and strength training. As the dates neared, he spent 40 hours training every week, which was vital to simulate and condition himself to the challenge conditions.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”- African Proverb

With preps underway, he was soon to be married as well! Prarabdh had to ensure he corrected his course accordingly with a triathlon in May and a wedding in April. Completing five Ironman in five days was going to be no easy task! But with the help of his entire crew, especially his coach of 6 years, Kaustubh Radkar, Prarabdh was determined to make it count. 

He discussed this with his Manager and team, and received nothing but encouragement and support. Under the aegis of the Budding Star policy that encourages employees to explore opportunities beyond their work to achieve success in personal ambitions, Flipkart was also able to provide him financial support to participate in this international competition. After the wedding, his wife joined his crew and travelled with him towards their now-collective ambition, coupled with an unforgettable honeymoon in Hawaii. The team island-hopped for five days, ensuring on-time boarding of flights and boats, recovery periods, and a truckload of motivation each day through poetry, prayers, and songs from their families & friends to keep Prarabdh going.

And finally, more than two years of prepping and planning bore fruit - Prababdh did it! He became one of the 37 participants worldwide to complete the Epic 5 challenge. If that wasn’t enough, he was only the second and the youngest Indian to finish this challenge!

Together, We Dare to Maximise at Flipkart each day. Work life means more to us than running out the clock. But sometimes, the reverse can happen too. Our Flipsters also teach us and remind us that no challenge is too big if we have the will to conquer it. Prarabdh’s exemplary feat is a stark reminder that within all of us, is the potential to truly Leave a Mark beyond our usual work confines to maximise our lives in a more fulfilling way. We can all choose to leave a mark, albeit in a manner completely unique to us, but nonetheless one that can remain etched in history for a long time.

A hui hou – Until we meet again!