KOCHI: Jomy Jacob loves the rush of adrenaline. On Friday, the 41-year-old civil servant successfully completed one of the toughest physical endurance tests in the world — the Ironman Malaysia triathlon. Considered the toughest of the Ironman events, the competition held in Langkawi, Malaysia, comprises a 3.8km sea swim in the Andaman Sea, a 180km bike ride through rolling, hilly terrain, followed up by a 42.2km run.
A 2009-batch IRS officer from Kochi, Jomy completed the event, in which only a few hundred of the best endurance athletes compete, in 14 hours and 19 minutes.
Always the endurance athlete, Jomy’s first love is mountaineering. “Mountaineering is a very time-consuming sport. I did it for many years out of my love for it and slowly started shifting to running to spend more time at home with friends and family. The interest in other events like cycling and swimming also grew in me eventually,” said Jomy, who is still in shock over completing Ironman Malaysia.
Training for an event that pushes you and tests you beyond all your limits became a routine, which Jomy stuck to with complete diligence. “I primed for the sea swim at Puthuvype beach in Vypeen. I practised cycling with an in-house trainer every single day, along with my gym routine that I followed without compromise. Cycling sessions took me up the hilly terrain of Kulamavu and scenic Kalloorkadu. I joined up with the Souls of Cochin to fine-tune my running skills,” he said.
Malaysia was Jomy’s second Ironman event. Last year, he competed in Ironman Copenhagen, held in Denmark.
Jomy counts the 6,070m-high Stok Kangri, Gangotri III (6,577m), Bandarpoonch (6,316m), Satopanth (7,075m) and Yunam (6,111 m) among his successful mountaineering exploits. He has also completed numerous marathons and ultra marathons, including the famous 90km Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa in 2019. Currently holding the post of additional commissioner in the chief commissioner’s office, CGST & Customs, Thiruvananthapuram zone, he is supported by his wife Dr Anu Unni and their two children.
“A challenging triathlon takes a huge toll on your body and mind. I hope to get back to my training routine and aim for the next one soon,” Jomy added.