The whole trip to Bengaluru for my last Hyrox Race was so emotional. It really was a museum moment for me, and it reminded me that it is OK to fail.
A Poem for me
Ten friends came to support me and say goodbye. Most of them traveled a very long distance: 100, 200 and up to 500 kilometers, just to meet me. Despite all her other commitments, Nikitha even found time to create this wonderful poem about me. Where are no words that can express how touched I felt, when she was presenting it at the amazing dinner we all enjoyed together in the evening prior to the race. This poem really came from the bottom of her heart.
To our dear Captain,
In a world of deadlines, sprints, and endless calls,
You stand not loud, yet you lead us all,
Not by control, nor by holding tight,
But by giving us wings and trusting our flight.
A leader who guides yet lets us steer the way.
You don’t play Hulk with a thunderous roar,
Or Iron Man chasing applause and more,
You’re our Captain steady, wise, and true,
The one who knows what each of us can do,
And smiles as we take the front of the day.
Some may think you’re “hands-off” and light,
But we know you’re our shield in every fight,
The safety net we don’t always see,
The quiet “I’ve got you” for you and me,
Turning our doubts into courage to stay.
Like the one who can lift Thor’s mighty mite,
Yet lets the team step into the light,
And when the storm gets heavy and loud,
You step in strong, you make us proud,
Fighting our battles in your own humble way.
Beyond SAP, you’re on a whole other run,
Marathons, Hyrox like fitness is fun?!
While we chase snacks, you chase miles instead,
Balancing life like the wise things you’ve said,
“Grow beyond work… also sleep on time,” you’ve gently led.
So, here’s to our Captain, before your big race,
We know you’ll smash it (at your own calm pace),
Because whether it’s projects or miles you pursue,
You lead, you inspire, in all that you do,
And honestly… we’re just trying to keep up with you 😄
And if Avengers ever needed one more name to call
Don’t worry, John… you’ve already assembled us all.
by Nikitha R.
All In
I trained so hard for my last race. My friends there were to support me. Ankita even involved her kids to prepare signs. I was highly motivated to perform strong and run podium again. So, everything was set for my final race. But against all odds, I totally blew it and ran the worst performance of the whole season just in front of their eyes. Trying to reach my limits, I was pushing too hard. As a result, I was overtrained and got sick. At the end, I finished as the 1st loser: 4th place. On a good day, I most probably would have been on that podium. Of course, I felt very bad and disappointed. Why did I fail? What did I do wrong?
I am who I am: All In or Nothing and there is NO reason why I should change.
After a night of good sleep and time to reflect, I realized that I did nothing wrong. If you want to achieve extraordinary results in life, you need to be willing to take risks. You need to be able to think out of the box and apply unconventional methods. If it then does not work out the way you envisioned it, so what, don’t be so hard on yourself. Even as an entrepeneur, I failed many times.
It is the brave ones who will succeed in life. Don’t let the outcome define who you are.
Eevery time you do something, whether you succeed or fail, you progress in your personal development. There is always at least one lesson learned. In this case, even if it sounded like a brilliant idea, running four Hyrox in four consecutive weeks, maybe is just too much. It is not enough time to recover. At least not for me, as I am not a professional athlete and have many other commitments that require my attention.
On the way back home, I had to pass the security check at the airport. After scanning me, the security staff asked me what I am doing for living. Surprised and a little bit nervous, I answered him that I am working as a director in the IT business. He smiled at me and said: Oh, looking at your body composition, I thought you were a professional athlete. He made my day, what a Happy End.