When burnout struck, dentist Adam Govani found unexpected balance, focus and fulfilment through Ironman – one of the toughest endurance events on earth.
On 20 September 2024, my wife and one-year-old child were on a road trip around Scotland with the in-laws. After a week of chaos, work, and my brother’s wedding, I was absolutely deflated. I didn’t want to go out with friends, I didn’t want to go out for dinner, I just wanted to sit at home and wallow in self-pity. I genuinely didn’t like the person looking back at me in the mirror.
From the outside, I had it all. Outwardly, I was successful, happy, and at the beginning of what should be a long and rewarding career. But the truth? I was well and truly burnt out.
July 2024 had also hit me hard. I discovered that an old school friend, who was the same age as me and a doctor, had sadly passed away from cancer at just 31. That news shook me to my core. Life is fragile. If someone so full of potential, so close to my own age, could be taken so suddenly, I realised I couldn’t afford to keep running on autopilot.
So, let’s break down my 2024. In March, I bought a dental practice. In May, my wife and I bought our first family home. By July, our baby boy, Gabriel turned one. And by September, I was standing in my kitchen wondering how, with everything I’d ever wanted, I could feel so utterly empty.
That night, I realised I didn’t need another business target or professional accolade. I needed something for me, a challenge that would break the cycle of stress and give me a sense of purpose beyond the surgery.
That’s when Ironman entered the picture.
Why Ironman?
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