Shahrez Khan, a triathlon star, spent his whole life training for marathons, pounding the pavement in spots like Lahore’s Zaman Park — back when it was more about cricket and hockey than anything else — Bagh-i-Jinnah in the heart of the city, and the scenic gardens of Christ Church Meadow over at Oxford in the United Kingdom. He knew running was his strongest suit, no question.

Born in Lahore to Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, Shahrez completed his schooling at Aitchison College before heading to Oxford University for his MBA. At present, he works as the regional head at Simba Global, a big linen supplier based in Australia. Shahrez has been hooked on sports since he was a kid, always eager to get out there and play. Even as he built a solid career, his passion for sports never dimmed. He kicked off with half marathons, duathlons, and 10Ks, eventually taking on the Ironman 70.3 triathlon.

But the Ironman 70.3 triathlon world championship required not one but three disciplines for victory: running, swimming, and cycling. How did Shahrez manage to train for all three for a single four-to-five-hour race?

Early Training

Shahrez trained at Zaman Park, following in the footsteps of his uncles — Imran Khan, Majid Khan, and Javed Burki— who were among Pakistan’s top cricketers.

Remembering his teen years, Shahrez told Dawn.com, “When I was a young boy, he (Imran Khan) would take me to cricket practice with him, and after coming back from the gym, he would go for sprinting to Zaman Park.”

He said that when he was young, it was “very rare” for people to focus on sport or physical fitness but he saw his uncle put in hard work on his fitness and endurance.

“[Seeing his determination] had a lasting impact on me”, he recalled. “I believed that to grow, you have to work hard on cultivating your talent, as no one is born with so much talent.”

From an early age, Shahrez started participating in cross-country events representing Aitchison College. Owing to the endless sports opportunities offered there, he was able to experiment with different types of skills, ranging from swimming to cycling. Easy access to such facilities and the push to keep competing sowed the seed for the passion he developed in endurance sports.

The athlete carried that passion with him to Oxford, where he managed to become a part of the Said Business School cross-country team. Even though he was pursuing an MBA degree there, alongside running a textile sourcing business, Shahrez managed to not let go of his passion.

“I, you know, enjoyed the running as much as I enjoyed the academics,” he reminisced. “Christ Church, I remember, had one of the best grounds and parks, and that provided the perfect setting for me to practice my running.”

Shahrez knew the decision to opt for an MBA would come with its own challenges: balancing sports, academics and business at the same time.

“It wasn’t easy […] but that’s how you grow”, he said.

He emphasised his desire to never let his learning reach a plateau, highlighting that he managed to adapt at every phase of life and kept his focus on how he could take himself to the next level.

“That’s what sports teach you – you push your body to a breaking point, to a limit, and you realise that you get stronger every time you test yourself, and that is a mental and physical thing combined.”

Road to Ironman 70.3

On March 13, 2022, Shahrez ran a half marathon in Islamabad, with a close group of friends, all passionate about fitness and endurance sports. “I remember that day very clearly, as we had just finished a very challenging 21km run up to Monal [restaurant] and Pir Sohawa,” two famous spots situated on the Margalla Hills. During the run, his friends suggested they participate in IronMan 70.3 in Europe.

IronMan 70.3 is a 70.3-mile race which entails a 1.9km (1.2 mile) swim, a 90km (56 mile) bike ride and a 21.1km (13.1 mile) half marathon run to finish.

At that time, Shahrez barely had any foundation for cycling, other than what he had learned from school. However, he was slightly more confident in his swimming skills as he had competed in events with the Punjab swimming team, and it was also a part of his regular fitness regimen. In that moment, staying true to his ideology to keep pushing himself to grow, Shahrez saw this opportunity as a challenge and decided to take it on.

This marked the beginning of his IronMan 70.3 journey.

During the off-season, Shahrez trained for at least 10 to 12 hours a week, including a two-hour session every morning on a weekday, and a three-hour session over the weekends. When preparing for IronMan, his training extended up to 14 to 18 hours per week.

Shahrez knew that for IronMan 70.3, he would have to push to that “breaking point” and strengthen his endurance game.

On days when he wouldn’t have enough time, he would quickly “get a session out of the way” at the indoor “Pain Cave” he had built in his house, a space with his indoor cycling trainer, treadmill and a few weights. On other days, when he would have the luxury of time, he would head to the Lahore Gymkhana to practice swimming, to Bagh-i-Jinnah for runs, and to the expansive roads of Defence Housing Authority’s Phase 7 for cycling practice sessions with a group of cyclists he had trained. On days when Lahore would witness smog, his runs and cycling sessions would return to the Pain Cave.

During weekends, he would try to pack a brick workout.

“A brick workout is when you combine two disciplines. So, if I’m doing a cycle, I’ll do a cycle session, and then I’ll run right after that, because that’s what the race is [about]. And you train your body to do that race together.”

He made significant changes to his routine to incorporate all three disciplines into his practice every day.

In June 2022, post all the preparatory steps of registration, months of training, procuring the right gear, the right bicycle, packing the transition bag, and checking in his bike and bicycle, Shahrez was finally ready to begin his first IronMan 70.3 triathlon in Luxembourg.

DJ sets in the background, the race kicked off with an open water swim in the Moselle river in Germany, which transitioned to cycling through the picturesque Moselle valley through Luxembourg and France and ended with a final run by the banks of the Moselle, with a myriad of people cheering for the athletes.

“The energy is contagious,” he recalled.

Initially, he decided to compete in this race as a challenge.

“It was also a way to get a Europe trip out of it,” he chuckled. But soon after the race ended, he found himself looking for the next one. In awe of all the elite athletes who competed alongside him, he felt further inspired to continue this journey.

“Half the fun is the journey. You’re waking up at 4am, getting two sports out of the way in the morning, and then heading to work, you know, making the most of your day […] it’s the excitement [related] to an event.”

The competition had turned into an obsession, he found himself hooked on it.

Since 2022, Shahrez has participated in seven IronMan 70.3 events. In 2024, he finished 10th in his group in Mossel Bay, South Africa. In 2025, he finished 9th in the run segment in Muscat, Oman.

When asked about his favourite race out of all the IronMan events, he shared how he participated in a race by the clearest lake in New Zealand, Lake Taupo, and described it as “ the clearest, like a pool […] one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen“.

Unable to choose one, he gushed about racing on the beautiful Garden Route in the Western Cape, a challenging but beautiful hilly terrain. One thing he was certain of, however, was that the Philippines had been the most challenging race. “I’m not gonna run in the heat and humidity again,” he chuckled.

In 2025, he competed in an IronMan 70.3 in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Riding on the Puerto Princesa South Road, he knew he was doing “fairly well” as he was in the leading pack of athletes but was not sure if he would be top 10.

As he neared the finish line on the Lapu-Lapu run course, the roar of the cheering crowd filled the air. One glance at his timing, and he realised he had secured 7th place in his age group.

He said it was his best performance so far, as finishing in the top 10 of his age group earned him a spot for the world championship in November 2025, in Marbella, Spain, making him the second Pakistani to ever qualify for the world championship and giving him the chance to represent Pakistan among the best global athletes.

“Nothing compares to the moment I crossed the finish line and realised I had qualified for the World Championship. The sheer joy, the disbelief, the overwhelming pride — it was an indescribable feeling,” he enthused.

Speaking about how he managed to strike a balance between his friends, family and his passion, he said he took frequent “race-cations.”

“I mix up a vacation with the family, […] I take my bike with me, so I definitely don’t travel light,” he laughed.

Regardless, he acknowledged that with IronMan coming into the equation, the amount of time spent on sports had increased. However, with his family and friends’ understanding of his “crazy” routine, he was able to be consistent.

Having won the Walter E Robinson Cross-Country 10K race representing Aitchison for the past three years and now the IronMan 70.3 triathlons, Shahrez’s eyes are on bringing a medal home for Pakistan.

Alongside his practice, Shahrez is engaged in training and guiding more Pakistani athletes interested in endurance sports. He said he believes sports teach people the discipline they need in life, helping them deal with high-pressure situations and other life lessons.

Shahrez is currently training athletes from his alma mater as he believes that an entire generation of athletes can be “inspired and curated” by sharing his learnings from his trials and errors.

Unfortunately, there are no triathlons in Pakistan yet but he believes the country has a high potential to host such events, especially considering the beautiful locations it has to offer.

“It is a great positive from a tourism point of view as well,” he added

With marathons gaining traction in some parts of the country, he believed we need to incorporate other forms of endurance sports in people’s lifestyles, making them “a part of our culture” where there is more participation from everyone.

For athletes looking at participating in triathlons, he had one message, “There’s commitment, there’s dedication, but the physical rewards, the mental rewards, are unlimited.” Other than that unique feeling he described when the crowd is cheering for you as soon as you cross the finish line.

For those wondering what it takes to compete in a triathlon? Shahrez had a very simple answer: commitment, dedication, discipline. “You have to have that, I mean, coupled with some grit.”

Header Image: Provided by Shahrez Khan