Closing the Chapter After Ironman Texas
I raced yesterday at Ironman Texas, and I’ve been sitting with a lot of mixed emotions since.
First off, I’m incredibly saddened by the news about the swimmer who passed away. My wife is Brazilian, so that part hit especially close to home. It’s a tough reminder that even in a sport we love, things can go wrong.
For some context I’m 31 and I’ve done a 70.3 and four full Ironmans (including Chattanooga with the cancelled swim). After yesterday, I’ve come to the realization that I think I’m done with full-distance racing—the training, the hours, all of it.
The race itself was really hard. I pushed through like we all do, but something felt different this time. The way my body felt after the race was honestly kind of crazy—the cold shakes, everything—it just doesn’t feel worth it anymore.
Hearing about what happened on the swim made me reflect on how much I’ve probably underestimated that part of the race and the real risks involved.
It’s a strange feeling—this sport has been a big part of my life, and I genuinely loved it. But now it feels like I’m closing a chapter. Not in a negative way, just… done.
Curious if anyone else has experienced something similar—that moment where you realize you’ve hit your limit with the sport, physically or mentally, and it’s time to move on.