The ‘Ordinary’ Man Who Did 105 Iron-Distance Triathlons in 105 Days

There’s nothing I love more than tales of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things.

But nobody who achieves the extraordinary is ordinary—and while upon first glimpse this real-life Forrest Gump may present as an everyman, he is anything but.

Not only did today’s guest dare to best one of the world’s most impressive endurance records, he downright decimated it—and somehow made it all look ‘easy’.

In 2021, the Iron Cowboy James Lawrence completed 101 iron-distance triathlons in 101 consecutive days—a record I both witnessed and couldn’t fathom being broken in my lifetime. And yet not too long after, Sean Conway, a dad of two young kids from a small town in Wales by way of Zimbabwe, proceeded to complete 105 consecutive iron-distance triathlons, claims he could have kept going, and believes he could have done 200.

In case you don’t quite grasp the enormity of this feat: Sean swam 2.4 miles, then proceeded to ride 112 miles on his bike, then ran a full marathon—26.2 miles, repeating this routine every day without missing a single day, for 105 days in a row.

Moreover, Sean didn’t even begin his endurance career until age 30—a career in which he has quietly eclipsed more records than most realize.

Today we unpack Sean’s extraordinary accomplishments, his 'terrier mindset', the 'ten pillars of endurance’, why he doesn't celebrate small wins, his unique lens on failure, and his reasoning for never, ever having a backup plan.  

Sean is quirky, totally authentic, and chock-full of ludicrous stories lifted from a life that prioritizes adventure over security. 

My hope is that his example inspires you to transcend self-imposed limitations and craft a challenge that is meaningful to you.

Because we’re all capable of transforming our lives from ordinary to extraordinary.

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