I finished my first Ironman in Louisville, exactly five years ago today. Since that time, I completed one in 2018, 2019 and 2021. I was scheduled to do one in 2020, but the pandemic ruled that one out. This then, is the first year when I have not scheduled a full distance race, since doing my first. So on the anniversary of my first race, I started to think about if I will ever do another full Ironman.

I wrote a blog post about that day in Louisville a couple of years ago.  I just re-read that post. It was such a good summary of my day, and reminded of how great it feels to finish and Ironman race. 

I had been having similar thoughts about great race days on our drive down to North Carolina for SwimRun NC.  I reminisced about my races in Chattanooga and Wisconsin and the fun of finishing those races.

Training for a full distance race is very time consuming, and at times quite challenging.  I didn’t want to go through that this year. The question is however, do I want to go through it ever again?

The honest answer is I am not sure, but I do think the odds of doing another one are slightly better than 50:50.  If I do race another full Ironman, I think I will most likely chose an iconic race or a really nice location.  Racing Lake Placid comes to mind, as does the thought of racing overseas. Maybe Ironman Wales or Lanzarote would fit the bill, if I am feeling in the mood to really challenge myself.  There is even the amazing Challenge Roth, if I could get in.

Who knows?  After today however, the excitement to do another is definitely a little higher.