“It was crushing and very unforgiving.” Spencer Matthews struggles as he approaches final leg of extreme triathlon challenge
Entrepreneur and endurance athlete Spencer Matthews admits he’s finding things gruelling as he completes the sixth iron-distance triathlon in his extreme global challenge.
Spencer Matthews has revealed he didn’t know how he was going to get through the sixth leg of his extreme triathlon challenge which took place yesterday in Rio.
Sharing on Instagram, he posted: “This one had it all… Huge highs and lows. A very serious mental and physical test. Intense headwinds on the bike moving into monsoon style rainfall and thunderstorms for the run. It was crushing and very unforgiving. This was a real case of “as long as I’m moving it’ll be over at some point.””
“I was so depleted by the time we got to the marathon that honestly I’m not sure how I was able to pull it off… That’s the first time that I’ve thought that the level of trouble I was in could have ended the challenge.”
Seven on seven
PROJECT SE7EN will see Spencer take on 7 full-distance triathlons on all 7 continents of the world in just 21 days. The current World Record for this achievement of endurance is set at just under 4 years.
Spencer is taking on this physical and mental feat to raise awareness and funds for James’ Place, a UK-based male suicide prevention charity providing life-saving therapy to men in crisis.
The previous leg saw him completing the distance in the heat of Dubai. He completed the Europe leg in London in November, the North American leg in Arizona, United States during the Ironman Arizona race on November 16, and the Oceania leg in Perth, Western Australia on November 22. All that remains now is the final leg of the challenge in Antarctica where Matthews will face brutal cold including an icy swim in sub-zero water.
Lead image: stonevisualsuk
Helen Webster
Editor, 220 Triathlon 
