Spencer Matthews is gearing up for 7 full Ironman triathlons across 7 continents in just 21 days

PIC CREDIT: Matt Stone

Fresh from 30 marathons in 30 days, Spencer Matthews is now tackling Project 7: seven Ironman triathlons on seven continents in 21 days. Covering 3.8km swims, 180km rides and 42.2km runs across locations from Arizona to Antarctica, he’s pushing body and mind to the limit to set a world record and raise funds for James’ Place, a men’s suicide prevention charity. Men’s Fitness caught up with him during his training for this epic record attempt.

Men’s Fitness: Spencer, you’ve just come off the back of the Berlin Marathon (Sept 21). How did that fit into your training?

Spencer Matthews: Yes – I ran Berlin, though it wasn’t part of the Project 7 plan. Adidas kindly gave me a place quite late on, and I couldn’t say no. The conditions were hotter than expected but I ran my fastest ever marathon in 3:06:14 – a very respectable time, but it feels a bit like failure. My goal was 2:55 and I knew relatively early on that that was going to be hard to hit.

The heat rose to 26 degrees and it was humid as hell. I threw up twice during the race and the desire to stop was strong. My biggest mistake was not to take music – 42.2km of silence was awful… The streets of Berlin were very quiet compared to London a few months ago.

MF: Tell us about Project 7. Where did the idea come from?

SM: After the Jordan challenge I got the itch again. I kept seeing people attempt seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, which is an incredible logistical feat. But I wanted to push myself further – not just running, but something that would force me to grow as an athlete.

I’d never done an Ironman before, and when I looked it up, I saw only one person had completed an Ironman on all seven continents – over almost four years. The idea of doing it continuously, in about 21 days, just grabbed me.

MF: The logistics sound mind-blowing. How are you managing that side?

SM: Thankfully, I’ve got Chris Taylor on my team. He planned my desert marathon project, taught me how to run properly, and built the training plan that got me through. He’s incredibly detail-driven, and I trust him completely.

If I had to handle the logistics myself, it would probably be tougher than the Ironmans! Chris is planning the route, the timings, the recovery strategy – everything. That frees me up to focus on the physical and mental side.

MF: What’s the likely order of continents?

SM: It’s still shifting, but it looks like we’ll start in London, then head to the U.S. for the Arizona Ironman, then on to Cape Town, Perth, Abu Dhabi, Rio, and finally Antarctica.

Antarctica is the trickiest. We need permits for a frozen inland lake we’re hoping to use for the swim. If that doesn’t come through, we may have to swim in the open ocean, which is much more dangerous – leopard seals, unpredictable waves, ice-cold currents. I hope my mum isn’t reading this. But Antarctica is the one that keeps me up at night.

MF: How do you approach climates as different as Dubai, Australia and Antarctica?

SM: Timing is everything. In extreme heat, you want to start early, ideally getting much of the bike done before the sun is at its peak. In cold conditions, you just have to be ready with the right kit and trust your body to adapt.

The big difference from the desert marathons is unpredictability. In Jordan, once we found a formula we just repeated it every day. With Project 7, every leg is different: different continents, climates, terrains, and flight schedules. Things will go wrong – delays, cancellations, weather issues. You just have to control what you can and adapt to the rest.

MF: That sounds exhausting – especially with all the travel.

SM: Exactly. We’ll be flying economy, racking up over 100 hours in the air. Recovery will be minimal. Honestly, it may end up being zero across the 21 days. I already know sleep will be all over the place, but that’s part of the challenge. You’ve got to accept that everything won’t be perfect. It’s about how well you can perform in less-than-ideal conditions. That’s the real test.

MF: Antarctica must be the one playing on your mind most. How do you prepare for that?

SM: It’s very hard to simulate. The closest I’ve come was a multi-day ultra in Arctic Sweden, where it was -36°C. That gave me a taste of what extreme cold does to the body I remember taking my glove off for a photo and my hand didn’t recover for hours. For Antarctica, I use an ice bath set to 0°C every day, but it’s not the same as swimming for over an hour in -2°C water. I’ll be in a wetsuit, of course, but it’s still going to be brutal. The key is not to waste energy worrying.

MF: Beyond the personal test, you’re raising money too.

SM: Yes, we’re supporting James’ Place, a suicide prevention charity that does incredible work. Every day in the UK, 19 people take their own lives, three-quarters of them men. Often it comes from isolation and not knowing where to turn. For me, being able to shine a light on what James’ Place does will keep me going when things get really tough. It’s a cause I feel deeply connected to, and we’re proud to be working with them.

MF: You’ve spoken before about mindset. What’s driving you through something this extreme?

SM: I think you have to separate yourself from the scale of it. If I looked at Project 7 as seven Ironmans across seven continents in three weeks, it would feel impossible. Instead, I look at what’s in front of me – the swim, then the bike, then the run. One step at a time. That’s how I did the marathons in Jordan. You break it down, stay present, and just keep moving forward.

MF: And physically – how different has the training been from your marathon project?

SM: Night and day. For Jordan, it was all running, heat conditioning, and sand work. For Project 7, I’ve had to become a triathlete from scratch. Learning to swim long distances efficiently has been the biggest challenge. I wasn’t a natural swimmer at all. Cycling too – spending six hours in the saddle is a different kind of pain. Running is my comfort zone, but after a 3.8km swim and 180km ride, even a marathon feels like new territory. It’s been humbling, but also exciting to push into areas I never thought I’d be capable of.

• Spencer Matthews’ Project 7 is set to begin in November in Rio de Janeiro. You can follow his journey and support James’ Place via his official channels. https://www.instagram.com/spencermatthews/?hl=en