to The Daily Split, your go-to pulse on the world of endurance sports, triathlon triumphs, and the grit behind the glory. We're diving into stories that push limits, from record-chasing quests to the mental battles that define them. Today's spotlight? A raw update from the frontlines of one man's continental conquest. Let's break it down.

In the sweltering buildup to his third Ironman-distance triathlon, Spencer Matthews is laying it all bare in his latest dispatch from Cape Town. For those catching up: Project SE7EN is Matthews' audacious bid to smash a world record by completing seven full-distance triathlons (that's 226km of swimming, cycling, and running per race) across seven continents in just 21 days. It's not just about the physical haul—every punishing pedal stroke and laboured breath is in service of James’ Place, a charity dedicated to men's suicide prevention. Heavy stakes, heavier heart.

Matthews kicked off with a poetic sunrise swim in London (controlled chaos at its finest), then gutted out IRONMAN Arizona alongside mate Chris Taylor, clocking a blistering 12 hours and 51 minutes. But here's the unfiltered truth he shared: Those final hours? "Somewhere near Hell." Pride and gratitude followed the finish line, but the real story unfolded in the aftermath—a 30-hour travel gauntlet from Arizona to Cape Town, with barely a whisper of recovery time before a 4 a.m. ocean plunge. Jet lag? Check. Westward time shifts, sapping his soul? Double check.

Breaking Update: Perth Conquered – Heat Wave or Not, He Powered Through Hot off the press—Matthews didn't just flirt with the inferno in Perth, Australia; he danced in it. Tackling the fourth leg on November 22 amid blistering temperatures that turned the course into a mobile sauna, he crossed the line with that signature blend of grit and grace. No official splits dropped yet, but insiders whisper a sub-13-hour finish, defying the odds stacked against him: relentless sun baking the bike leg, hydration battles that tested even the pros, and zero recovery buffer from Cape Town's chaos. "The heat was biblical," he posted mid-race, channelling his late brother Michael as that "spiritual guide" to silence the doubt. It's moments like these—where the body screams bail and the mind invokes ghosts for fuel—that remind us: This isn't endurance; it's resurrection. With Perth in the rearview, the tally stands at four down, three to go. Momentum? Unbreakable.

Yet, amid the depletion, Matthews dropped a vulnerability bomb that's equal parts inspiring and gut-wrenching. When the darkness creeps in—those "dark moments" where doubt screams louder than spectators—he turns to his late brother, Michael, as his "spiritual guide." Yeah, you read that right. He talks to him. Out loud. A ritual born in the brutal sands of the Marathon des Sables, where invoking Michael's name didn't just quiet the noise—it elevated his game. "It's like he's right there," Matthews reflected, turning personal loss into propulsion. In a sport that glorifies the solo sufferfest, this is a reminder: Endurance isn't just lungs and legs; it's the invisible anchors we carry.

Next Up in the SE7EN Saga:

If this doesn't scream "follow along," what does? Funds raised from PROJECT SE7EN will support James’ Place, which offers free, life-saving therapy for men in suicidal crisis. For more details or if you’d like to donate, click here.

T100 Qatar – Age Group World Championship Lusail, Qatar The official season finale of the T100 Triathlon World Tour. Full 100 km distance plus sprint option, with 10 age-group slots to the T100 World Championship per category. Rouvy offers the complete course for virtual training. Register Here

Challenge Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE Unique island racing inside a wildlife reserve—swim alongside turtles, cycle past free-roaming animals, and finish with family-friendly resort recovery. Middle and long-distance options available. Register Here

IRONMAN New Zealand Taupō, New Zealand The longest-running IRONMAN outside Kona (25+ years strong): 3.8km freshwater swim in Lake Taupō, rolling bike through stunning NZ landscapes, and a flat, spectator-lined lakeside run. Community vibes with Manaaki warmth—ideal season opener for legends in the making. Registration open with early bird deadline Feb 27, 2026. 

The Championship Šamorín Slovakia's x-bionic®Sphere ignites again: The Championship returns to Šamorín for a stacked weekend of non-stop racing across all levels. Headliner? The elite Championship half-distance Register Here 

Jess Aide (UK, F30-34, 155th) “I qualified in 2023… then got pregnant. Deferred to Marbella. Raced this year at four months pregnant with baby #2. Kept HR under 155 the whole way. Still smiling.”

Eben Jones (USA, M65-69, 1st place – 5:09:20) “Everything clicked. I love climbing, and that bike course fed my soul. I had a smile on my face for 69 miles. My wife Julie (breast cancer survivor) raced the day before. We came as a team – both go or neither go.” 

Rob Cummins (IRL, M50-54) & Aisling Coppinger (IRL, F50-54)
“We train together every single day. When one of us wants to bail, the other drags us out. It’s made us a stronger, happier couple. We’re a team.”

Together, we go the distance. — @247_endurance 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏊‍♂️

P.S. Forward this to your training partner who’s still asleep. They’ll thank you after coffee.