Retired ironman champion Matt Poole on the challenges of retirement and how running helps

Ironman icon Matt Poole has opened up about “feeling lost” in retirement - and a new challenge helping him transition to post-athlete life. Read his candid interview and watch the video

Retired ironman star Matt Poole admits he’s reconsidered quitting the sport that made his name but new challenge - distance running - has helped him transition from being a pro.

The 2017 Nutrigrain Ironman champion has been pounding home city pavements to prepare for the Gold Coast Marathon early next month.

It will be his first marathon and he said whilst a 15-year ironman career has prepared him for the mental stress and pain of long-distance running, he’s a “fish out of water”.

“But that’s the best part of the challenge - setting yourself a goal that seems impossible or near unachievable and with hard work, discipline and staying consistent with your training, I’m getting a little bit fitter or faster and I’m able to run a little bit longer.

“I did my first sort of 30k run last week; five months ago, that was just unachievable or ridiculous to me.”

His goal is to run an impressive sub-three-hour marathon, having done a half marathon recently in an hour and 25 minutes.

Matt Poole at Burleigh Headland training for the Gold Coast Marathon - he’s aiming for an impressive sub-three hour time. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“I don’t think four weeks out I’m anywhere near close but I guess July 2nd will be d-day.”

Poole, now a father to Posy with ex-partner and Gold Coast Instagram queen Tammy Hembrow, said retiring was a “huge adjustment”.

“Athletes feel ego and confidence from being in the limelight or performing on the footy field or at the NutriGrain Series, or whatever it is. That is their identity and it makes them feel like an ultra special person. When you go away from that, and into more traditional careers and jobs, they just feel a little bit lost.

“I felt a little bit lost for a while there and I’m still finding myself now. Certainly, staying in touch with being fit and healthy provides me good mental clarity and definitely helps.”

As ironman he would run 4k to 10km stretches three to four times weekly.

“This is a whole new level, going from amateur to distance running. It’s the same principles, but a lot of new learnings.

“(Distance running) you just go to some really mentally challenging places. If you can come out the other side, that’s where the rewards come. I’m hoping my years of mentally being tough and getting myself out of a painful situation will help me get this one done.”

Matt Poole: “I was looking for challenges to stay in that fitness and health space - running was the best challenge. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Poole said he had reconsidered his ironman retirement: “I was a little bit like, ‘ah, should I have retired? Should I make a comeback?’. But I think everybody gets to that point, especially athletes, where you need to start a new chapter and begin upskilling in whatever career you go into after. You can always delay it for another year or two, but I wasn’t really going to get much more out of it even if it was to go back to racing.

“I was looking for challenges to stay in that fitness and health space - running was the best challenge. I’m also a new father and working a full-time job. I love getting out there running, putting the headphones in and switching off.”

*This content is sponsored by the Gold Coast Marathon. Portia Large is a Gold Coast Marathon ambassador.

Originally published as Retired ironman champion Matt Poole on the challenges of retirement and how running helps