Becoming Iron: A New Chapter Begins

“If your life were a movie, would you want to watch it?”

That line sat with me for a while. I think it hit me because, for the first time in a long time, I realized… maybe my answer wasn’t yes.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the direction my life’s heading, and what I'd like to accomplish in life.

Not in some big, existential, midlife-crisis kind of way, just honestly checking in. Reflecting on whether the day-to-day still feels aligned. Whether I’m showing up in a way that feels meaningful.

And if I’m being honest, I noticed something was missing.

I just came back from what I can only describe as an epic chapter of my life in Australia. The kind of adventure that makes your soul crack open and your senses come alive again. I surfed beaches that I previously only saw in documentaries, and camped under skies so wide it made your problems feel laughably small. I met people who didn’t know me, but somehow understood me. And I moved, I mean moved. My body, my mind, my spirit. All in sync with the world around me.

And then… the trip ended, and I came back.

Back to routines. To the familiar. To a version of myself I had outgrown, but hadn’t replaced yet.

Over the years I've gotten used to chasing the next thing. Whether that was on the tennis court, or traveling towards the next place and experience. The stillness that followed when I came back was strange. Not peaceful. Not restful. Just… still. I didn’t have a clear goal anymore. And the longer that went on, the more I started to feel something slipping. My training became inconsistent, and my motivation started to fade.

I wasn’t out of shape, but I also wasn’t feeling like myself. Physically, mentally, or emotionally. I realized I needed something new to move toward, to chase a goal again. Not just to get fit, but to challenge myself on a deeper level.

I needed something hard enough to demand my full effort, big enough to scare me, and meaningful enough to make me grow. And that’s when the thought came back, the one I’d shelved so many times before. The idea became crystal clear:

Become an Ironman.

From Professional Tennis to “What Now?”

Most of my life revolved around chasing a tennis ball.

Not just playing tennis. Competing. Traveling. Living and breathing the sport at a professional level. Training for the next match, the next tournament, the next point.

And then… it stopped.

There was no dramatic ending. No grand farewell tour. Just me, quietly stepping away and wondering what comes after a life that revolved around competing at the highest level.

For a while, it felt good. The freedom. The openness. No more pressure.

But eventually, that sense of drive faded. And with it, so did that version of myself that felt on fire.

I didn’t want to chase trophies anymore.

But I did want to chase something.

Something meaningful. Something epic.

This Journey Isn’t Replacing Tennis, It’s Deepening It

I still live and breathe tennis. That will never change.

I’m still coaching, learning, and playing. I am still going to be studying the craft and diving into the theory and psychology that makes someone not just a great player, but a great human.

I’m constantly growing as a coach, taking courses, refining methods, understanding how the body and brain work under pressure.

And what I’ve realized is that this Ironman journey isn’t separate from my work as a coach, it’s sharpening it.

Every long training session teaches me something new about discipline, mindset, body mechanics, fatigue, recovery, mental walls. The very same things my players face in their own battles.

The better I become, the more resilient, focused, self-aware, the better I can serve others.

And that’s what coaching is, at its core: service.

What Even Is an Ironman?

For those who don’t know, a full Ironman is pretty much one of the hardest endurance events in the world.

• 3.8 km swim

• 180 km bike ride

• 42.2 km run (a full marathon)

Back to back. In one day. No breaks.

It’s not something you do on a whim. You train for it. You suffer for it. You earn it.

You wake up early, sacrifice comfort, embrace pain, and slowly chip away at a finish line that feels impossibly far away.

But here’s the thing:

Ironman isn’t just about the race. It’s about who you become on the way there.

You don’t just train your body, you face your mind. You meet your limits. You argue with them. You redefine them. It’s long, lonely hours on a bike. It’s running when every part of you wants to walk. It’s swimming through doubt and discomfort.

And that’s exactly why I chose it.

Because in order to finish an Ironman, you have to become iron.

Why I Chose Ironman?

It isn’t about redemption. Or ego. Or checking off a box.

It is about creating something epic in my life again.

Not in the highlight-reel sense, but in the deeply personal, soul-level sense.

I need a hard challenge for myself. Something that will stretch my limits, break me mentally and physically, and build me back stronger. Something that I can wake up for.

For me, the Ironman isn’t just a race alone. It's a journey.

Obviously, I want to run over that red carpet, cross that magical finish line, and hear the speakers shout the words: “MAICO, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.”

But that is just the end result.

What I hope to get out of this journey is to:

• To learn new skills

• Redefine my limits

• Meet amazing people

• Feel alive again

• Inspire others to move, to train, to treat their bodies with respect. The goal doesn't have to be an Ironman, but simply a 5K or just feeling better in their own skin.

Gratitude in the Grind

Every time I put my shoes on and go for a run, or get in the pool and struggle through lengths with messy technique, I remind myself:

I get to do this. Because, training for something this big doesn’t just push you, it humbles you.

And more than anything, it makes you grateful.

Grateful that I have a healthy body.

Grateful I can move.

Grateful I get to choose this challenge, when so many people don’t get to choose anything.

We live in a world where sitting still has become the norm.

We spend hours scrolling, zoning out, disengaging from the very thing that makes us human: movement.

But movement is medicine, it is freedom, it is presence.

This isn’t about becoming a professional athlete again. It’s about becoming awake.

It’s about building a life that demands you to show up with your full self.

Whether it’s an Ironman, a tennis match, a trail run, or a daily walk with your thoughts — having a purpose behind your movement changes everything.

The Road Ahead

Right now, I’m in the early chapters of this story.

There’s no dramatic race recap yet. No medal. No red carpet.

There’s just the daily grind. The workouts. The learning curve. The soreness. The small wins. The fear. The fire.

How is it so far?

My swimming? Rough.

Cycling? Getting better, slowly.

Running? Somewhere between humbling and hopeful.

But I’m all in. I believe in my body and the process.

But I already feel it shaping me.

Every stroke in the pool, every turn of the pedals every kilometer run.

I’m not chasing a finish line. I’m chasing a version of myself I haven’t met yet.

And that, to me, is the most exciting thing in the world.

Sharing the Journey

I’ve been thinking a lot about how personal this journey is, but also how universal.

I know I’m not the only one who’s felt stuck. Who’s needed a new challenge. Who’s craved a reason to move again, to train again, to feel alive again.

That’s why I’ve decided to share parts of this Ironman journey on my social media. Sharing this is going to be a challenge in its own. I am going to figure this out along the way (any tips are welcome!)

I don't want to share just the highlight moments, but the early mornings, the setbacks, the ugly swims, the freezing bike rides, the little wins that remind me why I’m doing this in the first place. Because I think there’s power in showing the real stuff. The process. The struggle. The shift.

If it inspires even one person to go for their own version of an Ironman, whether that’s a 5K, a hike, a tennis comeback, or just saying yes to a healthier lifestyle, then it’s already worth it.

And… if you have any tips, tools, experiences, or lessons from your own training, I’d love to hear them. I’m learning as I go. Figuring it out. Failing forward. So if you’ve done something like this before, or if you’re also training for something crazy, hit me up. Let’s talk. Let’s learn from each other.

Because this doesn’t have to be a solo journey. In fact… maybe it shouldn’t be.

Let’s Do It Together

I’m going to need help. Support. Advice. Training partners. Motivation. Music playlists. People who understand what it means to wake up early and chase something most people think is impossible.

And if you’re reading this and you’ve been thinking about setting a goal, any goal, take this as your sign to go for it.

Move your body. Fuel your mind. Do something bold. Live your life like it’s a movie you can’t wait to watch.

Whether it’s a marathon, a hike, a cold plunge, a tennis match, or simply choosing the stairs, do it with intention.

We don’t need to be professional athletes to live epic lives. We just need to move with purpose.

This is my next chapter.

And if my life is a movie…This is the part where the music kicks in and an epic rocky training montage starts.

Let’s go.

– Maico

🎾 Still coaching, still playing, still growing

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃 Training for Ironman

📩 Reach out if you're training too or want to get moving

📸 Follow along @maicosport & @maics_97