Ironman Tattoo Alternatives Beyond the M-Dot — Triathlete

The snow fell lightly, and a frigid wind swept across the road as I drove to the Black Bear Tattoo shop where my brother Alex was waiting. Nervousness filled me for hours before my appointment, but as I lay down on the table, an uncharacteristic calm settled over me. I confidently relinquished control, trusting my brother to pour his artistic talent onto the canvas of my calf.

Most people rush to the tattoo parlor to get a bright red “M-dot” logo after finishing their first Ironman. Not me. It took me nine years and three Ironman finishes to get here. I didn’t realize how much this journey to the tattoo parlor taught me about life’s permanent truths.

My first Ironman

It is common following the completion of an Ironman race to have the iconic Ironman logo tattooed on your calf. In 2017, after several years of racing shorter-distance tris, I committed to training for a full Ironman. Destiny called me to one race: Lake Placid.

As a child, my family and I would vacation there. I vividly recall the first time I saw Whiteface Mountain and the sense of awe I felt as I watched it emerge from behind a bank of trees. It sparked a desire deep within me to challenge myself.

Later in life, my dad and I went on hiking trips in the High Peaks, where I would push my physical limits. I credit those trips to inspiring a belief in myself and my ability to overcome adversity.

My training for that first Ironman brought back memories of those days. That’s when I first considered inking myself. Nothing had ever been so significant or spoken to me so deeply that I would consider wearing it on myself forever. If I could complete an epic challenge like Ironman Lake Placid, perhaps I would join those who proudly don that iconic logo on their leg.

Competing in an Ironman is far more than just a race. It takes at least a year of preparation, a minimum of six dedicated months of training, and, if all goes well, one epic day on the course. There may be a medal waiting at the finish, but the reward that remains long after the grit and pain of race day fades is the transformative experience.

For me, finishing Ironman Lake Placid meant far more. My lifelong relationship with the Adirondacks has shaped me as a person. Every inch of the race course gave me a direct connection to the mountains I love. Crossing the finish line on the Olympic Oval, Mike Reilly’s voice calling my name and ringing through the crisp mountain air, was a surreal experience.

Finishing Lake Placid altered my very perception of myself and my belief in what is possible. I went on to additional successful Ironman finishes in 2019 at Mont-Tremblant and in 2024 back in Lake Placid.

But despite the profound impact triathlons have had on my life, I just couldn’t settle on a tattoo design that strictly focused on triathlon.

More than triathlon

Since my 2024 finish in Lake Placid, I have mindfully embraced greater balance in my life, taking time to truly appreciate my other passions and fully invest in the people most important to me.

As I finished my ninth 70.3 last June in Mont-Tremblant, the call to join the M-dot tat club began again. This time, though, the vision for my ink began to evolve, shifting from a focus on just triathlon. I began reflecting on all that makes me who I am, the most important things to me and about me: my love of the outdoors and the mountains; the peace of canoeing in the remote wilderness; the love and companionship of my golden retrievers, Richard and Douglas; and all the wonderful dogs I have loved in my life. All of these themes connect to and are interwoven with the love and partnership that I have with my wife, Nicole, whose support and belief in me have empowered me to become the person I am today. If ever I wanted something with me forever, these themes were surely it.

I had conversations with my brother, who has been a tattoo artist for 4 years. He took my ideas and my rudimentary clipart design and skillfully crafted them into a seamless and beautiful rendering: a serene lake, a man and woman paddle their canoe, gliding across its waters, a hiker on the shore with his faithful golden at his side. Framed by mountains and pine trees, the Ironman symbol rises like the sun behind the mountains.

He pulled together in one perfect scene all that matters most. It was exactly what I asked for.

As I lay there contemplating the calm that came over me, I asked myself, “Why am I not more nervous?” It dawned on me: This is me, to the deepest core of who I am. I will be proud to display it for everyone to see and let the world understand what matters most in my life.

Don’t miss the journey

The next morning, as my pup Richard and I took our morning walk, I contemplated permanence and impermanence in life. As Richard and I sat quietly, enjoying our moment of nature along Cayuga Creek, a gentle snow fell around us. We soaked in the beauty of that moment. I had been so reluctant to get a tattoo because it is permanent, a lifelong commitment. But what really is permanent?

Richard leaned against me, and a perfect crystalline flake landed on his fur. It lived just long enough for me to marvel at its beauty and uniqueness before it melted away. I thought about my new tattoo and how it is permanently with me, but I also paused to consider how fleeting my own life is within the context of the universe. The creek and its trees will continue on long after I’m gone.

Even the ancient mountains that inspired me as a child and that now adorn my leg are temporary. They are witnesses of dinosaurs and glaciers, the rise and eventual fall of life itself. They, too, will one day erode, vanishing to nothing. In the end, nothing physical will last forever.

Perhaps, though, in the immaterial, we find the eternal. I am grateful for the reflective time I spent planning my tattoo. Within it, and forever in my soul, I can see the things that matter the most. These are the things that will transcend life and will remain with my soul forever. Connecting those personal tenets to triathlon has taught me so much about myself. It not only provided the opportunity to challenge my physical and psychological limits, but it also helped to unlock and reveal who I am on a much deeper level.

It can be very easy to get lost in the hyperfocus of training, racing, or striving to achieve any major goal in life. As I began my Ironman journey, a member of my tri club told me, “Enjoy every moment of race day. You only get one first Ironman.” I took that to heart. I think it has great truth beyond only race day.

As you strive for your goal, don’t miss out on the process. Enjoy every moment in life and always seek to find the beauty around you. Don’t lose yourself along the way. There is great meaning in our accomplishments, but that meaning can be lost if we don’t stop and reflect on the journey that brought us to the finish line.

As Richard and I sat on the bank of the creek, my gaze became transfixed on a sliver of water as it sparkled in the sun before disappearing beneath the ice. I knew that this moment would only exist as it is for this precise second, but I would carry it with me, much like the sentiments of my tattoo, forever.