In one month, Jordan Tropf, 27, raced more endurance events than many athletes complete in their entire lifetime: He took on the Ironman African Championships South Africa, the Boston Marathon, and the Big Sur Marathon, totaling 193 miles in competition—and ended up breaking the tape at Big Sur.

And he did all this while working as a first-year resident in orthopedic surgery, a demanding job that requires wakeup calls at 3:30 a.m. if he wants to get a run in before his 5 a.m. start at the hospital.



“For me, it’s a matter of just building it into my day. You have to be at the hospital at a certain time, so I just make it another thing like that,” Tropf told Runner’s World. “I have to wake up at 3:30 and hit this workout this morning or I’m not going to get the results that I want in this race, so I approach it like that.”

The recent series of races is actually the second time Tropf has squeezed in three endurance competitions in a short period of time. In 2017, he took on the Chicago Marathon, the Baltimore Marathon, and the New York City Marathon all in less than a month.

But until this year, his med school and work schedule wouldn’t allow him to train for an Ironman. So when he found out he could prep for one this year, he knew he had to include an Ironman on his list. As for Boston and Big Sur? They had both been bucket-list races for some time, so he decided to sign up for all three while he could fit them in around rotations.

On April 7, Tropf took on the first of the three physical tests, the Ironman in Port Elizabeth. In his second Ironman ever, he completed the competition in impressive splits of 36:32 on the 3.9K swim, 5:32:40 on the 180.2K ride, and 2:46:59 for the 26.2-mile run, good enough to earn him a sixth place finish in his age group.

While he missed his ultimate goal of qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Tropf was encouraged by the marathon split at the end of a strenuous competition.



Tropf before the swim portion of the Ironman in South Africa. Hannah Tropf

In the few days following the Ironman, Tropf and his wife Hannah had a short vacation in Johannesburg where they enjoyed a safari. Unfortunately, because of the lions that roamed the area where they stayed, Tropf couldn’t get out to run to flush out the lactic acid build-up in his legs. On Wednesday, they flew back to Maryland so Tropf could be back in time for his Friday shift at the hospital. While his legs were pretty sore after the Ironman, he started to feel a little better once he returned home and ran on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.



He worked Friday and Saturday before flying to Boston on Sunday for the Monday race, all the while maintaining steady mileage in his legs before the next race.

On Monday, April 15, he jumped on another starting line at the Boston Marathon, where he finished 66th-place overall in 2:27:21, about a minute shy of his personal best in the distance.

“I wanted to go sub-2:30 and I just wanted to push it. That’s my goal for any race that I run, just push it,” he said. “So I went out there and did just that and felt good, kept rolling, and was able to clock a good time. I was thrilled.”

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On Tuesday, he was back to work at the hospital. Luckily for the third challenge, he had about two weeks off from racing between the Boston and Big Sur marathons.

Tropf’s best performance in his endurance triple was his last. On Sunday, April 28, he won the Big Sur Marathon in 2:25:21, a personal best by over a minute. He crossed the finish line about seven minutes ahead of the runner-up.

The victory marked the latest success in Tropf’s ultimate goal.

“I like to see improvement in everything that I do,” he said. “With running, it’s another measure you can use to push yourself and do something fun while you’re at it.”

Balancing Medicine and Training

To prepare for these competitions, Tropf schedules training into his already demanding routine as a first-year resident in orthopedic surgery. While many endurance athletes would only attempt to train for one of these competitions at one time, the Silver Spring, Maryland, resident embraces every racing opportunity he can get while his schedule allows.

“I just love racing these and don’t want to miss any opportunities,” Tropf said. “Knowing that all of my training is going towards that end goal is what kind of keeps me in it all season. I really look forward to breaking up the flow and seeing if I can get to that next level.”

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Part of the draw of these challenges is the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a big race that brings committed athletes together in one city.

“Everybody out there has put the training in, has made some sacrifices, and has a goal that they’re trying to hit,” he said. “To be in that environment is awesome, so I try to race everything, everything I can.”

For years, he has managed a tight schedule that combines his passions for medicine and athletics. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and from there, attended Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Now in his first year of residency, Tropf can’t imagine a routine that doesn’t involve both pursuits.

“I love building my workouts into my day and getting into that routine,” he said. “To get to apply it to a goal, to get out there and race and see it pay off is really what keeps me going. It’s awesome.”

His day usually begins at 3:30 a.m. when he wakes up and runs the eight-mile distance from his house to the hospital where he works. His shift usually begins at 5 a.m. and continues through the afternoon depending on how busy the hospital is with patients. Once his day at the hospital is over, he usually runs the same eight-mile route home for a total of 16 miles.

On the days where he has a workout, a long run, or triathlon training scheduled, he’ll usually drive to a specific location before or after his shift. The time spent working out is almost always used efficiently, whether it’s for a commute or combining studying with exercise. For example, he often studies for tests by reading medical journals or listening to instructional podcasts or videos while he rides the stationary bike. After the day is through, Tropf aims to get at least five hours of sleep, which he says is “golden.”

As he’s found with a demanding schedule, Tropf has learned that balancing training with the medical profession requires discipline, passion, and a bit of a laid back approach.

“You have to be somewhat flexible with your training and learn how to work through not ideal situations,” he said. “I think in terms of this triple, that’s kind of what makes it doable for me. I don’t really obsess over anything.”

Taylor Dutch Taylor Dutch is a sports and fitness writer living in Chicago; a former NCAA track athlete, Taylor specializes in health, wellness, and endurance sports coverage.

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