Instagram story viewer> @jakeschonhoft> Posts

Jake Schonhoft

@jakeschonhoft

1.4K

followers

933

following

🏡 Colorado
🧠 Comatose ➔ Obese ➔ Engineer, Ironman, CPT
💪 Post-Traumatic Growth & Hybrid Training
🙋‍♂️Helping others rebuild stronger

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

2026 hasn’t gone anywhere near according to plan - got sick so had to miss Oceanside 70.3 in March (no refund) & Ironman France canceled last minute - but that’s life, & we keep pushing…

When I was lying in that hospital bed post-coma weighing about 120 lbs & very confused, I had a choice: focus on everything taken from me, or get obsessed with finding the positive in whatever was left & keep fighting.

Learning to turn fear into excitement changed everything. When I signed up for my first half Ironman back in Feb ‘24, I could barely swim 4 laps without stopping. But believing I could do it, turning fear into excitement, and keeping promises to myself became my superpowers.

Having my family right beside me through all of it made every single milestone that much more special. My mom played such a vital role in my recovery - she’s the only person who truly saw everything I went through, stepping up to take me to hundreds of doctor appointments when I couldn’t drive…& now she comes to my Ironmans 😊. And my sister has been right there by my side, constantly rooting for me too (along with my brother, other family / friends & @whitdoesyoga - last pic. GRATEFUL).Now I get to root for her as we take on Hyrox Denver together this November!

Even when life throws another curveball (like flying across the world only for an Ironman to get canceled), the mindset stays the same: accept what you can’t change, flip the script, and enjoy the ride. I turned it into an unforgettable trip exploring France + Italy & meeting great people - while my oldest, Zade had his own little adventure getting out and living his best life back home lol. Now I’m heading back to Nice next September to finish what I started!

Now, the focus shifts to what’s next. If you told the guy in that hospital bed that he’d be chasing a sub-3-hour Boulderthon Marathon (9/29), taking on Hyrox Denver Pro singles division (11/13), & another 140.6 mi Ironman, he wouldn’t have believed you.

The work is just getting started. Follow along, and send me a message if you’re ready to tackle your own goals, as I pursue my passion for coaching.

Remember: your thoughts & beliefs can literally change your life. by @jakeschonhoft

3

9

3 months ago

My first triathlon, the Boulder 70.3 @ironmantri is a wrap, and now I’m both sad and happy it’s all over (after starting to train & getting my first ever swim lesson about 4 months ago) 😅.

Thank you for doing it with me, Dad 👼. I only cried a couple times thinking of you during it, but thank you for pushing me to keep going. And I’m grateful for my amazing support system; esp. those who trained + did it with me, and my family who came to the race. Couldn’t have done it without you all!

I’m not happy with my performance in the 13.1 mi run, the last section, but I made up for it in the 56 mi bike portion to beat my goal time by 4 mins…and now I got my eyes on a full Ironman 👀

Beyond grateful, another reason why i got emotional during it and after, because I never thought I’d be able to do this while relearning to walk and be a human all over again years ago post 🧠 injury/coma.

I hope this might be an inspiration to some, that they can accomplish things beyond their wildest dreams too!

#dothingsthatscareyou #halfironman #mentaltoughness #GRATEFUL #comatosetoconquering #posttraumaticgrowth #WakeJakeToJakesAwake #loveyourbrain #loveyourlife #MakeYourAttitudeGratitude taken in Boulder, Colorado by @jakeschonhoft

178

20

2 years ago

Don’t let failure stop you.

13 years ago Jake Schonhoft suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma after needing emergency surgery to be kept alive. After the accident, he struggled with basic communication, failed a driving test at 23 years old shortly after his injury, and was battling severe depression. Exercise and endurance helped to cure Jake of his depression and is how he started IRONMAN racing.

You can learn more about Jake’s story at WakeJake.com

#IM703Hawaii #IRONMANInspires #AnythingIsPossible taken in Kohala Coast by @jakeschonhoft

473

27

a year ago

The second half of 2026 has been off to a memorable start I want to look back on one day so I had to share:

3rd standalone marathon, @boulderthon (4th counting one in Ironman AZ) - was feeling great and confident for a sub-3:30 negative split until the leg started screaming around mile 14. Huge learning experience & know what I need to work on: not overstriding / increasing cadence! (FYI: Boulderthon is amazing but harder than the Colorado Marathon & Colfax Marathon IMO)

Hyrox sim with my big sis who crushed it! (1:15). Can’t wait for our next one on Halloween with her before we both do Hyrox Denver in November (Singles Pro Division for me). SO PROUD OF HER! Huge thanks to @sovrnperformancelab / @jon_davenport_ (He even let me use his shoes, since mine had zero tread).

Crushed a 14er with an awesome crew!

Volunteered at my 8th @loveyourbrain retreat - an unforgettable experience where I’m grateful I get to give hope and be inspired by the attendees. It’s a life-changing foundation, donate if you can!

Life is a gift, and I’m extra grateful I get to do it with great people. Get out of your comfort zone and enjoy the journey!

#Grateful #ComatoseToConquering #SeekDiscomfort #KeyToGrowth #GiveBack taken in Colorado, USA by @jakeschonhoft

3

2

4 days ago

Not happy with my time (was shooting for under 12 hrs), but this seemed 100% impossible to me just earlier this year, when I couldn’t swim 4 laps in a pool. & this especially seemed impossible to me post TBI/coma while relearning to walk.

On top of GI issues the entire 🚴 & 🏃‍♂️ for a lot of bathroom visits, terrible bike headwind, very cold water, & battled leg pain (that I was in PT for earlier this year & getting back into it)…BUT I KEPT THE PROMISE TO MYSELF TO FINISH & DID IT!

Starting the 26.2 mi 🏃, after a 1.5 hr+ 🏊‍♂️ & 6 hr+ 112 mi 🚴, was maybe the hardest part mentally, so thank you @andreasotoinnes for coming and for filming this UNFORGETTABLE moment

This taught me we can withstand a discomfort level we’ve never experienced before, & confident I can cut at least 2 hours off with proper nutrition so no stomach pain/bathroom, swimming lessons/coaching, & MRI/PT for leg recovery FIRST

Our brains want to quit too soon (at 40%, @davidgoggins says) so you have to keep pushing to reach your potential; what also helped me recover from my TBI, when I was ready to end my life. Endurance/exercise literally saved my life, when SSRI’s & therapy weren’t working, & why I love it (& why I coach. Also helped me lose 70+ lbs; got up to 248 lbs post-TBI)

I hope this might inspire somome to go after seemingly impossible goals, bc limitations are just perceptions. We truly don’t know what we can achieve until we try, & failure provides the most valuable lessons. I’ve failed so many times, fired from many jobs, & these failures/lessons have calloused my mind to not be afraid of failure. I want to be that person for ppl I wish I had, back when I lost hope & didn’t want to wake up the next day 😊

Thank you to everyone who donated to my @loveyourbrain fundraiser, thanks for racing with me, Dad 😇, & HUGE thank you to my mom, @lissakaren for coming with me and supporting me. This would’ve been much harder by myself.

#posttraumaticgrowth #ComatoseToIronman #GreatestRiskIsRiskingNothing
#AnythingIsPossible #believeyoucanfirst #talkaboutmentalhealth taken in Tempe, Arizona by @jakeschonhoft

3

12

2 years ago

What a week last week, one I will never forget, with an awesome new friend (who was in a bad bike crash yet finished strong) in beautiful Hawaii for the 70.3 Ironman. First time swimming in the ocean & not a good swimmer (yet lol), but the 1.2 mi swim ended up being my favorite part with its beautiful underwater views.

While I didn’t hit my 5hr goal time, especially since my chain fell off, I lost my bottles, most of my nutrition + all my salt tablets pretty early on the bike from hitting the rumble strips & cramped a lot, I had so much fun and happy I pushed through the crazy wind, blistering heat & painful cramps to finish!

Once I lost a lot on the bike, I decided I was going to be as PRESENT as possible to have fun & experience the race and beauty of Hawaii, what I have failed to do in my previous tris being so focused on the next transition, finishing, etc; not just focusing on my next stroke, step, pedal & enjoying the moment + my surroundings.
 Just like what is required to succeed in life and helped me go from comatose around 118 lbs w. major cognitive deficits (couldn’t draw a clock) then very depressed, failed a driving test, failed out of college twice, fired from many jobs…to still getting my mechanical engendering degree from Purdue, working jobs I love… & a 70.3 + 140.6 Ironman finisher…& HAPPY! 😊: KEEP MOVING FORWARD, NO MATTER WHAT, & APPRECIATE LIFE/STAY GRATEFUL

& I had to add a pic from my first Hyrox sim a couple months ago.

Special shout out to @lissakaren for enduring the heat to cheer me on, just like she was right by my side through my long recovery that took years. & thank you, @ironmantri for the race & interviewing me to share my story to hopefully inspire someone to never give up!

I want to be that person or someone I wish I had, back when I needed hope to show me anything (like an Ironman) was possible.

#LifeIsLikeEnduranceSports #TriathlonBug #AnythingIsPossible #BelieveYouCanDoAnything #Ironman #StillFiguringOutSwimming #StayPresent #GetOutOfYourComfortZone #LoveYourBrain #MedicineForTheBrain #NightSnorkeling #Hyrox ##BucketList #TalkAboutMentalHealth #DepressionFreeThanksToEnduranceSports #NiceFranceIronmanNextYear taken in Big Island, Hawaii by @jakeschonhoft

3

7

a year ago

My first triathlon out of the country, the Ironman 70.3 Riviera Nayarit by Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: ✅. What an unforgettable trip out of my comfort zone (mostly with driving there) being in another country, but I am so happy I did it for the fun exploring Mexico & growth (& to improve my Spanish ☺️). & surprised myself by placing in the top 25% overall out of 1000+ total racers.

Not an ideal day, left aero bar popped loose from the very bumpy road in parts of the course to ride about 30 miles of the 56 with only 1 forearm in aero. But that’s just triathlon/life! They’re just learning experiences!

& I’ll take my time to hit all of my goal times!
- Sub 45 minute 1.2 mi swim (still need to improve this)
- Sub 5 minute transitions
- 20+ mph average bike speed
- Sub 2 hour half marathon (& in the heat / sun 😮‍💨 )
- Sub 6 hours for a 25 minute PR!

Not to mention, I only truly committed to this race in early November so had minimal training, and I know I can cut these times down a lot. I signed up so late, my name wasn’t even on that board or clothes with the names. So I’m pointing at nothing in that pic 😂

Grateful to have found the sport of triathlon, it’s cured my depression, and can’t wait for the Oceanside, CA 70.3 & @ironman_france next year!

And I share a lot about my mental health battles so hopefully others are more willing to talk about their mental health & get help. We talk so much about our physical health, but they are extremely connected (and mental health is probably even more important bc it’s very very hard to do anything physical when depressed). So why not talk about it and feel ok with getting help?

& huge congrats to @andreasotoinnes for CRUSHING 7 hours in her first Ironman 70.3!

#ChaseAdventures #SeekDiscomfort #MedicineForMyBrain #BelieveInYourself #FailureIsFeedback #7trisin18months #TalkAboutMentalHealth taken in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico by @jakeschonhoft

3

6

10 months ago

So happy and grateful for this beautiful life I’ve created, a life I started visualizing every day back in 2014 after reading @themiraclemorning book by @hal_elrod (visualization is a part of the morning routine), so I thought I’d share some recent pics & updates…

Especially grateful bc I got down to 118 lbs post TBI/coma in Dec. 2012, failed a driving test right after my 23rd birthday in 2013, went broke, failed out of Purdue’s Mechanicl Engineering program twice trying to return due to my cognitive deficits (graduated on the 3rd try in 2014), fired from multiple jobs because of these deficits (including the job that moved me to Denver in 2016), & got up to 248 lbs (used food to cope) and severely depressed with zero hope for my future…thought about suicide daily…

To currently the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been, working jobs I love (one in technical sales & coaching at two gyms), and I thank exercise for keeping me alive; SSRI’s & therapy didn’t help with the depression so I made myself move every day to eventually beat depression 100% (& obesity) a few years ago 😊.

So I’m on a mission to help/inspire as many people as possible (only reason why I coach at Chuze & F45), and I built a home gym (2nd pic) to help others fall in love with fitness, both for their 🧠 and physical health. Adding more equipment soon, but let me know if you want to come train with me.

Not to mention, I’m training for the Boulder Half Ironman on June 8th, and I’m so happy I finally got some swim practice in open water over the weekend; which still scares me lol, esp. swimming 1.2 miles…then biking 56 then running 13.1 😳

But the recovery I have made has taught me that I can achieve anything with the right mindset (believing I can & looking at failure only as a learning experience) and being persistent…and you can too! I want to be that person for people I wish I had to give me hope.

See links in bio to donate to my @loveyourbrain fundraiser #RunningForResilience & vote for me to get Muscle & Fitness’ Mr. Health & Fitness

#dothingsthatscareyou #nevergiveup #MakeYourAttitudeGratitude #mentaltoughness #PostTraumaticGrowth #VisualizeYourIdealFutureSelf taken in Arizona and Colorado by @jakeschonhoft

3

3

2 years ago

Little late but had to post some pics / vids from the @loveyourbrain retreat (funded by donations) a few weeks ago…& add a video of my sweet girl at the end ☺️.

Such a magical week filled with 30+ positive, resilient and inspirational people who are now my friends for life.

Beyond honored to be helping with the retreat in October & see link in bio to support my #runningforresilience fundraiser, as I’m running the @runcolfax marathon (my 2nd marathon) next month to raise money for the LoveYourBrain foundation (along with 🧠 health awareness, & maybe inspire someone; as I couldn’t run at all after my 🧠 injury that put me in a coma for weeks (I don’t remember 6 weeks) and got me down to 118 lbs with awful balance, basically no muscle and major cognitive deficits: mostly with word-finding,aka anomic aphasia, and still had major trouble ordering food on the phone 11 months post injury - now have zero cognitive deficits 😊 #gratefulforafullrecovery)

Also trying to organize a 5k, 10k, half and full marathon LoveYourBrain fundraising event called “Run for Resilience & 🧠 Health Awareness” - so I would love any tips / advice for organizing an event like it, & let me know if you’d run it 🤗.

Side note: To learn about former pro snowboarder & LoveYourBrain’s cofounder / what inspired its creation, check out “The Crash Reel” on Amazon Prime Video. Such a inspirational and great movie!

#loveyourbrain #loveyourlife #community #brainhealth #resilience #runningforresilience #dontworrybehappy #neuroplasticity
#medicineforthebrain #MakeYourAttitudeGratitude #1sttimeplayingonstage #talentshow #givingback taken in Empire, Colorado by @jakeschonhoft

3

3

3 years ago

September 2024 = one of my most memorable months so I had to share some pics:

Half marathon @boulderthon PR w.o. music to show my 🧠 who’s boss (also can’t use music in the Ironman) and wasn’t trying to PR it, since it was an easy/slower AZ @ironmantri training run. (beat my 2021 Boulderthon half time by 15 mins; being 20 lbs lighter now helped lol). Not trying to brag, just want to show others that anything is possible, & we can sometimes surprise ourselves, if we try…& keep trying. Believe me, I never thought I’d be accomplishing the things I am now, back when I was relearning how to walk after a 🧠 injury / coma (& have failed so many times). Persistence pays off, and proud of everyone who ran it

Had a blast and made new friends at a @cooldownrunning event.

Visited the most beautiful place I’ve ever ever seen, Lake Tahoe with my awesome mother. Can’t wait to go back (already have a trip planned) & wanna get a house or condo there. Crystal clear water too 😍

Schonhoft family reunion + hometown friends/family reunion. So great seeing fam I hadn’t seen in years.

Got Whitney to take an @f45_downtownindy class, her first, with me & made a new friend/fellow coach/fellow Purdue alum.

Got to meet @mc.cunningham9’s son and see his new house. No pics but had to include ya, Mike ☺️

And I have to give a shoutout to Ann Kaiser, an amazing lady who offered to give me a free ride to my car at the park-n-ride after the race, while I was walking around Boulder trying to get a Lyft, unsuccessfully. While I haven’t volunteered 1000’s of hours total at Craig Hospital and with LoveYourBrain with the expectation of getting anything in return for it (do it bc I love it), I am a firm believer that: if you put good out in the world, it’ll come back to you 😊. Side note: See link in bio to donate to my @loveyourbrain fundraiser.

#Boulderthon #3rdhalfmarathon #stompinggrounds #LakeTahoe #AZIronmanTraining #LifesGreat #QuadsAreSuperSoreFromBikingAfterHalf #karma #beagoodperson #horseisfromCO #mentaltoughness #medicineforthebrain #loveyourbrain#practicelikeyouplay #nomusictraining #longcaption #tonsofhashtagz #GRATEFUL #RunningForResilience #PostTraumaticGrowth. taken in All Over the World by @jakeschonhoft

3

3

2 years ago

Long drive, 12+ hrs although beautiful (loved Moab but esp. Northern AZ) for my shortest tri yet, the Cactus Man Olympic-distance tri to get ready for the Hawaii 70.3 Ironman on May 31st.

#LifeIsGood #GRATEFUL #Flagstaff #Sedona #TempeTownToilet #SwimBikeRun #TrainingTri #AddictedToTriathlonsNow #StillFiguringOutSwimming #NoWetsuitBuoyancy #30DaysOutFromHalfIronman #Sub7MinuteMilePaceFeelingGood #MedicineForTheBrain #LoveYourBrain #ComatoseToIronman #AnyThingIsPossible #BelieveYouCanDoAnything #RunningForResilienceFundraiserInBio #Hashtag taken in Arizona, USA by @jakeschonhoft

3

5

a year ago

Life has been an all-time high (& depression-free) lately so I had to share some pics 😊

If you watch my stories, it’s pretty obvious I’ve struggled with depression for over 10 years (after a TBI/coma), and it feels so great to now be on the other side; a lot thanks to my amazing family, but esp. triathlon/endurance sports.

So I share my struggles with it because I want people to feel more open and not afraid to talk about mental health. I mean, our brain is literally who we are and the most important organ, so 🧠 health is something we should talk about…and feel totally OK with sharing & getting help - it should not be stigmatized.

Can’t forget to mention how I’m especially proud of these races because I kept pushing on the runs, when my brain wanted me to slow down or stop; similar to when I wanted to end my life years ago… yet I continued to push… & so happy I did

Because I’m now the happiest & healthiest I’ve ever been on a mission to show others that ANYTHING is literally possible; it all comes down to not letting failure stop u and BELIEVING YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING

Thought I’d share my times, while on my quest to run sub 7 min miles, sub 3 hr marathon & hopefully qualify for Ironman Worlds (one day lol). I use every race as a learning experience, just like how we should use trying new things and failure (I failed a lot, like a driving a test, out of college twice, fired from many jobs, etc) only as learning experiences. You either succeed or learn/grow, failure isn’t bad, & I can’t wait to crush these times on my next ones.

Colfax 10 Miler - May:
- 10 miles: 1:10:41
- Pace: 7:04 min/mile

Boulder Sunrise Olympic Tri -June:
- 0.93 Mi Swim: 36:24 (improving this a lot w. lessons, & need to improve my transition times too)
- T1: 3:35 mins
- 26.4 Mi Bike: 1:11:56
- Avg. Bike Pace: 22.1 MPH
- T2: 2:03 mins
- 6.2 mi Run: 45:16
- Avg. Pace: 7:17 min/mi

& I had to add a picture of my beautiful niece at her birthday party last weekend. Grateful to have this fellow hospital warrior in my life, and that she says my name a lot 😊

##GRATEFUL #MedicineForThe🧠 #ICUtoIronman #ComatoseToConqueringDreams #Family #HospitalWarriors #DreamsShouldScareYou taken in Colorado by @jakeschonhoft

3

2

a year ago