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Mike Kemp

@mikemp_

8.1K

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1993

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† Austin, Texas
Ironman Athlete
US Marine Veteran
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Chasing Kona: Chapter II

Full video now live on YouTube! Link in bio.

Athlete @mikemp_
Shot by @ssjot @re.visions
Color graded with @videovillageco

#ironman #triathlon #triathlete #filmmaking #endurance taken in Austin, Texas by @mikemp_

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15 hours ago

Race week.

In the past I’ve spent these days thinking about the outcome, the conditions, the competition.

This time, heading into my first 70.3, I just want to be present and enjoy it.

Grateful for the body God gave me and another opportunity to see what it can do.🪽

📷 @re.visions @ssjot by @mikemp_

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22 days ago

Maybe God doesn’t always save us from the fall.

Sometimes He allows us to stumble, to fail, to sit in the places we would have chosen to avoid.

Not because He wants us to break—
but because there are parts of us that can only be built there.

The lows humble us.
They refine us.
They transform us.

And eventually, you realize the struggle wasn’t something to escape.

It was part of becoming who you were meant to be.

🎥 @ssjot & @re.visions taken in Austin, Texas by @mikemp_

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a month ago

Getting to spend my time around people I look up to and learn from

Life has gotten pretty simple lately. Wake up, work on things I care about, go outside, good food, and hang out with great people.

That you all :)

📸 by @dakotacleveland for @hollowsocks taken in Colorado by @mikemp_

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a month ago

Two weeks.

It’s been five months since I last stood on a triathlon start line. Since then, I’ve gotten stronger, faster, more efficient — and have rebuilt mobility after a broken neck.

At some point, the work changes.

You stop chasing more fitness and start trusting what you’ve built. The goal now isn’t to build more — it’s to arrive healthy, rested, sharp, and make the mental shift from training to competing.

I know I’m a different athlete than I was five months ago.

15 days until I get to find out just how different. 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️

📷 @re.visions @ssjot @realtimemedia_ @channelmanny by @mikemp_

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a month ago

Triathlon has given me a lot, but one of the things I’m most grateful for is that it gave me cycling. Of the three disciplines, the bike has become the one I love most. Last weekend I raced my first 100-mile road race and found myself with a real chance to win coming into the finish. It opened my eyes to an entirely different side of the sport — and reminded me that no matter where Ironman takes me, I have a lot to look forward to on two wheels.

On the other side of cycling, I’m excited about what my friends Gabe, Luke and Manny are building here in Austin. They’re creating a space for people who might feel intimidated showing up to a group ride or riding in a pack — a place to learn from experienced riders, build confidence, practice bike handling, understand the rules of the road, and ultimately feel like they belong out there. We shot some content for it last week, and I’m grateful to be part of what they’re creating.

If you’ve wanted to get into group riding but haven’t known where to start, stay tuned. More soon. 🚲 by @mikemp_

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a month ago

Chasing Kona: Chapter II. Coming soon.

#ironman #triathlon #triathlete #fitness #endurance by @mikemp_

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2 months ago

Stills from the next chapter.

A new team behind the lens, and a chance to go beneath the surface — beyond the training and the finish lines, into the adversity, the lessons, and the truths this journey continues to uncover.

Grateful to have @re.visions and @ssjot helping me bring my story to life.

Still Chasing Kona. 🎥 taken in Austin, Texas by @mikemp_

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2 months ago

A week in the Rockies filled with movement, mountains, wellness, and people who inspire you to be better. ⛰️

Eric & Sarah — incredible hosts, and somehow the people you surround yourselves with are just as remarkable.

Swam, biked, ran, recovered, connected. Heading home with a full heart and a very full cup.

📷@katchkoma⚡️ taken in Denver, Colorado by @mikemp_

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2 months ago

THAT’S A WRAP!

6-day production. 2-man crew. 1 life-changing story.

At 39 years old, Mike Kemp left everything behind to become a full-time triathlete. Even after breaking his neck in a terrible accident, he’s still chasing his goal of becoming one of the top 3% of triathletes in the world.

Now at 41, that goal isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And we get to witness his journey as he continues chasing Kona.

This is one of those stories that moves masses. Truly a story worth telling.

Now it’s time for post-production, piecing the puzzle together. We can’t wait to share it with the world.

Talent @mikemp_
🎥 @ssjot @re.visions

#ironman #cinematography #documentary #triathlete #filmmaking taken in Austin, Texas by @mikemp_

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2 months ago

More sun. More movement. More life. ☀️ taken in Austin, Texas by @mikemp_

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2 months ago

Twenty months into triathlon, and lap swimming still tests me.

Not because it’s physically hard.

Because it’s where fear shows up. It’s where panic shows up. It’s where every part of me wants to get out of the water.

For a long time, I thought healing meant the fear would disappear.

Now I think healing looks more like showing up anyway.

Every lap is another vote for courage over fear.

Every time I stay in the water, I’m reminding myself that discomfort doesn’t get to make my decisions.

I’ve realized the pool was never just teaching me how to swim. It was teaching me how to face the parts of my life I wanted to escape.

The hard things we avoid often hold the growth we’re praying for.

Keep showing up. by @mikemp_

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3 months ago