“My future was unwritten, I had to write it.”
In short: Episode 6 of IRONMIND, “The Future Is Unwritten”, was published in April 2018 and tells the story of what drives John Joseph. In his own words, John describes growing up homeless on the streets of New York, the abuse he suffered as a child, the drink, drugs and violence that followed, and how he turned his life around.
Meanwhile in London, Brian Rose is run down and frustrated, and coach Samantha Murphy warns him that anger can stop him on race day. The episode ends with John’s crowd at a Cro-Mags show cheering Brian on.
Key takeaways
- Adversity builds character. John said that sometimes only suffering makes us look for the truth.
- Start with day one. Getting clean, John set himself one simple goal each day: not to use that day.
- Racing is his therapy. John described Ironman as a form of meditation that keeps him from returning to addiction, summed up as going from iron bars to Ironman.
- Racing to help others. John said he races to show where he came from and that if his story helps one person avoid addiction, prison or violence, it is worth it.
- Learn to handle frustration. Samantha Murphy told Brian that anger can motivate him but can also stop him dead, and that he needs coping mechanisms before race day.
The university of the streets
John says the most peaceful time of his life was not on stage in front of thousands of fans but living as a monk. He describes the New York of his youth as a jungle where a homeless kid had to hustle to survive, and admits he used drink, drugs and violence to numb the pain inside.
He talks about the childhood abuse he later wrote about, the anger it left him with, and how hard it was for someone with his street reputation to admit it. Every race, he says, ends with tears in the last mile, because his whole past plays in his head like a movie.
Brian hits a wall
Back in London, a hectic schedule at work and at home has left Brian feeling unwell, and his swim teacher tells him he looks sick. Samantha Murphy says the thing he most needs to work on is how he deals with frustration, because race day will not go perfectly.
Brian wonders if he is overtrained, mentions a tight chest, and decides to see a doctor and get his blood checked. On stage with the Cro-Mags, John tells the crowd about the documentary and gets them to shout Brian’s name before the band plays.
About IRONMIND
IRONMIND is London Real’s 11-part docu-series, released week by week in 2018, which follows Brian Rose from John Joseph’s challenge in New York to the finish line of his first Ironman race, a half-distance IRONMAN 70.3 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with 90 days to train on a 100% plant-based diet. The episodes were later cut into the feature film IRONMIND, which is free to watch on londonreal.tv. This episode follows Episode 5 and leads into Episode 7, where Brian has his blood tested and learns about recovery. John Joseph is the lead singer of the Cro-Mags, an author and a long-time Ironman triathlete.
Frequently asked questions
IRONMIND is an 11-part London Real docu-series from 2018 that follows Brian Rose as he trains for a half Ironman triathlon in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 90 days on a 100% plant-based diet, after a challenge from Cro-Mags singer John Joseph. The series was later released as the feature film IRONMIND.
John Joseph, who tells his own story, alongside Brian Rose and coach Samantha Murphy, with footage of a Cro-Mags concert.
John Joseph is the lead singer of the hardcore punk band the Cro-Mags, an author and an Ironman triathlete who follows a plant-based diet. He grew up on the streets of New York and overcame addiction.
He says racing keeps him from going back to addiction, gives him a form of meditation, and shows others that they can change their lives too.
It was published on London Real in April 2018.
“Ironmind – The Movie” is not affiliated with Ironmind Enterprises, Inc., the owner of the trademark IRONMIND®.
