Will Turner, Virginia Tech ’80, never imagined that he’d star in a film someday. But as the subject of the 2025 documentary “Sierra 914,” he did exactly that.

Turner gained national attention in 2018 by challenging himself to complete a staggering 60 Ironman triathlons the year he turned 60. Among the most physically challenging endurance competitions, the Ironman is a one-day event comprising a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a full marathon (26.2 miles).

Not only did Turner complete his yearlong challenge, he shattered the previous record of 44 Ironmans in one year. Fueled by the desire to be an example to kids, Turner went on to finish an additional 45 Ironmans the following year, for a two-year total of 105. Suddenly, media outlets around the country were clamoring to interview Turner, and he was featured in articles and on TV and podcasts.

Knowing Turner liked to mark his birthday in a big way, Craig Braun, a friend and race director, called to ask about his plans for his 65th in 2023. When he learned Turner was planning an even more grueling challenge for that year, Braun connected him with Ryan Dugger, a filmmaker who was looking for a new documentary subject.

Over eight days, Dugger and his crew followed Turner as he attempted to complete a new solo event, this time a 15.6-mile swim in Lake Tahoe, followed by a 728-mile bike ride and a 170.4-mile run through the Sierra Nevadas.

Taking inspiration from the number 65, Turner decided to do the equivalent of 6.5 Ironmans (or 914 miles) for this challenge.

Battling pain and fatigue over long days, Turner endured extreme changes in weather conditions that went from cool to desert temperatures. On the bike ride, he traversed five different mountain passes that forced him to navigate steep changes in elevation ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 feet.

Turner trained for approximately a year prior to embarking on the Sierra 914 and worked with a course designer to map out his route. But he noted that his ability to race at this level is the result of the training he’s done over many years, not just the time he’s spent preparing for one particular event.

Having pulled off the Sixty@60 would have satisfied most people. And Turner was — to some extent. After all, his Sixty@60 Ironman challenge had been a remarkable feat of strength, endurance and determination. Clearly, he had nothing to prove. So what made Turner want to pursue this new challenge?

Turner explained why, despite everything he’d already accomplished, he felt motivated to take on the Sierra 914: “[With the Sixty@60,] I was doing repetition of the same Ironman-distance race. Of course, it was in different environments, different courses, different terrains and different weather. So, there was always a challenge, but I was doing the same process over and over again.”

He continued, “When I thought about what was going to truly test me, it had to be something that was big enough that the outcome was not certain at all, that the chances of failure were just as likely as the chances of success.”

Seeing him tackle challenges that could derail athletes half his age, one would never guess this didn’t come naturally to Turner at first. In fact, he didn’t complete his first marathon until he was in his 40s, after having failed to finish his first half marathon many years earlier.

Motivated by a friend’s cancer battle, Turner decided to participate in his first marathon in 2002 (which he completed!) to raise funds for the Virginia Brain Tumor Fund.

Running in that event took him out of his comfort zone. But Turner said the sense of accomplishment also ignited a drive that he never expected. “Marathons became an Ironman, and then an Ironman became multiple Ironmans, and then multiple Ironmans became ultra-endurance triathlons.”

Turner said participating in these events has given him a sense of confidence that extends beyond pushing himself to the limit in the moment. An unexpected payoff is that participating in endurance events has helped him navigate everyday life more easily because “you now have a sense of identity and know you can do hard things, that you can tackle big challenges.” Turner added, “Every time I do these hard things, I become a version of myself that is both more humble but also more confident. It’s a space of growth where you still have the doubts and the fears, but instead of fighting them or resisting them, you learn to live within them.”

Clear parallels can be seen between Turner’s outlook and SigEp’s Sound Mind, Sound Body philosophy, which focuses on helping brothers develop healthy habits for physical and mental wellbeing.

“Sierra 914” had its theatrical premiere in September 2025 at the Richmond International Film Festival in Turner’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia, where it won the Best Cinematography in the documentary category, the Audience Choice Award and Maverick Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Turner said that over the years, a number of SigEp brothers have reached out to offer him support and some have even come to cheer him on at races. When “Sierra 914” premiered, he expected one brother to be there, but to his surprise, about a dozen showed up. Noting that he hadn’t seen some of them in years, Turner said, “It was pretty special to have them there.”

For now, Turner continues to train and looks forward to the release of his book, “Not Done Yet,” in summer 2026. As 70 looms, it will certainly be interesting to see what version of Will Turner shows up next.