Today’s Viking Spotlight is JOSHUA SONNIER. This triathlete’s story is super interesting and very touching. Thanks for sharing your story with us!!!
NAME: Joshua Dayne Sonnier, but call me Josh! My last name is pronounced like, Sawn-Yay! Not Sawn-Your!
NAME: Joshua Dayne Sonnier, but call me Josh! My last name is pronounced like, Sawn-Yay! Not Sawn-Your!
WHEN DID YOU JOIN VALHALLA + VALKYRIE RACE TEAM?
- I believe it was at the end of 2022/beginning of 2023! Feels like longer though due to PGK and my father-in-law.
WHEN DID YOU START TRIATHLON?
- My first triathlon was Tri-Aggieland 2014 in College Station, TX. After leaving the Navy in 2011, I wanted to feel as strong and fit as I did during BUD/S. I started training at the TAMU rec center, swimming regularly at their pools. One day, a woman with an Ironman tattoo hopped into the lane next to me. We got to talking, and she suggested I sign up for Tri-Aggieland, a local race put on by the Texas A&M Tri Club. I took her advice, signed up, and was immediately hooked. After that, I joined the Tri Club and was a member until I finished grad school in 2017.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRIATHLON JOURNEY:
- My triathlon journey started in the pool. Back in high school, I moved to The Woodlands and swam at the natatorium. One day, I talked some smack to a girl from The Woodlands High School, not realizing how ridiculously fast those swimmers were. She made sure I never forgot it, picking on me relentlessly at every practice. That girl would later change my life—but let’s pin that for now. After high school, I enlisted in the Navy with one goal: earning an SO contract to become a Navy SEAL. My eyesight disqualified me at first, so I underwent PRK surgery and spent a year training like a madman while waiting for my waiver. I eventually crushed the qualifying PST, secured my contract, and became a SEAL candidate for Class 287. But things took a turn. During Pre-BUD/s, I started blacking out in the pool—turns out, my heart was misfiring, and my blood wasn’t circulating properly. What followed was a brutal medical rollercoaster: two underwater blackouts, a transfer to Air Crew & Rescue Swimmer School, and eventually, two cardiac ablations after my heart went haywire during a biopsy. The first surgery was supposed to be 45 minutes but lasted over 10 hours. It was hell. My second ablation ended my military career. Feeling lost, I found my way to College Station—because, as fate would have it, that girl from the natatorium had stayed in touch. Visiting Texas A&M opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and it changed everything for me. One day at the campus pool, I noticed a swimmer with an Ironman tattoo. I told her I admired the accomplishment, but with my heart condition, I figured that was out of reach. She told me about Tri Aggieland and encouraged me to sign up. So I did. And I was hooked.That same year, my now-father-in-law signed up for Oilman Texas 70.3, and I immediately followed suit. To me, it wasn’t just a race—it was a chance to prove myself, to show that my heart (both literally and figuratively) was strong enough. And it worked. That girl from the natatorium? Brianne Janeva Darling. She became my wife, my moon, and the love of my life. Since then, her dad and I have raced countless triathlons, 70.3s, 140.6s, and half-marathons together. He usually destroys me these days, but I’ve got him beat in full-distance Ironmans—so I’ll take that win. For some, triathlon is about self-confidence, discipline, or chasing glory. For me, it started with love. And every time I race, I carry that with me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACE?
- Ironman Texas holds a special place in my heart. It’s local, it’s home, and it’s woven into my memories of The Woodlands. I’ve watched it, volunteered for it, and raced it—it’s a full-circle experience every time. There’s something surreal about running down Waterway, surrounded by an electric crowd, knowing you’re pushing through one of the toughest mental and physical battles of your life.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS SPORT?
- Crossing the finish line at two 140.6 races! My most recent, Ironman Cozumel, was my best yet—11:19:59. A time I’m incredibly proud of, especially considering the challenges 2024 threw my way. Huge shoutout to @KateLooney and @DiegoMarquez—thank you both for sticking with me through it all. This year tested me in more ways than I can count, but I came out stronger because of it.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
- On February 8, 2024, I lost my younger sister, Jude Sierra Moore. Losing her felt like losing a part of my soul. Jude was deaf, epileptic, and had a neurological disorder that affected her fine motor skills—but none of that ever defined her. She was full of life.After she passed, I threw myself into training, thinking if I just kept moving, I wouldn’t have to sit with the regret—the missed calls, the trips I didn’t take. But grief doesn’t work like that. In October, it all caught up to me. After a long bike ride, I started my run, and suddenly, my chest tightened. My arms went numb, cold chills spread over my body, and I couldn’t get warm. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was my body forcing me to face what I had been trying to outrun—grief had finally broken through the levy. My mom told me, “Stop running from Jude. Run to her. Run for her.”A nd that changed everything. Since then, every mile I bike, swim, and run is for her. She was with me in my last Ironman, and she’ll be with me in every race moving forward.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST RACE FOOD?
- Breakfast. Always breakfast. Cinnabon, pancakes, French toast—if it’s sweet, carb-loaded, and drenched in syrup, I’m in. I even recreated a McGriddle Bite recipe that went viral on TikTok (2 million views and counting)—because my love for breakfast foods runs that deep.Close second? A frozen margarita. Because nothing says “I just survived an Ironman” like washing down 140.6 miles with a well-earned, ice-cold margarita.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
- My wife, Brianne Darling Sonnier (yes… that means Scott Darling is my F-I-L), and I met in 2008 at TWST (The Woodlands Swim Team). We started dating in 2010 and tied the knot in 2019. We have an 11-month-old daughter, Sierra Janeva Sonnier, named in honor of my little sister, Jude Sierra Moore, who passed away on February 8, 2024. Carrying Jude’s name forward in Sierra has been a way to keep her spirit with us every day. Brianne has been in elementary education for nearly 11 years—spending 8 years as a 4th-grade English teacher before becoming a librarian in Klein ISD. She’s incredibly dedicated to her students and, let’s be real, she corrects my grammar way too often.
I was raised by my mom, who did it all on her own while raising me and my two sisters. Jude was special needs, which made things exponentially more challenging. I had to grow up fast, stepping into the role of man of the house early on.I’m originally from Nederland, TX, and my mom’s side has deep roots in Southeast Texas and Louisiana. Our family name is pretty well known down there—whether it’s football, baseball, or even swimming (I held some school records for a while!).We even did one of those DNA tests and uncovered family history dating back to the early 1400s—some wild stuff in there.And yes, I have an Uncle Bubba—a man who owns his name. Record-holding hunter, legendary fisherman, and hands down the best crawfish boil master on planet Earth. If you haven’t had his crawfish, you haven’t lived.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL LIFE.
- First off, being a Professional Amateur Age Group triathlete is a tough gig!
In reality, I’m in between careers right now. After the Navy, I worked in real estate while earning my undergrad and master’s degrees at Texas A&M. I eventually got my broker’s license and transitioned into construction and development. By 2021, I was managing $250 million in active multifamily projects—high stress, long hours, and a front-row seat to the chaos that was Covid-era construction.Looking for more stability, I moved into land development and later joined a commercial real estate brokerage. But corporate life isn’t exactly my style—I’m not built to sit at a desk for 40 hours a week.After losing my sister and then welcoming my daughter a month later, my focus shifted. I’ve stepped back from real estate, and for the past year, I’ve had the rare gift of being home with my little girl. It’s not always easy, but it’s been the most rewarding chapter of my life.
WHAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE WOULD EVER GUESS/KNOW ABOUT YOU?
- I moved 28 times and attended 13 different schools before turning 18!
- I’ve played guitar for 20 years and can sing while playing (though I don’t claim to be a rockstar).
- I wrote a 60,000-word novel for Brianne in 2014. Yes, an entire novel.
- I’ve never DNF’d a race. Even when my bike turned into a single-speed fixie at the start of Oilman, I still finished!
- I was a Navy SEAL candidate. Sometimes even I don’t believe that.
- I was a landlord for 5 years. If you held one Bitcoin during the same period, my property outperformed its cash-on-cash return by 25x. Why did I quit? Because I moved to The Woodlands and could no longer keep my finger on the pulse of the College Station market.
- I’m very tech-savvy. I have four 3D printers—three FDM (hot glue gun-style layers) and one SLA (resin). I’ve also built and sold several high-performance custom PCs, including a water-cooled rig that I consider my pride and joy. I’m also very good with AutoCAD and Solidworks. So if you need something custom designed, I gotchu!
- I’m a millennial who can drive a stick shift. Learned how to drive with one, though it’s been a few years.
- I have a motorcycle license and used to own a Husqvarna 610 Supermoto in college.
- I drove some wild cars in college—an E93 BMW M3, a Hummer H2, and a ‘96 F-250 that was an absolute unit.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS TEAM?
- Ha, besides y’all putting up with me?I love the diversity of athletes in Valhalla. From beginners to world-class competitors, we all share the same goal—to prove to ourselves that we can ENDURE. The crazy thing about this team is how many Ironman finishers there are. It’s something I often take for granted until I’m with non-triathletes and casually say, “I gotta go do a short 6-mile tempo run,” only to be met with:“Uhhh… short??” “You’re a psycho.” “A pack of hungry lions could be chasing me toward a giant pile of money, and I still wouldn’t be able to run 6 miles…” Yep. We are built different.I love our kits, I love our photographers (both professional and the friends/family who always seem to capture the best moments). If you’re rocking a Valhalla kit, your picture WILL be taken—it’s just a fact.But most of all, I love the message behind Valhalla. It’s not just a name—it’s a mindset. And it’s exactly how I try to live my life.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR?
- As a kid, Gary Paulsen was my guy. Hatchet was a game-changer, and since we didn’t have TV or internet growing up, books became my escape. While everyone else was obsessing over that series about a certain boy who lived (cough Harry Potter cough), I was deep into The Lord of the Rings—at 10 years old. Yep, I was that nerd. Even won a few AR point contests at a few of the schools I attended. This long-haired triathlete? Closet bookworm.As an adult, my reading taste is much more… eclectic. Am I supposed to say Matt Fitzgerald, David Warden, or Christopher McDougall because I’m a triathlete? Probably. And yes, their books are solid.But let’s be real—my guilty pleasure? Romantasy. Yep. I’ve read 16 Jennifer Armentrout books, 14 Will Wight books, Sarah J. Maas’s ACOTAR series, and yes, I’ve listened to the dramatic audiobook adaptations. I don’t know why I am the way I am. Don’t judge me.Also, Andrzej Sapkowski—I’ve read all The Witcher books, played every game, and yes, I completely support Henry Cavill bailing on the Netflix series after they butchered the timeline. Still salty about that one. He was the perfect Geralt.More recently, I really enjoyed Jason Schreier’s Play Nice—a deep dive into Blizzard Entertainment and the chaos behind World of Warcraft and Diablo. (Or Warcrack, as I like to call it.)And because my father-in-law would be disappointed if I didn’t throw in a finance aligned author—I’ll say Dave Ramsey. We’re a debt-free household, and honestly, that’s pretty nice. Plus, I know Dave Ramsey irritates him, so win-win.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
- It’s a three-way tie between Waffle House, Cane’s Chicken, and Burger House in Dallas (the one on Mockingbird, specifically—no substitutes).Waffle House because I love waffles (cue my best Donkey from Shrek impression). Sadly I don’t get to eat there too often. Cane’s for that chef’s kiss simplicity—chicken, toast, and sauce done right. And Burger House? Elite. Absolute top-tier burger joint—but it’s really their chili-cheese fries that hold a special place in my heart.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?
- That’s tough because I don’t have just one. I’ve always pulled inspiration from the people around me, a survival trait I picked up moving so much as a kid. I’ve learned that everyone has something to teach you—if you’re willing to listen.Jude, my sister—She taught me compassion and perseverance. Brianne, my wife—Her dedication to teaching is next-level, and I admire how much she gives of herself to others. Sierra, my daughter—she gives me purpose. My mom—She gave me resilience and hope. Papa Larry—He showed me how to be independent and never shy away from hard work. Also… I can keep rhythm thanks to our epic dance battles. Papa Murphy—He taught me what love and kindness look like. Scott Darling (don’t get a big head)—His logic, commitment, and love for his kids is something I respect. Every one of them has shaped who I am today, and I carry those lessons with me every day.
WHAT EXCITING PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR?
- Making it to the end! My biggest focus is being present for Sierra as she grows—she’s turning 1 soon (holy cow!!), and making sure she doesn’t injure herself is now my full-time side hustle.There is something big in the works, but I can’t spill the beans just yet! Announcement coming soon—and no, we are not having another baby yet. We’re still catching our breath from the first one.
On the triathlon front, I’ll be volunteering at Ironman Texas—specifically at the swim start, where I will personally fend off snakes for you all. You’re welcome.Race-wise, Galveston 70.3 was on my list, but it’s looking unlikely. And—deep breath—there are no 140.6 races on the radar. I’ve been banned from full-distance Ironmans until Sierra is more independent… so, probably sometime after she graduates college. 
That said, local races are still in play:Texas City (thanks to our team raffle!) Maybe Oilman? The Woodlands World Championships (of course) 10 for Texas - As for vacations—negative, ghost rider. We recently learned that bringing an infant on vacation requires a vacation from the vacation. We had a trip to Jamaica planned for June, but that’s been canceled. Honestly, it’d be tough leaving Sierra behind for a long trip anyway.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
Follow me on TikTok: Bigdahhwg (Josh TRIs Life) 
TikTok LinkNeed anything 3D printed? Hit me up! I can print: 
Multi-color prints Engineer-grade materials (PA6-CF, PET, ASA, PPA-CF) Custom props & helmets (Spiderman masks? Stormtrooper helmets? I got you!) Even certain bike components.One time, I used LiDAR to scan a bottom bracket socket, 3D printed it, and got it to torque my Token bottom bracket to spec. Yeah, I’m that guy.
