Matt James Returns to Social Media After Rachael Kirkconnell Split

Matt James made his return to social media nearly a month after his shocking split from longtime girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell — and it appears that he’s overseas.

“Morning run with friends in Kenya 🫶🏾🇰🇪,” James, 33, captioned a Thursday, February 6, Instagram video of him on a jog with two unidentified pals.

The clip showed the trio as they ran on a dirt path in what appeared to be a forest. For the outing, James donned a gray long-sleeve T-shirt, black running shorts, coral sneakers and a hat.

James also took to his Instagram Story to show off what else he’s been up to while in Iten, Kenya. In one clip, James posted the stunning view of the Kerio Valley while at the View Point overlook.

In a subsequent snap, James also made a visit to the High Altitude Training Centre, which is a running camp founded by Olympian Lornah Kiplagat. The fitness facility, which has been dubbed the “home of champions,” offers altitude training for recreational and professional runners as well as other fitness-related experiences and amenities.

James’ trip to Kenya comes nearly one month after he announced his breakup with Kirkconnell, 28, following four years of dating. Kirkconnell and James previously met on The Bachelor season 25 in 2021. Instead of ending their love story with an engagement, the pair ultimately chose to stay together outside of the show following a brief split.

“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding,” James wrote via Instagram in January alongside a photo of them from his season of The Bachelor. “Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔.”

After news broke of their split, Kirkconnell made an appearance on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast. Kirkconnell revealed that James posted the breakup announcement three hours after he broke up with her on their trip to Tokyo. She also opened up about what went wrong between them.

“He said that at the end of the day there were just qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife,” Kirkconnell recalled. “At the end of the day, there are things that we aren’t compatible with and the whole accountability and saying sorry and all that was really the main thing.”

She continued: “It was just one of those things where he, I think, just had this realization that ‘I should want to propose to you by this time. Like, at this point in our relationship, I should be wanting those things and I should be ready for that. But I’m not still, I still don’t feel like we’re ready or I don’t feel like I’m ready. I don’t know if I ever see myself proposing to you. I can’t actually see myself married to you.’”