I was first given an introduction of who Nico Lightbody was in 2019 while competing at IM Florida. I believe in that race Nico came 3rd overall as an age grouper. I am a Clearance Diver in Royal Canadian Navy and at the time Nico was a Naval Officer in the RCN. I ended up speaking to a few Military Members at the event and they filled me in on Nico’s achievements and accomplishments.

 

I trained the remainder of 2019 and all of 2020 on my own prepping to race IM 70.3 and an IM in Mont Tremblant. I had little to no experience with the sport of triathlon. I had been swimming my entire life just never competitively or with any formal training. Cycling was still foreign to me only purchasing a road bike in 2019. Running is where I felt most comfortable, this is where I felt I had things under control or so I thought…

 

I would spend hours upon hours on the computer researching different training plans, cruising different forums trying to find answers to triathlon questions. Youtube ultimately provided me with what I felt was the best information source at the time. But even then, there was still something missing. I could google “triathlon training plan” and follow a cookie cutter routine that would advance my fitness but there was no accountability, and it truly was not built around my strengths and weaknesses.

 

With races in 2020 being cancelled I told myself that I needed to fully commit to the 2021 season and leave nothing on the table. I needed to reach my athletic potential, and with the physical demands and time commitment that my job requires I knew that my only option to perform above and beyond where my current training had taken me was to hire a coach

 

I began working with Nico at the beginning of February 2021. With an IM 70.3 and a Full IM planned for this past summer I felt that I needed the proper guidance, knowledge, and customized training plan to ensure my success and that when I showed up on the day of the IM there were no questions or doubts in my mind that the work was complete, and I was truly ready to race an IM instead of just finishing one.

 

I contacted Nico via the email on his website inquiring about his services and I received almost an immediate response with many of the answers to my questions and even additional info above and beyond my requests. We scheduled a Zoom Meeting to discuss goals, experience, strengths, and areas that I knew I needed to improve on. We discussed any medical limitations that might impede performance and went over some past history on any previous injuries. I was slightly nervous to be honest having little experience in the sport of triathlon, I felt at the time that when we got to the point of discussing my personal bests whether it be for running, past IMs, or swimming that it would be laughable. I felt that Nico being such a strong successful athlete, he may have thought that investing in me would not be worth his time or that I required too much improvement to compete. I learned quite quickly that I couldn’t have been more incorrect. Nico quickly and more importantly quite honestly identified and reassured me that we were starting in a good position and that a solid foundation had already been built. Nico did not sugar coat anything during the initial interview he was very professional, open, and upfront which I appreciated immensely.  He did not try and sell me false hope with promising all these PBs, and podium finishes but created detailed goals that I felt at the time were unattainable, but soon came to realize with hard work and by following advice and guidance from Nico, we could achieve what I thought was the impossible.

 

Throughout training Nico utilizes many methods and techniques to ensure his athletes success. He is very meticulous when it comes to creating plans for his clients and ultimately has their goals, needs, and aspirations at the top of his priority list. Nico utilizes 3rd party training apps such as Zwift and Training Peaks to send his workouts across which is quite convenient. The information that Nico provides in the workout itself prescribes designated power, pace or effort and the amount of time the workout will take to complete. This was especially important to me because Nico would load the workouts on a Friday for the following week which would allow me the time to plan my week around training. It is also extremely important because it takes the guess work out of the equation. You aren’t waking up trying to decide which of the 3 disciplines you should complete today and for how long and for how far. It is already decided for you and backed up with the years of experience and training that Nico brings to the table. I find that having a schedule laid out for you is truly to your benefit because it is a factor that you now don’t have to think about. You can really focus your energy and mental capacity on the physical demands of the training.

 

For swimming Nico would provide me with informative insights and tips along with references on swimming form. He provided me with Youtube links to better understand the swim stroke and implement it into my training. He would analyze swimming videos that I would forward to him and would give feedback on progression and technique. Swimming would vary from pool to open water with a customized workout for both. Never receiving any former swim training in the past, I had a lot of questions with regards to swim lingo it almost seemed like a foreign language to me. I would email or text Nico for clarification on terminology and he was always very quick to respond and had no problem explaining it in a way that made sense to me. When most pools were closed due to COVID we would maintain our swim training by conducting Open Water Swims. This is extremely important for a triathlete because ultimately your event will not take place in a pool, it will be on a lake or in an ocean. The skills that are gained through open water swimming are more than just the swim stroke or your technique, it creates an opportunity to practice sighting so looking where you want to go. It also teaches you how to swim as straight as possible from point a to point b without venturing too far off course. Practicing this skill will give you the most direct route so you aren’t swimming further then you need to so that you can achieve the best possible time.

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For cycling Nico would implement indoor Zwift training rides during the winter months to build fitness and comfort on the bike. Nico would not just say ride for 3 hours on your own time, he would create a customized workout for me on Training Peaks and send it over to Zwift with all the specific power requirements and a brief description of the workout and any points to concentrate on. Nico would prescribe periodic FTP Tests on ZWIFT, more specifically a Ramp Test. Once the FTP was calculated Nico would construct the workouts both indoor and outdoor around this number to ensure that it was as accurate as possible to yield the greatest possible result. Moving into the warmer months we would utilize the trainer during inclement weather and to perform specific training rides as apart of a brick workout (bike into run). This was crucial, and I found I quickly adapted to these workouts by training my transition and also performing a run off the bike to better prepare and prime my legs for what to expect. Nico would include longer training rides once a week lasting longer than your typical IM 70.3 90km bike to dial in nutrition, hydration and overall strength and confidence in the saddle 

 

Off the bike and onto the run. When I was younger running had always been a part of my training. I ran cross country and track in High School and was fortunate enough to make it to Ontario Nationals for both. I have always been an overall decent athlete competing in many sports at many different levels. I always felt I had a handle and decent understanding of running but I soon came to realize that this was not the case. Nico utilizes the MAF Heart Training Method which stands for Maximum Aerobic Function. This training method began to pay dividends almost immediately.  The method quite simply is 180 – your age = your MAF Heart Rate and this method allows you to stay and operate at the high end of your aerobic base. For this Nico required me to complete a MAF Assessment which quite simply was a 10km run at MAF HR with no interruptions. The first run I completed in February yielded a pace of 424 per km for 10km. The 4th MAF Assessment I completed in May had me at a 404 per km for 10km so a 20 second gain per KM in just a few months of training with Nico’s philosophies. I had never seen an improvement of that size in my life and quite honestly would never pursue this training method if I were out on my own. 

Beyond Nico being very knowledgeable and professional when it comes to providing you with a bullet proof training plan that will advance your fitness far beyond your expectations, Nico is very aware and understanding to the fact that sometimes life will just get in the way. Yes, you may miss a workout because the pool is closed, or maybe your boss tells you that you are working late tonight and that just interrupted your plans for a track workout. Life happens and Nico is quite aware of this, there would be times I would message him minutes before a workout or late afternoon explaining how life was getting in the way. I would think to myself that it was the end of the world missing just one workout. Nico would reassure me that this was not the case, he would either amend the schedule on Training Peaks or provide me with an alternative workout to complete. So, for example if the pool was closed, we would complete a different workout like a run and move that pool swim to the block of the run. It was truly a relief to know that Nico was very flexible when creating a plan and even more so when it came to amending the schedule. Obviously if workouts begin to be missed or skipped on regular basis, he does raise concern. 

Nico’s goal is not to collect your hard-earned money and allow you to underperform when he sees the athletic potential you possess is being wasted by skipping workouts or not committing to the goals you initially set out to achieve. Nico is passionate about the services that he provides, and morally he would be unable to allow you to choose the path that does not lead to accomplishment. He will encourage, motivate, and put you in or get you back to the right mindset to train and race at your best.

 

Over the last 7 months Nico has brought my fitness to levels far beyond my expectations. Prior to working with Nico, I considered myself a hard worker always training, waking up early and going to bed late. The training that I have completed with Nico has opened my eyes to the true definition of hard work. I was operating at a capacity that I perceived to be my physical limits and with Nico he was able to find those extra couple gears required to push me beyond my mental and physical barriers. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t days where I would find every excuse in the book to miss a workout or procrastinate for hours on end. Knowing how much Nico has invested and sacrificed for me, there was an even larger obligation that I felt on my end to complete the work even when I didn’t feel like it. When you end up working with Nico you will develop a work ethic that will be unmatched. Nico provides you with the building blocks and tools to create a strong foundation not just to surpass your athletic expectations, but he also inherently provides you with the resources to become a resilient individual who thrives in training and prospers through adversity when others may give up.