How AI Coaching Helped an Everyday Engineer Win Ironman Ottawa. (ft. Luke Evans)

The Athlete's Compass

Luke Evans shares his remarkable journey from a Canadian hockey player with no running background to winning Ironman Ottawa in 8:40 while holding down a demanding engineering job. He details his self-coached early days, the influence of family, the leap to Ironman racing, and the pivotal role of Athletica’s AI coaching in managing training load. Luke discusses setbacks — from COVID cancellations to crashes, injuries, and GI issues — and the strategies that fueled his Ottawa victory, including a bold swim start, maple syrup-based bike nutrition, and disciplined pacing. His story is equal parts resilience, smart training, and passion for sport.

Key Takeaways

• Late start, rapid rise — Luke had no formal running background before COVID, yet progressed to elite Ironman racing in just a few years.
• AI-assisted training — Athletica helped him track load, adjust workouts, and maintain consistency without a full-time triathlon coach.
• Nutrition hacks — He fueled primarily with maple syrup for carbs during the bike.
• Resilience — Overcame a major bike crash just weeks before Ottawa.
• Kona lessons — Learned hard pacing and heat-management lessons he’s eager to apply in future attempts.
• Balancing life — Trains at a high level while working 40+ hours a week as a consulting engineer.
• Structured progression — Uses data-driven intervals, consistent long rides, and focused swim sessions for targeted gains.
• Motivation through metrics — Performance potential graphs kept him engaged through long build phases.

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