Born in Montreal, raised in Colombia, and based in Toronto for the past 2 decades, soccer, and latin dancing are as much a part of Lucien as winter sports, coaching athletes around the world and training to complete 13 Ironman races and marathons on five different continents.
A professional coach, Lucien’s passion for triathlon has helped his athletes meet their goals, whether it’s completing their first triathlon, achieving a personal best, qualifying for world championships or winning their age group in international competitions.
Whether you’re an elite soldier in special forces training, a cancer survivor, a stay-at-home mom, a frequent flyer executive, a pediatric cardiologist or a shift worker, you need a training program customized to your lifestyle, abilities, and skill level.
As a former IT professional, Lucien knows how technology can help, while helping his athletes prepare for its limitations. Lucien and his athletes depend on the data the technology provides to objectively analyze and assess performance – running, swimming, riding.
“The technology, for example heart rate and cadence sensors, tell me exactly what my athletes have done and what changes are required to improve performance and efficiency – but I rely on my athletes to tell me how it felt and talk about the many variables that may have affected their performance,” says Lucien. Follow up questions are key:
Is one leg stronger than the other? Are you getting the carbs you need to fuel your training? Is your gearing choice the most efficient to get you up the hill at this point in the race? Are you getting enough sleep?
To adjust the customized training plans his athletes rely on, Lucien schedules regular follow ups. “I ask a ton of questions and I really listen, because I need to understand the athlete’s performance and state of mind over the past days and weeks to shift the focus of the highly personalized programs they hired me to develop,” says Lucien. “Standard, generic, impersonal training templates will not help you optimize the development of your unique abilities.”
Lucien advices his athletes to ignore the data being presented by their exercise trackers during workouts, to get in tune with their body and become self reliant on critical elements in performance. “Listen to your body and get to know what specific paces and effort feel like under different conditions, so that you can follow your race plan and achieve your personal best no matter what,” says Lucien.
He also recognizes the benefits and risks of sharing results on platforms like Strava and Zwift. They provide motivation, entertaining and challenge. It can also push these often, ultra-competitive athletes to the point of overtraining and even injury. “Be smart – smarter than the technology,” says Lucien.
Lucien has done it – so he really understands the mental and emotional challenges as much as the physiological demands. He also knows that running, swimming or riding, he and his athletes are meeting and inspiring other people that see them, wondering: “Could I?”
“Sure, crossing the finish line in races provides motivation, a sense of accomplishment, a validation of the sacrifices made along the way. Most of the time, though, athletes will be in training mode, following the healthy habits and the appropriate progression in training that will prepare them for racing and for life. Sports in general, and triathlon in particular, support athletes in achieving an active and balanced lifestyle for a long time. They also allow for smaller challenges to be met and conquered along the way. Furthermore, when exercising outdoors is possible, it offers a unique opportunity to admire nature, to learn to respect it and to achieve a level of connection with the environment that it is my hope many also embrace,” says Lucien.
Lucien maintains and improves on the level of knowledge, proficiency and experience expected by organizations regulating the coaching practice and abides by their codes of ethics and professional conduct standards, which includes passing an enhanced criminal record check. He is a member in good standing of Coaching Association of Canada, Triathlon Canada, Canadian Swimming Coaches Association and Ironman Coaching Association.
Lucien has also been actively involved in Triathlon Canada and Triathlon Ontario initiatives, such us helping organize the grassroots KITCAN Series in Ontario, as well as planning and facilitating training to upcoming triathlon coaches.
FAST FACTS
Athletic Highlights
- Marathon finishes on 5 continents
- 13 Ironman finishes (PR 10:46), 11 Ironman 70.3 finishes (PR 4:49)
- Bayfield to Point au Baril Adventure Challenge – Champion (2017)
- Canadian Ironman Grand Slam Finisher (Whistler, Mont-Tremblant and Muskoka – 2015)
- Ironman All World Athlete (AWA) Gold – Top 1% (2015)
- Fin Swimming – National Club Champion (Colombia) (1993)
His Athletes’ Results
- Qualifying for ITU, Ironman / Ironman 70.3 World Championships, World Marathon Majors
- Qualifying for Boston Marathon
- Podium finishes in international marathons
- Corporate relay running race wins: Mississauga Marathon Corporate Relay – 1st Overall Team (2010), 1st Coed Team (2015)
Volunteering
- Ironman Lake Placid (2009, 2017), Mont Tremblant (2016 – 2019)
- MultiSport Canada (2011, 2015, 2018)
Certifications
NCCP (Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program)
- Triathlon Canada Licensed – Competition Coach
- Provincial Triathlon Official Level 1 (Ontario)
- Swimming Fundamentals Coach
- Triathlon Learning Facilitator
- Nordiq Canada Community Coach
