Coaches — Triathlon

Train with the Triathlon Champ

Simon Lessing was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1971. With Table Mountain in the middle of the city and an ocean on either side people gravitate to outdoor activities. Simon was no acceptation. Growing up in a sports minded family and a mother who was a swimming teacher, he started competitive sports at a very early age. By the end of his fifth year at school he had won provisional colors in swimming, sailing, biathlon and excelled as a cross country runner.

When Simon was 15 his swim coach, David Mc Carney, who was one of the top triathletes in South Africa at the time, recognized Simon’s multi-sport capability and introduced him to triathlons.

Simon immediately excelled in triathlons and at the age seventeen won the South African National Championships as a senior. He was awarded National colors in recognition of his achievements.

In 1989 Simon departed South Africa after graduating from high school. He went to England where he began his professional triathlon career. Simon met and married his wife, Lisa, a native of the United States and also a successful triathlete. He and his family relocated to Boulder, Colorado, in 2002 where he has continued his triathlon and coaching career.

Professional Career

Simon has competed in triathlon for more than twenty years. He has won major triathlons of varying distances (Olympic, Half Ironman and Ironman); varied weather (hot/cold/humid/wet); and terrain (flat, hills).

Experts have long said that Simon has the unique ability to win any major race under virtually any condition or format. Simon became a professional triathlete at the age of eighteen, a very early age for this sport. None the less, he became an immediate financial success, winning or in the money in virtually every triathlon he has entered. Simon’s training know how has developed over a lifetime of competitive sporting activity.

Over the past two decades, he has had the opportunity to work with some of the best athletes and coaches in each of the individual swim, bike and run disciplines. With their input and his experience he has been able to develop a unique understanding of how to train and race successfully for any multi-sport event.

Simon is one of the most decorated triathletes in the sport. He set course records at the Escape from Alcatraz (Olympic distance), Wild Flower (Half Ironman) and Lake Placid (Ironman) events. His career highlights include: 4-time World Triathlon Champion (Olympic distance), World Long Distance Triathlon Champion (4km-120km-32km), 3-time European Triathlon Champion (Olympic), 4-time French Iron Tour Champion (Olympic). Simon was extremely honored and privileged to be awarded the title of Member of the British Empire (M.B.E.) by the Queen in year 2000.

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Coaching Philosophy

Simon regards every individual to be unique in their physical makeup, training environment and in their athletic objectives. Each person is confronted with obtaining a balance among different parts of their life. People have economic responsibilities and social life. Some have family responsibilities. Each of these must be inclusive in a program of physical activity.

Despite Simon’s devotion to his athletic career he has learned how to successfully train, race and coach at the highest levels while balancing quality time with his family and friends. This is built into Simon’s coaching philosophy. Often, as has been noted by experts, a program of strict physical discipline is a life lesson to encouraging and understanding the need for the same level of discipline in managing a professional career as well as family life.

Another aspect of individual coaching is discerning an individual’s desire to be fit or to be in shape. A coaching program for fitness has the objective of working and developing the body's all-around muscle tone and good cardio endurance — while being in shape requires a more concentrated preparation of an individual to perform at above average levels in a specific athletic event.

If your sport is triathlon or any one of the individual athletic events that make up the sport, Simon’s coaching can work for you. Simon will share his unprecedented knowledge of the sport and help you to reach your full athletic potential in any multi-sport goal.

Through Simon’s online coaching facility, you can have a personalized training program suited to your demands and workout conditions. Such a program can be individually designed and monitored through unlimited communication and guidance with his coaching staff.

It is never too early or too late to start!