As told by his coach
Before we started working together, Luke sent me this:
“History – 1st marathon I ran – didn’t do enough training, made it but only just. 1st ultra – pulled out due to not enough training. Both not an issue now, but I don’t want history to repeat itself and 1st Outlaw to become a catastrophe – need to smash it 1st time around.”
That line stuck with me. It said everything about where he’d been, and where he wanted to go. He wasn’t chasing Outlaw just to complete it – he wanted to own it. He was ready to do the work, and he wanted to get it right the first time.
Choosing a coach is personal, and Luke had a clear sense of what he needed. As he put it:
“The fact I signed up for your newsletter before meeting you – I was sold on your experience.”
“Your approach to coaching the Monday Swim Squad is right for me – not too bullish.”
He found the mix of reassurance and realism that matched where he was in his journey.
So he made a choice. He committed to a plan. He put his trust in the process – and in himself.
“Signing up to your planning and coaching was the singularly best decision I made on the Outlaw journey.”
And from that moment on, everything changed.
Build-Up
In the final weeks before the race, Luke felt confident in each discipline – but understandably unsure how it would all come together on race day. He was surprised by how much training was still in the plan in those last few weeks, but he trusted it.
“I went with it and trusted the plan.”
Late in the day, he made a call to add aero bars to the bike. Risky, maybe. But it turned out to be a great decision.
The Day Before
Like many first-timers, the day before the race was a mix of excitement and nerves. Luke and his wife wandered the venue, taking in the logistics – briefings, pack collection, racking, the transition walkthrough. The hours flew.
“I took your advice and went for a swim in the race lake. This had two benefits – removed the surprise of the swim conditions and, getting out of the water, I was much more relaxed and calm than when I got in.”
Then came a bit of last-minute stress: the accommodation he’d booked back in January fell through. After some scrambling and a not-so-helpful call to Booking.com, they eventually had a place to stay – at 5pm.
The Night Before
Sleep was hard to come by. Restless and mentally racing, everything about the next day was running through his head.
Race Morning
Up early, porridge as usual. A smooth start – kit check, setup, no drama.
The Swim
Outlaw starts with a mass floating start. Luke placed himself in the second pen, with a strategy to stay left – away from the chaos. Smart. He knew from Swim Squad that most swimmers breathe right – he breathes left.
“The atmosphere was electric.”
He found clear water early, stayed calm, sighted well, and focused on technique. A small navigation error at the turn added time, but didn’t rattle him.
“Got out of the water, my target time was 1:20 and watch said 1:19. Brilliant. I was over the moon and very motivating.”
Swim time: 1:19
Swim placing: 215th of 470
Summary: Strong, steady, and relaxed.
T1
Time: 6:49 – No issues.
The Bike
Luke felt strong from the start and settled in quickly. The goal was a sub-6-hour ride, aiming to hold 20mph across the course.
Outlaw’s bike course has an initial stretch followed by three loops. By the start of lap one, he was already moving through the field. Lap two, still strong. Lap three, the fatigue crept in – but he kept ticking along.
“Finished in 6:07. Slightly above target time but the route was 113.5 miles – maybe would have hit the 6 hours target if the correct length.”
The aero bars? A success.
“They were comfortable, easy, did increase my pace and also solved another issue – during my training rides after a long time when using the drop handles my left hand would numb. No issues with this using the aeros.”
Bike Fueling
Fueling was deliberate and consistent – Voom bars every 30 minutes, plus pork pies and flapjack. Liquids included carb drinks, coke, and water from aid stations. No dehydration. No bonk.
T2
Time: 3:33 — Again, no issues.
The Run
The run was four long laps plus one shorter final lap. The target was a 4-hour marathon.
No bike legs. But straight away, a warning sign – his right leg threatened to cramp. He adapted quickly.
“Water and lots of ready salted crisps and it went away.”
The first two laps were strong, with mile splits ranging from 7:30 to 8:30. He kept passing people and stayed on top of nutrition with water, cola, and crisps at every aid station.
Laps three and four got tougher. He switched to a run-walk strategy – 15 minutes run, 1 minute walk. It worked. The final lap? He picked up the pace and finished strong.
“Honestly could have continued if necessary.”
Run time: 4:06:40
Run placing: 91st of 470
Post-Race
Four days on, the fatigue faded fast. He didn’t feel destroyed – just proud, and satisfied.
Final Reflections
As a coach, it’s always satisfying to see someone get it right on race day – not just the pacing or the nutrition, but the mindset. The calm, the focus, the ability to adapt. That’s what Luke did so well.
Accommodation issues? Managed. Swim detour? Corrected. Cramp warning? Solved. Fueling and pacing? Executed.
He didn’t just survive his first long course triathlon – he owned it.
It’s a long way from those early doubts – the near-miss of a marathon finish, the ultra that never was. This time, he got it right the first time. Not by accident, but through consistency, patience, and trust.
“Basically, all went to plan – and I loved every minute.”
There’s a lot of talk in endurance sport about tough love and hard edges. But what Luke showed is that you don’t need to be bullish to be brave. You don’t need to be broken to prove you’re strong. Sometimes the best performances come from being steady, prepared, and quietly determined.
Just like Monday Swim Squad.
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