Simon Maguire - Wattbike saved my life

Ironman triathlete, leadership development expert and performance coach Simon Maguire started his journey with the ultimate problem: how do you turn your life around?

Long before he could call himself a triathlete, much less an Ironman, self-confessed couch potato Simon had a list of bad habits as long as any. He found reform in fitness, and new ways to push the boundaries of what he thought was possible.

Simon has been a Wattbiker since the start of 2020, the same year that he took his tentative first steps in the world of triathlon. As a novice with no real fitness base and nothing to guide him but the dream of becoming an Ironman, Simon has gone on to complete an impressive four 70.3s and one ‘full’ Ironman – a remarkable result by any measure.

“Measuring my training in watts was a game changer.”

So what got him hooked – and more importantly, what drew him to Wattbike?

“The convenience of working out at home in the garage gave me a lot of flexibility. Paired with the Zwift App, I’ve achieved more than I could have ever anticipated. The Atom is a really solid platform. I use it twice a week – Mondays and Fridays, at 6am – for an hour, and I mix up my sessions.”

But of course, as convenient as it is, it’s not all about riding inside. But when you can’t, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a pedal.

“I try to get out on the weekend, depending on family plans and the weather. But if I can’t, it’s great to do long rides on the Wattbike as well – it’s incredibly comfortable in comparison to my experience of other exercise bikes.”

Besides having a comfortable and accessible platform on which to train, there’s more to be gained from taking to the Atom for Simon.

“Measuring my training in watts was also a game changer. It gave me the tools and the information I needed to progress, measuring my work and clearly showing me what I was achieving.”

So what’s his favourite session?

“My triathlon team does a session called 4x7 – It’s four sets of seven minutes at FTP, with a sixty second break between each set. It’s a killer, but you feel so good after. That feeling follows me around all day – that and the DOMs!”

With an impressive list of results already under his belt, what’s next…

“I’m currently working towards Ironman Barcelona in October, and then I want to complete the Enduroman challenge – Arch to Arc. That’s an 87 mile run from Marble Arch to Dover, a swim across the channel, then cycle from Calais to Paris – that will be epic if I can complete it…’

Simon’s got his sights set on 2025 for the Enduroman – and if he’s learned anything in his journey so far, it’s that setting goals and taking gradual steps towards helps you achieve your dreams.