Most people think you have to be born a champion.

But what if I told you I went from knowing nothing about triathlon…

To going Top 5 in a World Championships in under 5 years?

No head start & I was in my 20s when I began.

And the crazy part?

I did it by ignoring what most athletes are told to do.

But first, let me take you back to the moment everything changed.

I was 22, sitting in the car with my dad, after a brutal 24-hour 3-man bike race.

We were exhausted. Then the radio voice cut through:

“…and in other sports news, local cyclist Lasse Norman Hansen has just been selected for the Olympic team in cycling…”

Lasse and I used to race against each other in our youth years.

I looked at my dad and said:

“Man… That could’ve been me.” (By the way it couldn't have. He's won 5 Olympic medals by now, an absolute legend)

Without missing a beat, he turned to me and said something that hit me like a punch to the gut:

“If that’s your dream… why don’t you do it?”

I laughed. “It’s too late for me.”

Then came the words that would change my life:

“If a 12-year-old starts today, do you think he’s too old to make the Olympics in 10 years?”

“Of course not,” I said.

“Then if you start today, in 10 years when he’s 22—you’ll be 32. And you can race him at the Olympics.”

That conversation lit a fire in me.

The next week, I joined the local triathlon club.

I couldn’t swim. I’d never run seriously.

But I could learn. And what I did next cut my learning curve in HALF.

Most athletes skip this step. Some even do it wrong—and it ends up holding them back.

I reverse engineered my goal.

Here’s exactly what I did:

1. Defined the End Goal – Olympic-level times in swim, bike, and run.
2. Tested Myself – No guessing. I needed a baseline.
3. Set a Timeline – I mapped it out. A 4-year plan with yearly benchmarks.
4. Trained to Close the Gaps – If I needed to drop 1 minute/year on my 5K to reach elite level, that became my North Star.

But here’s where most athletes go wrong:

They try to train like the champions do today.

Not how the champions trained when they were at their level.

When I started, I trained half as much as a guy I started with who had the same dreams as me—10–15 hours a week vs. his 30.

Why? Because one of the national team coaches told me something I’ll never forget:

“If you want to be great, sacrifice results now for consistency long-term.”

For 2 years, I lost. Every race. Every session. He crushed me.

Everyone talked about how he was the next big thing.

Nobody noticed me.

But in year 3, the tables turned.

Suddenly, I started winning.

Not because I just suddenly trained more… but because after years of consistency I had caught up. My body was ready for more. My capacity had stacked.

And the guy I started with got injured which eventually ended his career.

By year 4, I was a consistent part of the national team competing against the best in the world.

Year 5 I finished Top 5 in the world at Aquathlon and Top 9 in Duathlon (And since anybody can claim anything these days you can verify my claims here in the Elite men category)

Everyone said I was an “overnight success.”

But they didn’t see the 5 years of methodical, boring, consistent work.

And then came the hardest moment of all.

One evening, my girlfriend called me.

“I feel like you care more about triathlon than me,” she said.
“If you had to choose… me or the sport?”

It crushed me. But deep down, I already knew the answer.

I chose the sport.

That might sound harsh, and trust me—it wasn’t easy. I’ve missed birthdays. Friendships faded.

I’ve made sacrifices I still carry with me.

But that moment taught me something that applies no matter what goal you’re chasing:

There comes a time when you have to stop kinda wanting it… and make the sacrifices necessary to reach your goals.

Because as the saying goes. You can have anything...

But you can't have everything!

You don’t need to abandon your relationships, or give up your life.

But you do need to choose—every day—between short-term comfort and long-term purpose.

It means asking a question that becomes your compass:

Does this move me closer to the life I want?

That kind of focus?

It’s what separates dreamers from doers.

And it’s what turns potential into performance.

Here’s the 4-step method that got me to the top 1%—and works whether you want to go pro, run your first 10K, or just feel proud of the athlete in the mirror:

1. Reverse Engineer the Goal​
   Define what “success” looks like for you. Then break it down into measurable pieces. Know the numbers. Create a roadmap.
2. Train Like the Athlete You Are​
   Stop copying elite routines. Build your own base. Master the level you're at. Then grow from there.
3. Only Add More When Progress Slows​
   Don’t chase more. Chase better. Add volume, intensity, or complexity only when your body and mind are ready.
4. Commit Like There’s No Plan B​
   No more halfway. No more dabbling. Design your environment, schedule, and habits around your goal. Every decision should serve the mission.

This isn’t just for elite athletes.

It’s for anyone who’s tired of spinning their wheels.

Tired of the “start-stop” cycles.

Tired of wondering if they’ve got what it takes.

You do.

You just have to decide.

Nicklas

P.S. Behind the scenes, I'm working hard on creating new tools and resources to help you run faster, stronger, and smarter. If there's anything specific you'd love for me to create, just hit reply and let me know — I'd love to hear your ideas!

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Disclaimers: Nicklas Røssner is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Nicklas Røssner will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this email including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death