![]() ![]() ‘There were races I felt I was running quite conservatively, like in 1983, and then some races where I went too hard and completely fell apart,’ he says: ‘During one race my body started shutting down and I ended up having to walk a lot of the marathon section - I actually ended up in hospital that year with internal bleeding, so that was tough to come back from.’Īfter each year passed with another fresh disappointment, he began to question if he was cut out for winning the race at all. Despite some close calls - including a third place finish in 1983 - he struggled to unlock the right balance to secure the ultimate victory. What would follow over the next 7 years was a remarkable journey peppered with soaring highs and crushing lows, as Mark attempted to reach his goal of winning the Ironman world championship. ‘I looked down and my derailleur had completely broken off, so that was my race done,’ says Mark: ‘I ended up with a DNF that year, but getting to race alongside the best guy in the world was really where my dream was born.’ Just as Mark attempted to follow, a horrendous crunching sound came from beneath his feet. ‘I was hoping I’d maybe finish in the top 100, so I thought it was completely mad to be racing alongside Dave,’ says Mark: ‘I’d never spoken to him before, so during the bike ride I pulled up next to him and said ‘Hey Dave, when we’re done with the bike ride, do you want to go for a run?’ and he just gave me this incredulous look and said ‘Who are you?!’ before speeding off!' Thanks to his swimming background, Mark quickly made his way to the front of the race alongside the man everyone wanted to beat - 1980 Ironman world champion, Dave Scott, who was hoping for his second title that year. As it was still a relatively new event, he was able to secure a starting place with surprising ease: ‘I literally called up the Ironman office, they sent me an application form and 8 months later I was on the starting line - completely scared to death and wondering what I’d got myself into!’ ‘About 2 weeks after I’d seen it on TV, I knew that I just had to give this race a go,’ he says. With a background as a swimmer - ‘A very mediocre swimmer, I must add,’ he laughs - he was immediately taken by the endurance aspect of the Ironman. I thought they were completely nuts - surely there was no way that the human body could achieve that!’ ‘I remember the announcer was talking about the distances these athletes were covering and I thought to myself ‘How many days is it going to take these crazy people to do this?’ he laughs: ‘Then I heard that they started at 7am and had to finish by midnight. I’d never heard of triathlon at that point and didn’t know anything about what Ironman involved.’ ‘I first saw the Ironman event on TV in February 1982,’ says Mark: ‘It was a very dramatic finish, which ended with Julie Moss crawling across the finish line. ![]() From how a 110-year old shaman played an unlikely role in that iconic 1989 victory to the agonising blisters that nearly derailed the closing miles of his race, he spoke to us with refreshing honesty about his challenging journey to that first world championship title over 30 years ago and the power of persistence. Now one of the sports most respected coaches, the Tribe Sports team were delighted to be able to speak personally with Mark from his home in sun soaked California. While his multiple world champion status is an undeniably incredible achievement, it was his determination to make that dream a reality that makes his story truly extraordinary. A powerhouse on the international triathlon circuit for over two decades, he held a formidable 21 race victory streak from 1988-1990 and his nail-biting world championship races against fellow Ironman champion Dave Scott remains enshrined in sporting legend. Often referred to as one of the greatest endurance athletes of all time, 6 x Ironman world champion Mark Allen needs little introduction.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |