Mark Allen's Hawaii IRONMAN success is well known. Along with his 10 titles at the Nice International Triathlon, “The Grip's” hold (sic) on all things long distance triathlon is both well known and well documented. His 1989 ITU World Championship victory aside, Mark's sheer speed over the shorter formats is somewhat less acknowledged. After all, he did actually race a final full season of Grand Prix events in 1996, culminating a startling runner-up place behind the then dominant Simon Lessing in Thailand.
Mark Allen's Year of Speed
ITGP?
'The International Triathlon Grand Prix was a series of short events all over the world. They were very short (15-20 minutes long), and all different formats and order of the swim, bike and run. It was extremely anaerobic, which was so far away from what I’d been doing in the final years of my IRONMAN racing.'
Shifting Focus
'So I really cut back on anything long and focused much more on speedwork in all three sports. But there was really nothing I could do in training that fully prepared me for the format of the ITGP races.'
Adaptation
'As each stop on the circuit happened, I got accustomed more and more to the speed and intensity and gradually got better overall. It was fun.'
Chasing Simon
'The final race was a non-drafting Olympic distance race in Phuket. I did finish in second place behind Simon Lessing and actually was closing in on him during the run. But I ran out of road. I think I was only about 10-seconds behind him.'
Should I Stay?
'All the guys who finished 3rd and on down asked me why I was retiring! They said if they finished that close to Simon they would have kept going. But I knew it was the right time.'
*Note: Header image of Mark (left) chasing down Ben Sanson shot by Philippe Millet for Triathlete Magazine, December 1996.
