Matthew Marquardt said he hit new levels when he won his second IRONMAN race on the trot at Lake Placid on Sunday.
The American star, who combines his training with medical studies and won IRONMAN Cairns in June, went one better than last year when he had been overhauled late on the run in in the Adirondacks.
That day it was Trevor Foley who proved strongest but there was a complete reversal this time as Marquardt powered to a record-breaking success.
Marquardt set a new course best in Lake Placid of 7:50:08, overtaking Foley’s time of 7:55:23 from 12 months earlier, which was the first time anyone had gone under eight hours at the event.
‘Power was just incredibly high’
The race was shaped by the bike leg and Marquardt said afterwards: “All the guys, Trevor (Foley), Kristain (Høgenhaug), Robert (Kallin), and Leon (Chevalier) are all some of the top cyclists in the sport right now.
“We had all five of us together at one period during the bike. Whether they were initially attacking or not, it was fireworks, after fireworks, after fireworks. The power was just incredibly high.
“It was such a high intensity I wasn’t sure I could put together a marathon after that. That was a world championship level bike ride. I’m really proud of the fitness I have right now.”
His 2:39:51 marathon split carried him to victory over Høgenhaug and Foley and he added on Instagram: No words for this one. Can’t believe two wins in a row. Incredible racing from everyone today that pushed me to find a new level that I didn’t know I had.”
Foley ‘wouldn’t have done it different’
And there were no regrets for Foley, who battled well to take third, after hitting the wall midway through the run when in the lead following a course-record bike split of 4:10:45.
He wrote on Instagram: “I raced for the win & wouldn’t have done it any different?
“A strong swim, for me. A career best bike. An okay run. (hit a really dark patch 14-23mi. very proud of myself for putting one foot in front of the other & finding the podium).”
