Abu Dhabi International Triathlon was one of the most anticipated events in 2011 with most of the world’s top triathletes on the start line. In the end it was only 33 seconds between first and fourth. Marino Vanhoenacker summoned fifth gear in the last 10km and came within 17secs of the winner at the line.
Extraordinarily Vanhoenacker did all this with a broken rib after a collision with a fellow swimmer less than 2 weeks before the race. Some athletes might have stayed at home, but Vanhoenacker still made it to the start line.
“I totally went under in the start and after 50m I’m 3rd last of the 45 guys,” Vanhoenacker explains about the swim leg. “At the end of lap 1, I luckily found contact with the second group and managed to hang in there but my wings didn’t turn like they should”
To make matters worse, Vanhoenacker lost his Oakley glasses and heads out into the desert storm without any eye protection. With Bracht and Llanos for company, he sets off in pursuit of the leaders but he is still 6’30 adrift of the lead and 1’55 down on the favourites going into T2.
But it was the run that really showed how strong Vanhoenacker is at this moment, “I tried to get of my bike carefully because now the ribs have to stretch again to run upright, but I completely cramp at that moment. On the run, people start to fly by and there’s nothing I can do, the body wants to stop. But around halfway some tension goes and I get into a rhythm and start running faster and faster. With 5 km to go I passed 3 guys and I am back in 3rd place now, 2’30 down on Frederik. I’m within striking distance of 2nd place, but then “BANG”, two people step out of a bus just in front of me, they are there before I can react and I hit them so hard I stumble, almost crash, what a hit! Then I got so angry and adrenaline started flowing so I took up the pace to a ridiculously fast speed and with 1km to go I pass 2nd and there I see Frederik ahead but I’m running out of ground and finish second. This was just a little bit too much even for me, I give full credit to Frederik, he made the race.”
Vanhoenacker works closely with High5 to optimize his race day performance. High5 Director Tim Atkinson commented on the result: “We tested Marino before he flew out to Abu Dhabi and we knew he was going really strong. With the help of the tests we worked out a new improved nutrition strategy for the race using the High5 2:1 Fructose formula which meant he was taking on more carbohydrate than he did previously. This meant he had more glycogens left in reserve for the run. We are committed to our elite athlete program because it helps with product development and our Race Faster Guides are a direct result of working with athletes like Marino.”
High5 have come up with an elite testing plan that is way beyond what any other nutritional company can provide to maximize race day performance. Working with the best long-distance athletes, High5 aim to win the Ironamn World Championships and record a new fastest ever Iron distance time to underline its position as the Worlds Fastest Nutrition.
