HOW MARC DUBRICK BEAT A 34-TIME 70.3 CHAMPION

Marc Dubrick didn't just win IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel.

He put together one of his best races yet - leading nearly wire-to-wire, setting a new course record, and finishing more than nine minutes ahead of 34-time 70.3 champion Lionel Sanders.

3:39:18. First place. Course record.

Marc's day included:

22:36 swim - fastest of the day

1:56:03 bike - fastest of the day + course record

1:17:04 run - second fastest of the day

3:39:18 overall - new course record

But what makes the performance even more impressive is what happened
during the seven weeks leading into Cozumel.

SEVEN WEEKS OF MANAGING AN ACHILLES INJURY

After hurting his Achilles at 70.3 Krakow, Marc took two weeks off from running and began gradually rebuilding. That's where LEVER became a major part of the process.

"This was done almost exclusively on the LEVER, but it allowed me to stay at 70–90% of my typical running mileage, just without any intensity."

Heading into race day, Marc had run outside at full body weight only eight times in seven weeks. Instead of completely losing his running volume while his Achilles recovered, he used load management to continue training while reducing the stress going through the injured area.

THEN CAME RACE DAY

Marc came out of the water first and immediately went to work on the bike.

With Lionel Sanders and the rest of the field chasing, Marc focused on his own numbers, cooling, and hydration.

By mile 45, he finally received a split: Three minutes in the lead. He eventually reached T2 after riding 1:56:03, setting a new bike course record.

Then came the biggest question of the day:

Would his Achilles hold up for 13.1 miles?

Marc started conservatively, managed the extreme Cozumel heat, and continued extending his advantage. His lead grew to five minutes at 6K and eight minutes by 15K. More importantly, his Achilles never got worse. Marc crossed the line after a 1:17:04 half marathon to win IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel in 3:39:18.

FINDING A WAY TO KEEP TRAINING

Marc's build into Cozumel wasn't perfect. He had to withdraw from the 70.3 World Championship. He couldn't follow his normal run training. And even during race week, there was still uncertainty around his Achilles.

But instead of completely removing running, Marc found a way to manage the load and maintain much of his normal volume.

Seven weeks later, he was standing on top of the podium in Cozumel. Sometimes the goal isn't simply to rest or train more. It's finding a way to keep training when your body needs something different.

SHOP LEVER