Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Belgian Marten Van Riel spent nearly a decade dominating Olympic-distance racing before deciding to find out how that speed translates to the IRONMAN. At the 2026 Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid he answered the question with a course record in his first full-distance win. But the story behind that result isn't a straight line. It's crashes, missed slots, a winter that broke him down mentally, and the realization that chasing perfection was costing him the thing that made him great in the first place. In this episode, Marten breaks down Placid from the inside and delves into the numbers everyone's talking about — 303 watts at 68 kilos with an average heart rate in the 120s, then a 2:34 marathon at 129 — and Marten's own honest admission that he doesn't fully understand his engine either.
Beyond the racing, this one goes deeper. Marten opens up about the offseason that forced him to race less this year, why never stopping caught up with him, and how being transparent about the mental side of the sport resonates with age-groupers grinding through the same challenges. Tune in for the numbers, the honesty, and a look at an athlete arriving at exactly the right moment.
The IRONMAN Insider is presented by Maurten. Maurten’s patented Hydrogel Technology is the innovation that enables athletes to consume more carbohydrates and is available on course at all Global IRONMAN & IRONMAN 70.3 races. Find out more at maurten.com.
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Belgian Marten Van Riel spent nearly a decade dominating Olympic-distance racing before deciding to find out how that speed translates to the IRONMAN. At the 2026 Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid he answered the question with a course record in his first full-distance win. But the story behind that result isn't a straight line. It's crashes, missed slots, a winter that broke him down mentally, and the realization that chasing perfection was costing him the thing that made him great in the first place. In this episode, Marten breaks down Placid from the inside and delves into the numbers everyone's talking about — 303 watts at 68 kilos with an average heart rate in the 120s, then a 2:34 marathon at 129 — and Marten's own honest admission that he doesn't fully understand his engine either.
Beyond the racing, this one goes deeper. Marten opens up about the offseason that forced him to race less this year, why never stopping caught up with him, and how being transparent about the mental side of the sport resonates with age-groupers grinding through the same challenges. Tune in for the numbers, the honesty, and a look at an athlete arriving at exactly the right moment.
The IRONMAN Insider is presented by Maurten. Maurten’s patented Hydrogel Technology is the innovation that enables athletes to consume more carbohydrates and is available on course at all Global IRONMAN & IRONMAN 70.3 races. Find out more at maurten.com.
🔔 Subscribe to our channel, and turn on notifications:
youtube.com/user/ironmantriathlon?sub_confirmation=1
💻 Visit our website and find your race: ironman.com
📱 Follow us on our social networks:
Instagram: instagram.com/ironmantri
Twitter: twitter.com/ironmantri
Facebook: facebook.com/ironmantri
TikTok: tiktok.com/@ironmantri
