Boulder, Colorado and Santa Cruz, California – Six Time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen will be the new coach of Yvonne van Vlerken, the World’s Fastest Woman Ever in the Ironman distance.
Named "The Breakthrough Female Triathlete of the Year" by Triathlete Magazine, Yvonne van Vlerken has chosen Mark Allen to guide her training and race day preparation.
Allen, who met van Vlerken at last year’s Ironman in Kona commented, “Yvonne is an amazing athletic talent and an even greater person whose approach to excellence goes well beyond just looking at the numbers in her logbook. I am honored that she has chosen me and MarkAllenOnline to help carry her forward in her career”.
Yvonne along with partner, manager and age group- elite athlete Thomas J. Vonach who will also be coached by Mark, is looking forward to working with someone who has as she says “been there”. Yvonne summed it up when she said, "For us to have Mark as our new coach is a wish come true that we had in our hearts and feelings. Mark has been were I personally wish to be someday as an athlete. He's was not just a great athlete, but also is a very special and great person through his spirituality. I know Mark can teach me a lot about how to prepare myself to perform at my fullest potential in a race in a way that goes beyond just smart training schedules. We are usually all well prepared in the front, but the difference is to bring both body and mind together in harmony. Thomas and I think Mark has a unique knowledge and feeling about this. I am very happy that he agreed to work with us. We are looking forward to our time together.”
MarkAllenOnline cofounder Luis Vargas added, “We are very excited to add Yvonne’s name to those who are under our guidance.” “She will not only have our coaching support but also the race day cheers from her fellow MarkAllenOnline teammates!”
The 30-year-old born in the Netherlands is a rising start whose credentials hold up to anyone’s. She shattered Paula Newby Fraser’s 14-year-old world best mark for the Ironman distance this past summer at the Quelle Challenge Roth bettering the 8-time Ironman Champion’s record of 8:50:53 by over 5 minutes. Yvonne posted the new world's best time of 8:45:48 which was accomplished in part by an amazing 2:54 split on the marathon. She then went on to back it up with a second place finish in her first ever Ironman on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Allen also noted, “Yvonne is such a kind person and truly gifted athlete. We look forward to bringing our coaching experience to her triathlon pursuits and adding personal perspectives to her approach that come from what is now an involvement of twenty-eight years in the sport of triathlons at both the age group and elite levels.”
For more information please contact Kelly@markallenonline.com or visit www.markallenonline.com
