Nairobi — Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri says she is ready to conquer the tough New York Marathon course on Sunday following her disappointing full marathon debut in the same race last year.
Obiri said she has learnt from her mistakes, which saw her finish a disappointing sixth after timing 2:25:49.
“In a debut, anything can happen and sometimes you go and learn how to do it. For me, from the word go, I think I felt like there was no need to take water. I didn’t know it was going to cost me towards the end of the race,” she said.
The two-time World 5000m champion added that she will be recreating her running strategy at last April’s Boston Marathon where she clocked a personal best of 2:21:38 to emerge victorious — her second ever marathon race.
“For Boston, we said we have like four weeks so we said we were going to practise a lot…taking water and setting tables along my way. Like when I did long runs, they were setting tables from where I could pick the water bottles while running. I took like five good drinks so when I went to Boston, that (constant rehydrating) was on my mind,” Obiri explained.
Having enjoyed success on the track, the two-time Olympics 5000m silver medalist is bullish about her chances of more glory in the road races.
She revealed her coach has been a source of inspiration to propel her to transcend the boundaries of that which is normal in the women’s marathon.
“I do…and I can (run 2:11 on a flat course) because you know a coach is the one who understands the athlete better. He always tells me that I am in a good shape and I can run 2:11…but not now, maybe in two or three years. I do believe I can,” the New York City Half Marathon champion said.
Regardless, it is not lost on Obiri that the battle in the Big Apple will be anything than a stroll in the park considering the elite calibre of other runners in the women’s race.
Her fellow countrywoman, Sharon Lokedi, will be hoping to make it back-to-back titles whereas Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey will be keen on building upon her success at last year’s Valencia Marathon — where she made history as the fastest ever marathon debutant.
Former world record holder for the women’s half marathon Brigid Kosgei will also be out to put her injury woes behind her with a first-place finish as the evergreen Edna Kiplagat seeks to claim another podium finish in her longstanding road race career.
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Unperturbed, Obiri said she is excited to compete in such an elite field.
“There is a lot of pressure because this is the strongest field I have ever raced against. Nonetheless, I am so excited to race with them and I can use the same strategy in Boston. In a marathon, you don’t start out fast…I have my strategy and I know others also have their own strategies,” she said.
The Great Manchester Run 10km champion has been in the United States for the last eight months and admits she is loving life in the country after initial teething problems.
“Initially it was hard adapting especially to the weather. It was winter and very cold…I am not used to training in winter so it was a bit challenging. However, I have now adapted and so have my family. My daughter loves it here and her school as well where she has made friends,” Obiri added.
