Hello runners:
Three of the World Major Marathons take place in the fall (Berlin, Chicago and New York). The two other Major Marathons take place in April (Boston and London)
Two of the world’s fastest runners , Geoffrey Mutai (2:03:02) and Patrick Makau (2:03:38) missed out on the Kenyan selection to compete in the summer Olympics. So I think they will be out to send a message to the Kenyan Olympic Committee.
Geoffrey was unable to defend his Boston title in 2012 and Patrick had to bail from London. (as an aside, if you ran in Boston or London this year you beat them).
However after winning Boston in the world’s fastest time Mutai went on to set the course record (2:05:05 in New York City) He beat me in this race last year.
Not on the 5 WMM, however the Frankfurt course is also very fast. This is where Wilson Kipsang ran 2:04:42 last year in rainy conditions (then he went on to win the Virgin London Marathon 2:04:42) Patrick will be competing in Frankfurt and with 5 other runners who have completed the marathon distance in under 2:06.
Regarding the very top of the men’s elite race this field will be the best in the history of Germany’s oldest city marathon, which will see its 31st edition held on October 28th. “It is a very strong field. But I am generally not looking at any particular rivals. I always respect all the other runners in a competition,” said Patrick Makau.
However , the BMW Berlin Marathon has been the race to establish world records. Haile Gebresallsie set the world record twice in Berlin and Makau now holds the current world record of 2:03:38 which he set in Berlin last year.
This year Geoffrey Mutai will be racing here in the 39th BMW Berlin on September 30 2012. Mutai participated at the BERLIN-MARATHON already in 2010, but in the final sprint he wasn´t as strong as his fellow countryman Patrick Makau and became second in 2:05:10 hours.
The Berlin Marathon which also sponsored by BMW (same as Frankfurt) has granted me press accreditation for the press conference.
When asked: What are you thinking during the race? Do you concentrate on your steps and your competitors or do you try to just focus on running from mile to mile? What do you think when a competitor runs past you and you can’t follow and what do you think when you pass somebody?
Geoffrey Mutai replied: In the beginning of the race I am concentrating on my own running and after some miles I start to look around who could be the strongest. When somebody is passing me, is just wait and see if he is opening up a gap. If he is opening a gap, I try to close it and stay behind him.
At the time of this writing, there are no other fast elite runners highlighted to run Berlin (other than myself and a few others from the Beach area of Toronto) So stay tuned for other announcements.
When I return from Berlin, I will be running the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 14, 2012 as the Brooks 4:40 pacer. Keep a look out for me
Then in November when the ING New York City Marathon welcomes the the world. I have press credentials for this event , too. I will be writing more about the STWM and New York.
I am running in NYC with a friend of mine, and Achilles Athlete, Michael Ovens. Michael has progressive vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and is one of the founders of Ride for Sight. There will be two other guides running with Michael.
This is an exciting fall for the Running Groupie. Keep reading (and running)
