<\/p>\n
As she prepares to make her marathon debut, Sifan Hassan articulated a thought which must have entered the heads of the tens of thousands of people who are about to run 26.2 miles around the streets of London on Sunday (April 23).<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes I wake up and think: \u2018Why the hell am I running a marathon?\u2019\u201d laughed the reigning 5000m and 10,000m Olympic champion. It was a moment of light relief in a low-key London Marathon press conference which perhaps didn\u2019t quite reflect the potential fireworks which could lie in store in the elite women\u2019s race.<\/p>\n
It was a fearsome foursome packed with extraordinary distance running power which took to the stage, with Hassan joined by the reigning London champion and 10km world record-holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw, marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.<\/p>\n
The potential for a race to remember is enormous and three of this quartet certainly weren\u2019t ruling out a tilt at the women\u2019s only world record of 2:17:01, set on this course by Mary Keitany in 2017, though the cold and damp conditions which are forecast for race day may have something to say about that.<\/p>\n
For Hassan, however, there are \u201cno times in mind\u201d. The fastest women\u2019s marathon debut is the 2:16:49 run by Letesenbet Gidey in December but the Dutchwoman quipped: \u201cIf I ran 2:16 in the marathon I don\u2019t think I would have any legs at the end of the race! I\u2019m curious and I just want to run the marathon now. I haven\u2019t got times in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a summer track season in the offing, Hassan insists she has not changed her usual 5000m and 10,000m training to accommodate this new challenge, while the fact she also observed Ramadan may prove to be a factor. Hers is a marathon build-up which falls into the category of unconventional.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t really done that much marathon training as, when I started out, Ramadan started,\u201d she said. \u201cGoing fast and doing a lot of mileage is very hard. My training hasn\u2019t been that great and I can\u2019t say I\u2019m just doing marathon training as I\u2019m also focusing on training on the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I did the long runs, the lack of drink was the biggest challenge [during Ramadan]. Fasting for the whole month [March 22 \u2013 April 21], I don\u2019t know what that\u2019s going to do to my own body. When I put so much drink in my body during the marathon, I don\u2019t know what that\u2019s also going to do to my stomach. I\u2019m really nervous about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Brigid Kosgei (London Marathon Events)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But this is still an athlete who has broken European records at 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and the half marathon. Although there might be nerves, no-one will be underestimating Hassan\u2019s potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether I run a good or bad time, the most important thing is to learn,\u201d she said. \u201cAs a human being, I\u2019m always curious.<\/p>\n
\u201cLondon always has the greatest and fastest athletes and you\u2019re always curious about who\u2019s going to win. I want to challenge myself against the fastest and strongest women and see how much I can keep up with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doing so will be no simple task. Though the spring chill meant the athletes arrived huddled in plenty of layers and big coats, the pace is likely to be hot when the starting gun is fired.<\/p>\n
There was an assured confidence about Yehualaw who is clearly intent on another victory and, though she admitted to a recent hamstring issue, 2020 winner Kosgei insists she is also good to go. Jephchirchir remains unbeaten over the marathon distance, too, winning all five of her races to date in Saitama, Valencia, New York, Boston and that Olympic contest.<\/p>\n
That is just a sample of the talent assembled for the 2023 edition so, returning to Hassan\u2019s question, why run a marathon?<\/p>\n
Kosgei perhaps provided the most appropriate answer as far these women are concerned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fields are very strong as everyone wants to be a winner here.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s time to find out just who that will be.<\/p>\n
\u00bb <\/b><\/span>2023 London Marathon preview \u2013 click here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u00bb <\/b>Subscribe to AW magazine here<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n