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Geoffrey Kamworor winning the 2017 New York City Marathon |
1. It pays to be confident before a race
Confidence was evident in both Mary Keitany and Ghebrselassie in the 2016 edition of the TCS New York City Marathon, even in the early stages of the race. Keitany ran her own race without caring who was following her, nor worrying about going alone and being run down later by a chasing pack. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing and how she wanted to run her race.
Ghebrselassie on the other hand, while in the company of Rotich and Desisa, appeared calm and confident. He later told the media that what he had done in training was what gave him the confidence.
2. Runners help one another on the course despite competing against each other at the same time!
Nothing explains why Ghirmay Ghebrselassie shook hands with Lucas Rotich at the finish line of the New York City Marathon, other than a friendship and understanding that developed between them over the course as they helped each other in pushing the pace at the front while Lelisa Desisa seemingly stayed back patiently and left the two to do the pacing.
“We were helping each other before he dropped back. Then after I looked back once and he was a little bit far from me, and I was really a little bit angry with him because we were helping each other. I was thinking maybe others from behind can catch him. So I was a little bit competing with it. So I was okay.” Ghebrselassie said after the race.
This is what always happens almost at the finish line of every race where runners hug and congratulate each other after competing. It reminded me of Hyvin Kiyeng during the semi-finals of the women 3000m steeplechase race at the Rio Olympics when she had gone to comfort her ‘rival’ at the finish line when the latter had fallen down and failed to advance to the finals with her.
3. Establishing one’s own consistent pace in a marathon pays off at the end
Sally Kipyego and Abdi Abdirahman are the perfect examples of this. The two dropped behind from the leading packs earlier in their race, but kept their own consistent paces that resulted in their greatest achievements so far in their careers in marathon running. Kipyego finished second, her first ever podium finish in marathon while Abdirahman finished third, becoming one of the few Americans to finish in a podium position at a world major city marathon.
“I just decided to run behind today and run within myself and make sure I didn’t get carried away with the leaders. Stayed within my pace, and that paid off today,” said Kipyego after the race.