by Justin Lagat
Dennis Kimetto, photo by PhotoRun.net
The last time I did an interview with Dennis Kimetto was within the same week that he went ahead to break the world record. Kimetto is one athlete who speaks very little, but matches his words with actions. Many other athletes have announced that they were going for the world record, but often failed to fulfill their promises. I remember Kimetto telling me that he was going for the world record in Berlin. I had looked at him straight in the eyes, had seen the determination there and had been sure that the world record was indeed going to be broken. I announced that in RunBlogRun and Kimetto just did what he had promised by running 2:02:57.
For now, he is just back to training after enjoying a good holiday season. His training began very well, his body is finally responding very well and he expects to see good results this time round.
Kimetto sees this year as a year of restoration and he has great plans for it. First and foremost, he desires to regain his status as one of the best marathon runners in the world, by running a good race during the Boston Marathon in April. He is aware that many people are wondering why he has never been able to win other major races since he ran the world record in 2014 and he is eager to get back into his winning ways in Boston and finally get his name to the headlines again.
“Since I broke the world record in 2014 through to 2016, my legs have not been able to respond well to training and I have had a number of injuries, but for now I feel that I am truly getting back to my 2014 form again,” Kimetto said.
“I like the fact that I am going to run my first marathon this year in Boston because that the terrain we use to train here with Geoffrey Mutai who holds the course record of 2:03:02 and the rest of the group seems to be suited for running well in Boston. It gives me confidence ahead of the marathon knowing that I am training at the same place where Geoffrey Mutai did, using almost the same training program which we were using, before he went to set the new course record in Boston,” he said.
About setting a another new world record, Kimetto says he has priorities and that his priority now is to first, get back to the top again. Perhaps he could think about that later on. “I believe I may still be able to lower that record again in the future if everything will go well with my training,” Said Kimetto.
His thoughts on the sub 2hr marathon projects being undertaken by some shoe companies with some of their elite athletes?
“Well, that one will be very hard to achieve. But, let them try for themselves,” he said.
As another road race season begins, Dennis Kimetto should definitely be one athlete to watch.
