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TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHONOctober 31, 2014Wilson KipsangNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Q. Wilson, how are you feeling? How's your training gone since we were in the Czech Republic? WILSON KIPSANG: My training has been going very well. Really feeling good. Looking forward to Sunday's race. Q. How did you recover from the Athens? WILSON KIPSANG: I worked on my training, worked on endurance, worked on speed, and I had plenty of time to prepare for this. From Athens, training has been going well. Q. After losing that race, what did you feel you needed to work on most to train for New York? Was it endurance, or was it speed? WILSON KIPSANG: I think we found out my speed was not really full. Lots of endurance, but I had to really work on the speed. Q. How does it feel coming here as the former world record holder and not the world record holder now? That's a change I'm not sure you probably expected, but what are your thoughts on what we saw in Berlin? WILSON KIPSANG: I think as a real sportsman you find that you always accept a challenge, and that is part of a real challenge because I broke the record from somebody else, and also being broken from my side, it's not a big problem, but I count it as a challenge because it really keeps me motivation that I still would love to try to see if I can break it myself. Q. Is that something that you would consider as part of your 2015 plan? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, that is it. Q. I mean, we talked last fall when we were in Monaco when you described like what went into your training and the changes that you needed to make before you broke the world record. When you see where the record is now, under 2:03, like how crazy do you need to change even what you were doing when you set your world record? I mean, how much more do you need to do? WILSON KIPSANG: I think to run that kind of fast time, that is [] 2:57 under, as someone like me, I see that I'm just away by 26 seconds. I'd love to improve a little bit, not so much. I think I can do it. Q. Wilson, how much are you thinking about the World Marathon Majors title? If you win, you win the $500,000. WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, I think to win the World Major Marathon series, I have to win this race. It's not a big pressure for me so much because many of the guys, we are really racing together. So it's just a matter of running my own race and targeting really to win. Q. Does that impact your strategy at all, knowing that you have to win to win the World Marathon Majors? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, of course, because in this race, you have to really try to know your position yourself. It's more hilly compared to other courses we're running. So I think it's something new to me. Q. How big of a challenge is that for you? Like you said, you've run on a lot of flat courses and a lot of pacers. You're going to be out there on your own, man versus man, on Sunday. WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, I think it will be a challenge. My training has been going very well. I've tried to work on the hills, up and down. I feel ready, yeah. Q. How do you feel about the conditions? It's supposed to be cold, windy. WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, the start of it will be a bit colder, but I'm not really used to running in cold conditions, but I think, because everybody will be running in those conditions, I have no choice. Q. Do you have a time in mind or is it just competing and trying to win the race? WILSON KIPSANG: I think we shall try to see because, if guys are really going to run a fast pace maybe for the first half, then I think we shall try to go course record schedule, yeah. Q. If it's windy, you're not going to go as fast? WILSON KIPSANG: It depends. Sometimes it might be windy, but guys might be ready to take a faster pace. So that can also give us a chance to run faster time. Q. Has Geoffrey Mutai, your training partner, given you advice on the course given that he's won here twice? WILSON KIPSANG: Not really. Q. Is it strange to you, if you win the World Marathon Majors, you get $500,000. But if you don't win, it will be your other training partner, Dennis Kimetto. Do you talk about that at all? WILSON KIPSANG: We don't talk about it because, when it comes to competition, everybody wants to win. Q. What did you think when Dennis broke the world record in Berlin? WILSON KIPSANG: It was really something good because in sports when somebody is prepared and break the record, I really credit him because he gave us a big challenge that we can really still try to try and go for that time because everybody now is trying to see if he can run faster than that for Dennis. Q. Did you see anything in his training before Berlin that like‑‑ like before the race, you knew that he was ready to run that fast? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah. I think he prepared himself very well. During the race, the conditions were perfect, and that really helped him a lot. His training partner was very strong in Mutai. That also assisted him so much to push and go for the time. Q. New York is a course where you might not be able to go for a time in the same way with the hills and it's very windy. How do you like that challenge? WILSON KIPSANG: Maybe a very different challenge from Berlin, because to run on a course where it's a bit cold, no pace makers, it's really cool because part of my dreams has been tied to the races to get the challenge and see what I can really do. I used to join some races, really you might not be in a position to give a real measure of yourself. So I think this is a good test for me that what time can I run in such conditions and in such a hilly course. Q. Wilson, do you think you'd take the lead early in the race. Is that something you'd consider to wait until the last few miles? WILSON KIPSANG: No, I think I will try to see if I can execute my plan very well in the race. This is something very new. I think I will try. The plan is to just come up during the race. Q. So you'll decide during the race what your plan is specifically? Is you have no specific plan going in? WILSON KIPSANG: No. Just ready for what comes. Q. Is there a reason why you waited this long to take on the challenge of a course like New York? WILSON KIPSANG: No, I've not taken so long because I think I just started in it 2012. So I think now is the right time, yeah. Q. What makes this the right time? WILSON KIPSANG: This is the right time because I'm at my peak, that I can run a fast time. So I have to get that kind of challenge in these kind of races to see what I can do, how fast I can run in this course, how fast I can run in Berlin, how fast I can run in London, yeah. Q. Does it give you confidence to have Geoffrey with you in the race, knowing that the two of you train together and that you can use him as a guide? WILSON KIPSANG: It really gives me a challenge, but I think I always like to run where there are strong guys, because if guys are prepared and trained very well, you find that you can run a good time. So whatever will be in shape can really get to run a good time. And you get to learn from one another because we have guys that can maybe run fast at the start, in between, towards the end. So you get that kind of challenge, and it really assists you so much because, if you are strong and you're the only one, it becomes a problem because you're alone the whole race. Q. How have you improved since joining his training group? How have you improved the most, in what areas? WILSON KIPSANG: I think mostly, when I joined his group, I find that I really improved in running the hilly courses. Q. Why do you think the Kenyan men have been able to stay so dominant? Do you think that world record will be held by a Kenyan for some time to come? WILSON KIPSANG: I think there are other fast runners in the world, but I think Kenyans are doing it professionally. We have that kind of competition spirit because, if Dennis breaks the record, I want to break the time of Dennis. Maybe another guy wants to break the time of Kipsang. So that keeps us moving and trying to run faster. Q. So you're thinking in terms of breaking Dennis' record? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, it's possible, yeah. Maybe some other guys also trying to run faster than‑‑ Q. But you always said you believe in raising your objectives? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah. Q. So you've done it again. You've raised your objectives again now that he's run it. WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, so much. Q. Are you worried that the news about Rita Jeptoo this morning and the anti‑doping task force could kind of cast a cloud on those successes? Huge number of achievements. Is there any concern from athletes that it's kind of a bad‑apple thing. WILSON KIPSANG: I think I haven't heard too much. So it's not really on my mind. It's fully set on the race. Q. What's your next major marathon after New York? WILSON KIPSANG: I think we have to close the year and then plan for next year. So it's not confirmed. Q. How do you decide which marathon you're going to run? How do you plan your year? WILSON KIPSANG: I think for me I have to really sit down with my manager and try to see what are the possibilities for next year and then maybe try to see the plans. If you plan to run a fast race, then you have to see which race you can go to for a fast time. If you want to go for a slow race, maybe you have to see which race you can go. So it depends on the main target and plan for that race and try to talk with your manager and try to see which races can be the best for that. Q. You run five times under 2:05 in a marathon. For you, is speed something that comes naturally? Or is it something you just‑‑ do you think you just outwork everyone? Where does your speed come from? WILSON KIPSANG: For me, I work on it very much. My training has always been very professional. I always try to run a faster time. So when I try to target for a certain time, I find that during my training, I make sure that I train specifically for that kind of race target. Q. Have you ever had a day that didn't go so well? Have you ever had a problem where you couldn't get faster, any struggles with it? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, sometimes it happens because it happens during the training. If you plan maybe to run a fast time and your training is affected, you find that you'll not be in a position to run at that time because one way or another, your training has not been good, and you didn't pick up your speed very well. Your training endurance has not been very good. So your training is affected, or maybe you get sick during training or you find you don't have good training, that affects your performance in the race. Q. Sunday is supposed to be very windy. Do you expect a technical race? Or do you have a certain time in mind before? There have been articles that you and Geoffrey Mutai would like to beat the race record. WILSON KIPSANG: I think it will be more technical. It will be windy and very cold, so it will be more tactical. Q. So you're fairly tall compared to many others in the professional fields. Do you think that like affect you more than the smaller runners? WILSON KIPSANG: No, not at all. If I have trained well, that will not be a factor. Even the hills up and down, if you are prepared for the hills, it's not a problem. Just run, and if you are strong, you will win, yeah. Q. Are you targeting a time? Do you want to break the course record? Is that your focus? Or you just don't care about the time? WILSON KIPSANG: No, I think what's really the target is to run a course record, yeah. We want to really push and see if we can run faster than that. The 2:05. Q. Who's "we"? WILSON KIPSANG: We have to really try to‑‑ you know you'll not achieve alone. If you run alone from the start, you won't achieve. Q. Meb did. Not the course record, but he achieved the win. WILSON KIPSANG: If you are going for the win, you will get the win. But if you are running for time, you cannot achieve alone. You have to push with other guys, and everybody should be trying to go for the time. Q. I remember last year it was also very a lot of wind, very windy conditions. Actually, nobody wanted to go, like Geoffrey said, everybody was hiding behind each other. So the race was decided just at the last five, six miles. So before, everybody was‑‑ it was a very tactical race. So you expect the same thing for Sunday? WILSON KIPSANG: I think it will be fun for me. This is my first time on this course. So I don't have much to recommend. Q. You are known as a front‑runner. You go out, for example, in London in the Olympics, you went away from everybody. Do you have something in mind to do this on Sunday? WILSON KIPSANG: No. Q. With so many positive drug tests coming out of Kenya and east Africa and another one this morning, do you think the media should trust the times that are getting so much faster in the marathon? Is it a clean sport? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, I think it's a clean sport. Q. So how come there are so many people we're seeing every year that get to test positive? WILSON KIPSANG: I think I cannot really comment on that because each athlete has to care for themselves. It's not something that I recommend. What I really would say is we need a clean sport. Q. How many times do you get tested per year? WILSON KIPSANG: Several times. I don't even count. It's a lot of times. Q. Do you get only tested before or after competitions or also during the time you are training in Kenya? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, all through. Q. Do you know when the tests are going to happen? WILSON KIPSANG: No. Q. Do you find that in some countries testing is a little more strict? Because when you compete around the world, you get different organizations doing the tests. WILSON KIPSANG: No, I don't think it's much different because all athletes, we have to comply. Q. But do the rules change depending on who's doing the test? The list is the same, banned substances are the same, but does the collection process vary with‑‑ depending on who is doing the test, in your experience? WILSON KIPSANG: I cannot really compare someone because you don't know how other countries are doing because, when it comes to something like this, everybody is done. You can't really have the difference to distinguish here. For me, I say it's okay. Q. You get tested when you go to another country? Does another country test you? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, everywhere we're tested. For someone like me, top athletes, we're tested in competition and out of competition. In training, they come where you stay, where you train, where you're tested, all through. It's really good. Q. Where did the decision to attempt to break the course record come from? WILSON KIPSANG: What? Q. How did you decide to try to break the course record this year? You came out and said that you're going to go after the course record. Like what made you decide that? WILSON KIPSANG: I think for someone like me, I've always been trying to‑‑ when I go to a race, it's more interesting when you run a faster time on the course. That's really my plan because I always try to see if a race like this has been run 2:05, if I can run faster than that, I think it's better. Q. Have you changed your volume of training or style of training, or pretty much the same program you've been on the last few years? WILSON KIPSANG: It's still the same. Nothing has changed. Q. Nothing is broken? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, nothing is broken. It's the same. Q. How do you define your friendship and camaraderie with Geoffrey Mutai? If you could define in one line what you guys are on the track and outside the track. WILSON KIPSANG: I continue to say outside training we find we are very much friendly, socialize so much. We try to talk to one another, advise one another on various things. So we are very much friends. Q. How would you define yourself as a group? You seem very positive and smiling. Are you kind of the funny person of the group? Are you very serious? And like off of the track you like to be fun and be less serious. How do you define yourself, all of you training? WILSON KIPSANG: Like out of the guys, after the training, I can say they always like to listen to me, what to do, what kind of stuff. What can we do for tomorrow, what's the plan for tomorrow? They always like to approach me to say, what can we do? I want to do this, is that okay? So I'm a very social person, give advice in the right way. Q. You've been running, most of your career has been on flat courses, but now you come to New York. Of course you train on rolling hills at home, but why did you select New York City this year rather than the Frankfurts, the Hamburgs, the Berlins, the faster courses? WILSON KIPSANG: I came to New York because I wanted to take that challenge of racing in such a condition and on such a hilly course. Q. How would you say your confidence is based on your preparation compared to last year in Berlin or this year before London? WILSON KIPSANG: I can really say that my training has been going on very well, and it's really very positive towards this race. I feel that kind of confidence that I'm ready to race. Q. Do you study the previous races of your opponents? I mean, have you studied the way that Geoffrey runs his races and where he has a tendency to attack? You have been a front‑runner in your career a lot. Is that something you naturally‑‑ does that come on you in the moment, or do you just feel more comfortable dictating the pace? Especially in a race with no pace setters like New York City. Is that part of your makeup? Why do you always seem to attack earlier than many people? WILSON KIPSANG: I think what motivates me to attack is, after studying the race from the start, you always reach a point where you try to see and analyze the guys. You really feel that this is the right time to attack. Q. You feel it? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, you really feel it. If I attack at this time, it can really give you a chance to win or to run a good time. Q. Wilson, do you like to make one move or are you happy to test the will of the others by surging at different times in the race and seeing if you can break up the pack a little? WILSON KIPSANG: I think it's always to try to see the race course with the other guys. But at this point, I feel myself strong, and the only way is to break off from the group. Q. I've heard this from others, but I'd like your opinion: How do you measure weakness in somebody else you're running with? What do you look for or listen to? WILSON KIPSANG: Just how I feel. Q. Just how you feel? WILSON KIPSANG: You have to see them. Q. Little sneaky moves? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah. Q. First whether their strides or shorter, they're breathing, whatever they're doing, it's a little different. WILSON KIPSANG: No, you can easily see the way somebody's running. It's very easy for us athletes, you're going to see the runner you are running beside you is maybe‑‑ Q. You can sense? WILSON KIPSANG: You can instantly sense this guy's relaxing. This guy is still very strong. And if you make a move, you can see the one who is very strong just comes very quick, maybe trying to, yeah, that kind of move. Q. Who answers quickly? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, they'll respond very quickly. But others, you find that if you put on that kind of speed, then you know, yes. Q. You like the game? It's a game? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes. Q. It's a great game? WILSON KIPSANG: It's a great game, but only you can do it if you are in top shape. You've got to feel that kind of play with the other guys. But if you are not strong, if you do it, you are messing up. Q. You drop yourself? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah. Q. 30, 40 in your camp? How many are in your camp right now, your training camp? WILSON KIPSANG: For me, it's around 50. Q. Obviously, with Geoffrey, Dennis is his main training partner. We just saw that Mutai trains with Steven Kiprotich. So those two camps have strong people. Who's your strongest training mate? WILSON KIPSANG: For my guys, I don't have very strong athletes at my level. Q. Does that puts more pressure on you? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, but it's also good because you take control of the group. Q. But it makes you push yourself even more? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah. Q. Is that why you went sometimes to train with Geoffrey and Dennis, just to get a similar level of athlete? You wanted to train with somebody of your ability, to push yourself? WILSON KIPSANG: But sometimes it's very risky because you train with somebody who's very strong or at your level, you can really overtrain. So it's very risky because you will be feeling strong, trying to push, to push. The risk of overtraining is very high. Q. You get competitive in training? WILSON KIPSANG: Yeah, so it's not good. Q. We've seen this with other groups. WILSON KIPSANG: Only in specific training programs, yeah. Q. Wilson, when did you begin training? Your history, when you read up on it, only goes back to 2007. That's only seven years ago. Did you run in high school? WILSON KIPSANG: I think started really training in 2003. But racing, started in 2007. So five years training, yeah. Q. For five years you trained and you didn't really race? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes. Q. And were you training five days a week? WILSON KIPSANG: Yes, six days. Q. Why did you put all that time in and wait another four or five years? That's rare. Because you did very well in '07. You did very well. WILSON KIPSANG: But the five years, I was just getting the time to be up. So I was not in a position to really compete. But it was just the training and trying to build up. A young athlete coming up. It's not easy to come up. Q. How many children do you have? WILSON KIPSANG: Four. Q. How old are they? WILSON KIPSANG: 10, 6, 4‑‑ Q. And the new one is 5 days old? WILSON KIPSANG: 5 days. Q. Boys or girls? WILSON KIPSANG: Three boys, one girl. Q. The newest one is a boy or a girl? WILSON KIPSANG: A girl. Q. Oh, the first girl. What's her name? WILSON KIPSANG: She's called Joy. Q. What would make you happy at the end of the day? At the end of the day, if you look back on your performance and you look, what would make you happy? A position or a position plus a time or a fast time and not a good position? What would be the best? WILSON KIPSANG: I think what I would most like to happen is a position maybe to win and a good time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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