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NYC HALF MARATHONMarch 18, 2012Peter KiruiDeriba MergaNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK RICHARD FINN: To our champion, congratulations. Peter, a great run. Could you just talk a little bit about the race? PETER KIRUI: I'm very happy now to be the winner and maybe come to the event next year, also. RICHARD FINN: And the idea was to take it out right from the start? Was that your idea today, to take the lead or try to take the lead right from the start of the race? PETER KIRUI: It was an enjoyable run starting. I and him, we start faster, and then 10K, it was some more hilly, and after 10K it was flat, and after 12K there was strong wind. RICHARD FINN: Deriba, your thoughts today about the race, too. You took it out right from the start but then got caught at the end. Could you just talk a little bit about the race? DERIBA MERGA: Today after 5K, I push after 5K, very big up, little bit windy. After 10K, down, up, very difficult for me. Last, big windy. After 10 kilometers, big windy for me. RICHARD FINN: Did you think that you could try to catch Peter at the very end, or when he went ahead did you just know that he had a little too much speed for you at the very end? DERIBA MERGA: Yeah, it start big push, go. This guy not‑‑ he kill me, this guy.  Finish like‑‑ (continues through interpreter). Because it was very windy, I really wasn't able to do my finishing kick the way I would have liked to. Q. Obviously you've had some good results and paced the world record marathon and are still relatively young. Can you tell us how long you've been training and when and how you got started? PETER KIRUI: I start running when I was in high school. It was 2005, 2006, 2007. I finished my career, I start running. I trained to come. I run for one year, and then in 2008 I start with my country or my group outside the country. In 2010 I start running some road races here in U.S., and on that year, also, I start to be a pacemaker. I start pacing for Makau in the race, in Rotterdam in 2010. In same year also I pacemaker also for led Sammy Wanjiru in Chicago. He ran 2:06. Last year, also, I paced for Wilson Chebet in Rotterdam, also. He run 2:05. The same year, also, I went to Daegu, I returned to my country, and one month later, I pace for Patrick Makau for world record, and after five days, also, I paced for Wilson Kipsang in Frankfurt. That's maybe two seconds to Peter Makau's world record, I think. RICHARD FINN: Peter, what's your next race? Do you have a marathon scheduled, or are you going on the track next for the Olympics? Are you running a spring marathon? PETER KIRUI: Yeah, after this race, after today's race, I'll go and prepare for the next competition, Rotterdam Marathon in April. I hope to go and win, also, like today. Q. I was curious about the start of the race. You guys just kind of bolted out there. You weren't waiting for anyone. Did you expect there to be more people coming with you from the beginning, or was that a strategy coming in that you just wanted to go out in front? DERIBA MERGA: When the race began I didn't expect there would be quite so many hills, but as the number of the hills increased, then I started to find it more difficult. Had there not been quite as many hills, I would have challenged for the win all the way. I did not expect that any other people would come with us at the beginning because I knew the pace was extremely high. Q. Was that your plan, to take it that high at the beginning? DERIBA MERGA: I wanted it to be very fast because I was in very good shape when I was preparing back home in my country. But it's as a result of the hills that I wasn't able to make it even faster. But I did want it to be a high, fast pace. Q. Peter, when you saw Deriba go out like that, you were the only one to go up to him. Did you know that if you didn't catch him, then he was gone? PETER KIRUI: Yeah. When we start the race, I knew that my goal is normally to run faster, for I know since 2004 he was in the Olympics. Before last year, or last year when I was in front, also, I was a pacemaker, he was there, and I knew that he normally run fast, not stay behind in the race. Q. You knew you had to go with him then or maybe not catch him? PETER KIRUI: Exactly I knew. Q. Deriba, what are your plans for the Olympics or what's your next race? Are you running one of the spring marathons? DERIBA MERGA: For the Olympics I'm thinking I'm going to run 10,000 meters. I'd like to get a qualifying time on the track. But in a couple of weeks I'll be running the Dong‑A Marathon in Korea. Q. Peter, just a question, you said you're running the Rotterdam Marathon in April? PETER KIRUI: Rotterdam Marathon. Q. What kind of time do you think you need to record in order to make the Kenyan Olympic selection for London? PETER KIRUI: In Rotterdam maybe I expect to run maybe 2:05, 2:04, and I know in Kenya we have a strong people for marathon. We have Makau, we have defending champion for world championship Abel Kirui, we have a strong man in Edan Kiplagat, and maybe I. If I run 2:03 maybe I will be among those who represent my country in the Olympics, but I'm focusing now to compete in 10,000, not Olympic, because I know maybe I'll run in four years to come, maybe Olympic marathon, for I know four years is not too far. It's like tomorrow. Q. If you're going to focus on the 10,000, do you think we'll see you‑‑ I think they announced recently that they're going to do the 10,000 selection at the pre‑class. Are you going to be in the United States for that? PETER KIRUI: Yeah, of course to be among those running the trials here in the United States. If the trials selection is maybe June, after I recover, I hope to be among those who will be there. Q. Peter, you've had success as a pacemaker in the full marathon distance and you've had success at 10K at the World Championships and the Kenyan trials. How does your half marathon performance here compare to both of those distances? How do you think the effort compared both ways? PETER KIRUI: I like both races, 10Ks, 10,000, half marathon, maybe marathon. That is what I'm forecasting now. Q. So you want to become a marathoner? PETER KIRUI: Yeah. RICHARD FINN: Again, congratulations, second fastest time here at the New York City Half by Peter, Deriba. Congratulations, best of luck in your next races, Rotterdam in three weeks and South Korea in two weeks. Congratulations. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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