|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHONNovember 1, 2013Martin LelNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Q. First of all, I want to know, during the Kenyan tribal fighting, were you affected by any of that, and if so, how? MARTIN LEL: You couldn't train at all. Q. How many months? MARTIN LEL: No, I think on my side I wasn't able to do anything. You couldn't train at all. Q. What happened? MARTIN LEL: We moved. Q. For how many months? MARTIN LEL: For one month with other group. They couldn't train for two or three weeks.  No physical effect, but no training. Q. Was this before one of your New York victories? What year was this? MARTIN LEL: No, before London victory. He won London this year. Q. So where were you when you heard the news about the bombing at the Boston Marathon? How did you get the news? MARTIN LEL: Yeah, I learned from the broadcast. Q. You learned from broadcasting? MARTIN LEL: Yeah. Q. And do you ever run in fear? Do you ever think about the outside world and the conflict in it when you're racing? MARTIN LEL: No. For me, I'm confident in the security, only focus on the race. I don't have to think about the security. Q. How has your training been going? This is only your third marathon since 2008. Are you healthy? MARTIN LEL: Yes. The training, everything was going well. I've been training well, and I've never been having any problems. Q. Has it been frustrating going through the number of injuries that you've had? You know, you're unable to get to the start line? MARTIN LEL: Yes. For sure, that's been an obstacle. I have had too frequent injuries. But when I came back, it was easy because I tried to maintain my performance, and it was excellent for me. Q. What is your goal for Sunday? What do you think is possible? MARTIN LEL: Oh, I can't really tell you, but I wish my‑‑ to try my best to get my maximum in my career. Q. You've made it to the start line in New York twice, and you've won twice. Is this going to be number three? MARTIN LEL: For now, I can't say because during that time it was quite different. For now, there is a young talent coming up, and I hope this year try to race with them. But I don't think that it is not as some PRs go. Q. You train with Stanley. How have you guys been able to help each other in this training block get ready for this race? MARTIN LEL: Yes, I've been sharing ideas, training, but I hope for the best in the sense of Stanley and also on my side. Q. How long have you been totally healthy? When's the last time you had an injury? MARTIN LEL: It was 2000‑‑ it's been frequent since whenever I came, I race one race, the other race is a problem. So it's not been something short. It's been going on for a while. Q. Good health since when? When were you 100 percent healthy? MARTIN LEL: I cannot say I've been 100 percent healthy, but normal for an athlete not to have 100 percent health. Q. Q.You say that the marathoning has gotten much more difficult in the recent years with all the young people and the 2:03, but the two times you've run since 2008, you're still second place. So it seems to me that you can compete with them. MARTIN LEL: Yes, I think they would say, with my opponents anyway, it's hard to get that time. During my time, my fast marathon here 2003, I think most of them, they were still in school. They were still very young. Now I'm still competing with them. So I think it's great for me. I like them to go with the time. Q. Now that you're older, you're 35, do you do less training because your body is getting older? Or do you train pretty much the same as you did? MARTIN LEL: For me, I find that there is no difference. What I realize most frequently is that the head doesn't matter, but always from my side, most athletes age is the mind because whenever you struggle in the mind, the age doesn't matter. Especially when you look at commit high let. It's very hard, but this man is still dedicated to the sport. So we hit at that 6 under for the high. Especially when you see the age, it's very hard, but this man is still dedicated to the sport. Q. During the period where you were suffering injuries, was it a situation of overtraining that was causing the injuries? Or were they just like fluke things that were happening? MARTIN LEL: I think what I realize is that they‑‑ because frequently I was at times overtraining, and then I exhausted my body. And during that time, the body was so fragile. But now there is a way of training from a different angle. But I'll be in the same shape like always but not like the same training that I used to be. Q. What kind of changes, if any, have you made to your training? MARTIN LEL: Like not training so much, too frequently, with mileages. The body was picking up more, and yet I was still hurt a long way. So it was very hard, difficult for me to get through. Q. Are you looking forward to being able to run with a training partner like Stanley on Sunday? And how do you think you can help each other? MARTIN LEL: You know, the thought of Stanley and myself, he's quite the friend. We try our best to get the best of ourselves, if not for him to win, and myself to do my best. Q. If there's a pack of you together with less than 400 meters to go, who do you pick? MARTIN LEL: I pick Martin Lel. I think it will be a blessing for me to go with somebody to get that remaining 400. I would celebrate because it is my favorite place at that time. I like to run it. Q. Due to the injuries, did you almost give up and think I'm never going to run a race again, or did you always believe you would be back? MARTIN LEL: I think I was well‑managed by my coach here. I never lose confidence in myself. After I was injured so frequently, I want to say my mind was still very strong, but coach was really giving me more confidence that I'm still able to run. So I say, Steve, I still have a chance to run. Q. Which type of course do you prefer? You've won in London. You've won hilly New York. Which is better for you? MARTIN LEL: I think all is good for me. I like hard course, at the same time fast and flat course. All for me is good. Q. It seems to me that, as you're older, maybe New York is better because it's not quite as fast. You don't have to run 2:03. You can run 2:06, 2:07. MARTIN LEL: Yeah. Although this young generation, they're coming up with high speed, I do prefer New York because it's not as fast a course. This course uses experience because this course is a little bit hilly and needs for the athlete to be in good condition. You have to have this type of experience because it's not so easy. It's a very hard course. Q. Has Stanley asked you for any pointers? Has he asked you for your advice about how to approach this course? MARTIN LEL: Yeah, I've been talking with him because we are sharing a room together, and it's good that we share some ideas. And then we can have a good race on Sunday. Q. You didn't do any half marathons or 10Ks in practice to get ready? There was no races in your buildup? How do you feel‑‑ like how do you know what type of shape you're in? MARTIN LEL: It's like I've been doing this last time when I went to London. I did the same. I never went for any road races. And I managed to come up with that. So I believe and trust in myself that I will perform very well. Q. Were you worried about injuring yourself at all in a tune‑up race? MARTIN LEL: No, I didn't worry about that, but this time around, I say let me try to focus only on the marathon. Otherwise, I was not scared of injury. Q. You're very close friends with Robert Cheruiyo that won Boston four times. Is he retired from racing? MARTIN LEL: It was like somewhat and some not yet. There's like some opportunity, and he'll do it. I think he's not yet decided to retire completely. Q. In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon, is there ever any anxiety or worry in your head or the other runners about security in the race? MARTIN LEL: Oh, no. No, after the Boston Marathon, you know, everybody say negligence, but after coming here, I'm fully confident, and I'm not scared anything about security. My focus is on the race, and there's nothing I feel about insecurity. Q. Do you have any concerns about the weather? It's supposed to be windy and a little chilly compared to today. MARTIN LEL: No, I think whichever comes, we are ready because it's a race. Can't escape from it. Q. Do you have a part of the course that you fear or like most? MARTIN LEL: No. I don't fear. Q. How about the bridge, the Queensboro Bridge? MARTIN LEL: No, it's all okay. No problem. Q. He likes the last 400 meters. Q. I know this question has probably been asked before, but how do you feel coming back to New York? You've run before. How's your training been? And the racing, I know you only did a few other races? MARTIN LEL: It's great to be here once again. At the same time, it's also great for me to run here because that's been a long time, ten years back, and I'm here also running. So for me it's good to still be here and running. Q. Do you feel that you're somewhat running under the radar this time when you're coming back to New York? I remember in London last time, when you came in second, the focus wasn't on you. Everyone was looking at everyone else, and you came, and you did extremely well. Do you feel the same way about New York? Or less pressure maybe? MARTIN LEL: No. Sincerely for me, I have no pressure. It seems that everything is well for me. To try my best, but I have no pressure. Q. There are very few runners in the top where you have been. You have been injured so many times like you. What motivates you to come back all the time? MARTIN LEL: You know‑‑ Q. Your manager? MARTIN LEL: People ask what makes me be able to run until this time. It's because what it makes me. It makes me courageous. It gives me a lot of courage for whatever I'm trying. And also give me a lot of confidence that I'm still running. So I find that I still do a lot in this kind of sport. So I still have a chance to try. Q. No one has ever beaten you on this course? Does it make you feel proud? MARTIN LEL: So proud. It's a thrill for me. Q. In America, there's a phrase, the third time's the charm. Do they have that in Kenya?  It means three, like three is always lucky. Do you have that in Kenya, that saying? MARTIN LEL: No, we don't, but I do believe at times when somebody has something they just love, I do believe. Q. On Sunday, if you won ten years after your first victory, do you believe‑‑ how would you‑‑ what would your thoughts on that be? MARTIN LEL: I think I cannot even explain because it will be very hard after ten years to come here and win, but it would be great. Q. How do you feel about Stanley's shape? How is he compared to you right now? MARTIN LEL: I think Stanley's in good shape. The only things that‑‑ marathon is marathon, and you cannot predict it. Anything can happen in a marathon. But I do believe he has the potential to win. Q. Who do you train with now? Who are your training partners currently in Kenya? MARTIN LEL: Like at times Stanley, some other guys, young guys. There are not many. Q. Do you feel like the younger generations coming up are pushing you to also run faster times and that they encourage you in your practice to run faster? MARTIN LEL: Yeah, that is good because, you know, I think what makes me motivated very well is they are coming up, they are very young, and idyllic, and they're still thinking of myself. I like them because it is their time. Q. Do you know Geoffrey Mutai very well? MARTIN LEL: I know very well. He's a friend of mine. Q. On Sunday, are you going into the race to enjoy it? Like ten years ago you won it first time. Now you can say I have no pressure, I enjoy it. Let the marathon come to me. MARTIN LEL: I think on Sunday I can't say I'm coming to enjoy. It's no day to enjoy. I come to try my best because there is no race whereby, especially this young, talented kind, there's no time to enjoy. But to come and do my best. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|