Author: Marius

not run. It would be foolish to run half-injured a week before Rome. That would not benefit either races.

I am feeling fine, but I am still waiting for the post-altitude feeling to kick in. I am sure it will, so the only thing I focus on it getting my running system ready and my mind fresh. Then I have done my job, and the rest is just to run the race. So much training, and finally some racing.

I have not seen any startinglists yet, but I would guess that all the best Kenyans and Maroccons will be in there, plus some Ethiopians. Then a good mix of Italians, Spaniards, French and maybe a German athlete or two. Plus myself. Should be around 20 athletes in the field, all good for 13.20s and down. The race there is always quick with good pacemakers. For me, it is just to hang on the best I can. I was tenth last year, with an almost perfect race. It will be hard to copy such a race this year again, but I will do my best. At least I have done my job this winter and have prepared well.

All well a week before Rome,

Marius

have had some days in my hometown Sandefjord now, just to get ready. Then I will go back to Oslo for the last preparation with Frank. When I have been in Sandefjord, he has driven down from Oslo for my quality sessions. It should be all right, even though the first race at your special distance (mine, the 5000 meters) always brings out some nervousness.

I will travel down there the day before. It is really hot in Rome, and I have good experience with going down there as close as possible to avoid getting drained out by the heat. I also think my many trips to Kenya (with the weather there) gives me an advantage when it comes to acclimatization. I run at 21.55 (9.55) so by then it will hopefully be nice and cool also.

All well with me, 9 days before Rome.

Marius

entered there, thanks to good work from my manager. Having contacts to get you into a fast race early is everything. That will help you into races later in the season. The Golden League (GP) meetings are always fast, and with the pacemakers, the field is stretched early so you don´t have to struggle your way through. The athmosphere is also great – lots of people watching, everything extremely professional in every way. The only thing you need to do it to prepare yourself, and chances are you will run your best. The 5000 meter is usually around 9 in the evening, which suits me fine. I like to race late, that is when I am at my best. With few exceptions that is when I have run my personal bests.

Just have to stay focused the last days down here 🙂

Marius

to focus now for the remaining part of the stay. But luckily, the weather is back to normal – t-shirt and shorts, so that makes it a bit easier.

A lot of the day now goes into planning the summer, getting treatment on my legs (now is the time to be injury free 🙂 ) and just resting. You need to be disciplined with those things. The winter is tough, both in the planning and doing, but the summer is even harder to get right. Now balance is much more important. If you go wrong, the way back is longer, and you usually do not have time to change direction.

But I am used to this, and know my body quite well. Plus I have great people around me to guide me. That limits the chance of missing out on the important work that will lead to fast times.

Today, some more Norwegians will come down here. Will be nice to see some other Norwegians also, even though Frank and I go extremely well together. We challenge eachtother, but at the same time have a very friendly tone. Probably the fact that we are only 12 years apart makes it easier, and I think this tone is crucial to success. Too many times communication between “coach” and athlete is going only one way and the athlete do not challenge the coach enough. Once you just settle down and think you know the whole truth, you are probably done with being successful. You have to be dynamic and work together to get the best results.

Time to rest – hard day tomorrow with intervalls by the lakeside 🙂

Marius

Schumann (Ger) 1:45.28
3. Hezekiel Sepeng (Rsa) 1:45.44

1,500m
1. Bernard Lagat (Ken) 3:35.65
2. Enock Koech (Ken) 3:35.80
3. Abdelkader Hachlaf (Mar) 3:36.02

3,000m (counts towards IAAF Grand Prix II)
1. Abiyote Abate (Eth) 7:43.17
2. Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) 7:43.28
3. Hailu Mekonnen (Eth) 7:46.03

10,000m (Grand Prix):
1. Assefa Mezgebu (Eth) 27:22.30
2. Charles Kamathi (Ken) 27:22.58
3. Girma Tola (Eth) 27:22.84

3,000m steeplechase
1. Reuben Kosgei (Ken) 8:15.43
2. Bernard Barmasai (Ken) 8:15.58
3. Kipkirui Misoi (Ken) 8:15.77

Discus (Grand Prix):
1. Robert Fazekas (Hun) 65.74m
2. Zoltan Kovago (Hun) 65.03
3. Michael Mollenbeck (Ger) 64.62

Pole vault
1. Danny Ecker (Ger) 5.65m
2. Nick Hysong (USA) 5.65
3. Patrick Kristiansson (Swe) 5.60

Women
100m
1. Kim Gevaert (Bel) 11.32sec
2. Natalya Ignatova (Rus) 11.36
3. Oksana Dyanchenko-Ekk (Rus) 11.40

800m
1. Fabiana Dos Santos (Bra) 1:59.91
2. Tanya Blake (Eng) 2:01.87
3. Stella Jongmans (Ned) 2:02.19

1500m
1. Abebech Negussie (Eth) 4:09.25
2. Elena Buhaianu (Rom) 4:09.28
3. Jancinta Nuraguri (Ken) 4:09.31

5000m (Grand Prix):
1. Berhane Adere (Eth) 14:51.67
2. Irina Mikitenko (Ger) 14:53.00
3. Ayalech Worku (Eth) 14:54.00

400m hurdles
1. Daimi Pernia (Cub) 55.38
2. Kim Batten (USA) 56.76
3. Marjolein De Jong (Ned) 56.95

Shot (Grand Prix):
1. Yanina Korolchik (Blr) 20.29m
2. Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Blr) 19.53
3. Svetlana Krivelova (Rus) 19.25

3000m steeplechase
1. Cristina Iloc-Casandra (Rom) 9:45.12
2. Anita Weyermann (Swi) 9:57.06
3. Luminita Gogirlea (Rom) 9:57.06

Hammer (Grand Prix):
1. Kamilla Skolimowska (Pol) 67.45m
2. Olga Kosenkova (Rus) 67.43
3. Manuela Montebrun (Fra) 67.24

sport server

realize the temperature drop before snow started to come down 🙂

Frank is back in St.Moritz now after a few days back in Norway to take care of some things there. He was very satisfied with todays training session, and confirmed that I am well on my way.

Now lots of runners are coming here. Saw Andre Bucher (1.42 800 m.) at the track today, several Italian runners, some Germans ones and a few other groups. Makes the place perfect for training.

All still well,

Marius

endurance. I feel strong, and Frank has had to hold me back on some of the work. I have a good sense of control over different paces and the response I have to training, but it is always good someone look at you from the outside. Just to see the whole picture.

Only about 10 days left of my stay, and Rome is getting closer. But I will be ready by that time. I just have to stay injury-free and healthy. That is a constant challenge, as I am always on the limit to what I handle.

More athletes are arriving St.Moritz now. It is the base of alot of the best Kenyans/Africans in the summer (like Tergat/Koech etc) plus many of the best non-Africans. It is convinient when they race in Europe to have somewhere to go when they want to keep the altitude stress there and the blood values high.

All well here in Switzerland,

Marius

recovery.

Todays special session was a 1200 meter-1000 meter-600 meter -2×400 meters and 3×200 meters. A quite short session, but just brutal in the making. He starts me off at a hard pace. After the first repetition I have a short recovery. Then the pace get quicker and quicker on each run, but the recovery gets shorter and shorter…at the end is only 1/4 of the first one….At 1850 meters altitude, you can definately feel it.

I managed to hit the exact times he had put down, and I was surprised and pleased. I floated well, and despite the altitude I was extremely sharp and strong. The times I was running would easily be a great session at sea level as well. Which shows me that I am in great shape, and (like I already knew) I do not need an acclimatization period when I go to altitude anymore. I can just jump right into it.

So all well here in St.Moritz !

Marius

ps : pictures from the race in Floro is out on the web under “pictures”…Frank was unable to shoot during the race, but there are some prerace-postrace shots. I have also sent pictures from St.Moritz home now, and they should be out on the web shortly.

on top of them, and they make a beautiful contrast to the green valley at a bit over 1800 meters.

We have decided to stay about a 15 minute jog from the center of St.Moritz. It is called Silvaplana, and is a small village by the lake. The track is in St.Moritz, but running conditions from Silvaplana are better. From Silvaplana you have the same forest paths (that are located between the two places) to run on as from St.Moritz, but in addition to this you can also run in the other direction on cinder roads through the magnificant mountainside scenario.

It is really quiet here right now, as it is low season for skiing and summer activities. Makes it the perfect place to relax and refresh oneself before a stressful summer of racing and travelling.

The first quality session down here around the lake felt extremely good. Because I am used to much higher altitudes and been on a string of altitude stays this year, I quite honestly do not feel the altitude at all. Great for faster sessions now as Rome and the 5000 meter there is only a month and one day away 🙂

I will post some pictures from here later. Until then, you could take a look at www.stmoritz.com or www.silvaplana.com to get an idea. They don´t have the greatest pictures on there, but at least it will give you a visual impression.

Marius

Frank will come with me again. It is good to have people that can watch your sessions and guide you along.

Full focus after the altitude stay that ends the 12th of June is Rome Golden League 5000 meters the 29th of June. I am already entered in that meeting, and the times there are always extremely fast. The climate is stabile, the athmosphere is great and all the athletes are fresh and ready to race. Last year was an experience (with a pr. of 13.11) and I hope this year will match it. Time will tell, but I will be well prepared.

All well. Next update will be from St.Moritz,

Marius