ELIUD KIPCHOGE insists he still has “the fire” as he sets his sights on creating more marathon history in 2020, writes Euan Crumley.
The Kenyan star who wowed the world with his landmark run of 1:59:41 in October is back in training and has announced his next target – he will be returning to the Virgin London Marathon on April 26, aiming to be the first able-bodied athlete to win the event five times.
His course record of 2:02:37, set this year, will come under threat but the 35-year-old also won’t rule out the possibility of breaking his legal world record (the controlled conditions in which he ran the INEOS 1:59 challenge meant it wasn’t eligible) of 2:01:39 from Berlin last year when he returns to the streets of the UK capital where he has enjoyed four wins from four starts.
“I still have the fire,” said Kipchoge, who is also likely to defend his Olympic title next year. “Even if I am tired and have just woken up I just go for a run and after 10 minutes the energy just comes.
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Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
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