Seated forlornly in the modestly furnished living room is Njeri, her eyes red and puffy, as if she has been crying. The widow wears a blank look as though she cannot register what is happening around her.
She is much smaller than she seems on television, more like a schoolgirl than a mother of two.
Since the moment her husband Samuel Kamau Wanjiru plunged to his death early on Monday morning, Njeri has had to suffer the double torment of coping with her partner’s death while dealing with a stream of stories about his life.
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Sunday, May 22, 2011
My life with star Wanjiru
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Athletics activities halt in North Rift
Coming barely a month after the burial of another marathoner Peter Kiprotich Cherus in a grisly road accident in Iten, the news of the death of Olympic champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru shook the athletics town to its foundation.
"Sammy Wanjiru? Very sorry to hear! It is a great loss to the country in general and the athletics fraternity in particular. It is very sad," condoled veteran coach Colm O’connell.
The Monday morning news that was received through Short Message Service (sms) and aired by most FM radio stations spread to training centres like bush fire.
"I received a call at dawn Wanjiru is dead. I thought it was a dream. It is shocking. It is very sad," said Jimmy Simba, another track tactician.
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“Key to my racing is confidence” – Q&A session with Patrick Makau
We had a brief chat to Team Adidas athlete and Posso Sports client, Patrick Makau of Kenya. Let’s hear what Patrick has to say:
Hello Patrick and congratulations on being awarded as the winner of the AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Award for 2010!
PS, E: Please share with us your thoughts about this prestigious award and tell us how it feels to be officially placed among the best of the best in marathon running?
PM: It’s motivating! I feel humbled and motivated. Receiving this award is wonderful! I am still working hard to build my name as a good marathon runner.
PS, E: When it comes to your grueling training programs and racing, what will, if anything, change from now on? Do you carry any extra pressure as a result of having received this trophy?
PM: I really don’t feel extra pressure because I’ve received this prestigious award, because the key to my racing is confidence. Without confidence you can not hope to compete against the really strong athletes.
PS, E: What lies ahead when it comes to training and competitions for the rest of 2011?
PM: Firstly, I am still recovering from the London Marathon of a few weeks ago. Leading up to London I had some health problems that did undermine my confidence in the lead-up to the race. Even though I know I wasn’t 100%, I am satisfied with my 2h:05’:45’’. Looking ahead, I will attempt to run a fast marathon this autumn. I doubt if I will compete in any road races before my marathon. I must start my marathon preparations relaxed and confident.
PS, E: Please tell us more about Patrick, the man behind Patrick-the-runner: How do you relax? What is your favorite music? Who are your best friends?
PM: I relax some everyday after training, but I look forward to going to my rural home (Kangundo) to really relax and be with my family. My best friends are my brothers and other family members. We’re all very close. Of course, I have many good friends that I race against, but training at a top level doesn’t leave much time to socialize. My favorite music is Kenyan Gospel and some of the popular Kenyan music that is around.
PS, E: Anything else to share with your fans and Posso Sports, Europe followers?
PM: I just want to tell all those that support me that in means so much to me that you appreciate my performances. I hope I will continue to improve and keep you all as my fans!
Thanks Patrick for talking to us. We wish you all the best for the rest of the season and will chat soon!
Blog Roll - Stephen Muzhingi
I was asked the other day, if I though it was possible to run a 5H10 Comrades Marathon? This got me thinking and I am sitting on the fence here. (I do think from time to time, despite what some of my friends may say, or tell you). 89km in 5H10! hmmmmmmm
Well if i said it wasn’t possible then I would probably be lying as anything is possible if you have the right frame of mind and the right training, you can do anything. If we take into consideration that to run a 5H20 which is the current Down Run record, which is held by Leonid Shvetsov, the man was in prime physical condition and the weather conditions on the day were almost perfect.
One had to run at a pace of in the region of 3 minutes 40 per kilometre. Which is a tough ask over that distance. But it was done, and not many at the time thought it was possible to run a 5H20. That was in 2007 and I came in 3rd.
If we look at the times of winners over the years, 85 of them to be precise these have come down from 8H59 (the first race 1921 Bill Rowen) to the 5H20 mark in 2007. The first time the 6H00 mark was broken was in 1975 by Derek Preiss, 5H53.49, and in the last 34 years the average winning time has only come down by 25 to 30 minutes. If we take this into account it would probably take another 20 odd years to get to the 5H10 mark. Yes these days we have supplements and energy boosters etc to assist us, but back in the 80`s there weren’t all these funny gels etc, so what makes the accomplishment of Bruce Fordyce so good, is that he was running consistently in the late 5H20 and early 5H30 bracket, with water and coke!
To run a 5H10 one would have to run on average 3 minutes 18 per kilometre over 89km, which is pretty much at almost full pace for the elite athletes, and not even on the radar for the average runner. So almost near impossible.
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Makau named AIMS athlete of year
Gothenburg Half Marathon Race Director Bo Edsberger presented the AIMS/ASICS Golden Shoe award, a world accolade from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), at a short ceremony prior to the Gothenburg Half Marathon which takes place today (21). Makau joins fellow Kenyans Benson Masya, Paul Tergat, Josephat Kiprono and Sammy Wanjiru.
Makau had an outstanding year in 2010, winning the 36th edition of the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in The Hague clocking a sub-one hour time of 59:52. After this he significantly improved his marathon best to 2:04:48 to win the Rotterdam Marathon, becoming the fourth fastest runner over the distance only to follow up this achievement with a subsequent win in the Berlin Marathon, clocking 2:05:08 to win his first World Marathon Major.
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