nostalgia Marta Galimanidelighted to return to the place where he broke the Spanish record last year, Restless Fantasy Laura LuongoEntering 42 kilometers for the first time, full of confidence Taricou Novaleshe knew he was the most popular among the Spanish and knew exactly what he was looking for, as well as the precise mathematics Red Iago They coexisted on four armchairs in Hall 5 of the Valencia Fair, sharing their Olympic dreams, calming nerves ahead of Sunday’s marathon and talking.
Novales, 25, did it from Ayad Lamdassem’s Spanish record, which 2 hours, 6 minutes and 25 seconds, a timer you’re sure you can beat so far, he wasn’t even worried about the pace set for him until he was already a 2:05 runner and the Rabbit won’t be set until Saturday. “It’s not something that worries me because I have a pretty good idea of the pace I can handle,” he explained, talking about taking risks, Undaunted, he ran his first half marathon quickly with redoubled intention, if it gets punctured, it’s a winner. “You can lose less the second time than you can win the first time,” he points out.
Disciples of Luis Miguel Martín Berlanas and Juan del Campo remember that last year he had a complicated preparation with a cane but ran very fast, which is why he is happy since March I have hardly felt any discomfort since. Not a single statistic supports his optimism, but everything. “Global calculations, health, continuity, optimal kilometers, my ease in long runs…”, he listed, remembering that last September “I couldn’t keep up with the girls” and this year he returned to full training after finishing 21st at the World Cup in Budapest.
Only one virus kept Tariku, who was born in Ethiopia and adopted in Spain at the age of six and returned to his homeland in January 2021 when he was injured, for a week in Ethiopia. Origins, a personal search trip that was supposed to last a week, lasted a month and a half. “It was a time to reconnect with my roots and know that I could feel at home in another part of the world. “”, explained Novales, which is why since then he has returned there at an altitude of more than 2000 meters to prepare for the marathon.
“One of the most distinctive aspects is the philosophy of the athletes there because You unlock a lot of mental barriers like how many kilometers you can ride, how intense a long ride is, and at first you think it’s crazy, but you can do itAnd then there’s the food, everything comes from the land, animals and table, without the abundance of ultra-processed foods or saturated fats. ” said the Galician as he rushed down from 2000 meters. The Ethiopian runner went to Madrid to run 600 meters and inspired his companion Iago Rojo.
“I was better prepared when he came back, The clear target is the Olympic minimum standard (2:08:10), although from 32km onwards the legs will decide the verdict.. If it doesn’t happen, life will go on. ” said the Aluche marathon runner, who remembers his debut in 2020, when he ran 2 hours, 09 minutes and 56 seconds, and two years later, always in Valencia, with a time of 1 minute and 30 seconds. The score was a full 1 minute 30 seconds behind. Each half. , so On Sunday he was supposed to pass the half marathon in 1:04:12 and finish the marathon in 2:07:56, and his calculations were spot on..
The 28-year-old Rojo revealed on his network that he had reached 1,998 kilometers in 11 weeks of preparation, with an average of 181 kilometers, further than ever before, and on a day of heavy rain and wind in Madrid. Li didn’t stop either. It blew by like a strong gust of wind, which also coincided with a long run at marathon pace. “What the body understands is not rhythm, but effort, addition and accumulation.”, defended, therefore agreeing with Marta Gallimani, who also had to face the severe cold in Romeu in the Pyrenees, but followed the instructions of Jodi Todo. “Internal load, if the rhythm is off, we continue with the right intensity.”
Laura Luengo’s exciting debut
Galimani, 38 years old, carries the minimum Olympic standard in his pocket, She must prove herself with another great record as they can put pressure on her in the race for three Olympic berths.she also knows that last year’s national record (2 hours, 26 minutes and 14 seconds) may enter a level that she cannot reach. The Spanish premiere of Majida Mayouf (last year at 2:21) no one is talking about. “In a marathon at this level you can’t think about your opponent, you have to focus on yourself,” she declared.
These words sound like advice An exciting debut for Laura Luengo, who broke the Spanish half marathon record in the same city six weeks ago with a time of 1:09:41. “My main goal was to feel good and get to the finish line thinking I could have a future somewhere far away, but in preparation I knew a pace of 3:28/km was something I could live with and that it was worth trying for the Olympic minimum limit (2 hours, 26 minutes and 50 seconds), stick with that group and then I’ll see how the marathon does for me,” explained the woman from Extremadura.
Luongo, 26, who suffered from gastroenteritis, celebrated in front of the media that his body was adapting well to the increased kilometers. “My coaches told me I would love it and the marathon was always on their minds, They introduced it to me bit by bit, like a whisper, and seeing my teammates make their debuts at a young age is an example of that.“, he said of Novales and his partner Rojo, with whom he shares a team and passion: It was a great Sunday in Valencia, with sunshine in the forecast between 8 and 8 Between 10 degrees Celsius and winds below 12 kilometers per hour. A good sign.
Sneakers – HOKA Rocket
Sneakers – HOKA Rocket
Ismail Perez is a journalist and expert on athletics and Olympic sports. He was fascinated by the 2004 Athens Olympics and since then he has happily followed the games through the news media, talked to the athletes, followed them on social networks and told stories, and also went out on bikes or attended concerts.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Valladolid and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Digital Communication from the EAE Business School in Madrid. He has lived in Turin and Rome and has reported for Norte de Castile, El Mundo Castile and León, TV Castile and León, Roma Report various journalism and worked in corporate communications at Burson Cohn & Wolfe. He also writes about the major athletics championships in Somos Olimpicos, Vavel or Foroatletismo and spoke at the IAAF Global Running Congress in Lanzhou (China).
With a career in the industry spanning more than a decade, he has been associated with Hearst Magazines’ Runner’s World, Men’s Health, and Women’s Health since 2019 and writes about competitive sports, Current affairs articles on popular races, triathlons, trail running, Olympics and more. Sometimes he also tries his hand at cycling, rock climbing, sailing, swimming, tennis, kayaking, judo, snowboarding… or any sport that has a place in the Olympics (not the Olympics).