Visit to Iten – hard training week has started

I have started the first full hard week here in Eldoret now. A 1000 meter session Monday at the Platue with some very hard repeats. I need those sessions to get into shape – it is one of the core workouts I do. It is great because I have references…

to those specific workouts back three years at altitude. In exact times, heart-rate curves and lactate tests. So you get a very clear and complete picture of where you are in training.

Tomorrow is a double hard session. I have to run it very early and very late in the day because the hot January weather has hit Eldoret. Yesterday evening at around 5 was way to hot to run intervalls. You get used to it but in the beginning it is much better to avoid the sun as much as you can.

The others Norwegians down here are doing fine as well. Some of them are at altitude for the very first time so they need to be careful. 90 % of athletes at altitude the first time work too hard (myself included – three years ago) and break down the body much more than they realize before it is too late. You not only need discipline but you also need patient. Because you will not feel the stress until about a week later up here. You feel great and run hard the first week and you will feel horrible the next.

We went to Iten yesterday – up to 2400 meters altitude to meet Honore Hoedt the coach of the middle/distance runners of the Netherlands. We also met with Jim Svenøy, the Norwegian steepler. Quite a group of runners up there at the same time ; Lornah Kiplagat (World class marathoner), a 1.55 female 800 meter runner – 3rd World Champs Edmonton from Surinam, Bram Som 1.43 800 meters, Jim 8.12 Steepler, Gert-Jan Liefers 3.31/32 1500 m, Marko Koers about 3.32, another 1.45 800 meter runner, myself, Kamiel Maase 27.23 10000 m, a 2.10 marathoner, a 13.33 5k runner plus three girls all from 4.09 to 4.14 in the 1500 meters. Not bad. The surroundings were beautiful up there. It rains quite a bit so it is very green. Only 1 km from St. Patricks high school so this is right in the heart of distance running :))

Easy workouts today.

All going well,

Marius