Post-Race Coverage: The Men's Race | The Women's Race | Photo Gallery
Pre-Race: Preview and Starter List |
Elite Athletes Past Performances | Men's Pre-Race Comments | A Chat w/ Abderrahim Goumri
Archive: Live Coverage
Results: Complete Searchable Results
2007 ING New York City Marathon - Men's Pre-Race Interviews
By Sharon Ekstrom
With the 2007 New York City Marathon, the excitement builds as former champions met to discuss their training and the things to come. MarathonGuide.com spoke with Stefano Baldini (ITA), Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), Martin Lel (KEN) and Rodgers Rop (KEN).
No Olympic Champion has ever won the New York City Marathon, but Stefano Baldini is once again stepping up to the challenge. Returning to New York having had a tough spring racing season, Baldini looks forward to the absence of pacemakers - a decision made by the New York City Marathon race organizers.
Baldini on pacemakers -
The race will be more tactical without pacemakers I do better without pacemakers. I hopefully will do better this year.
Baldini on recent poor performance -
Maybe I competed too much last year. I'm also 36 years old. I ran three marathons last season. Maybe I spent too much energy.
So, do you think age factors into performance?
This year, I feel tired maybe age is a problem, but you have to be confident. Athletes have to be confident every time because you never know…when you can do something special.
Baldini on retirement
I will compete for one or two more years of running-no more. Maybe last year will be my last year. New York City is the most famous marathon, lot's of strange people compete here. It's the first marathon or the last marathon for some.
Baldini on strategy -
Under 2:10 is good in ny but its difficult to predict. Slow start in the first 10K. It's important to stay under 2:15 and compete man-against-man.
Baldini on the trials - will you be watching the trials?
Of course. There are lots of my friends running - Meb, Ryan, Dathan, Abdi. Prediction is a 2:15, it will be a difficult course.
Whether Baldini is bluffing about retirement or not, we aren't too sure. What we do know is that for now, Baldini will remain focused for Sunday - "I know I can do something more. You have to do 100% of what you are at the moment."
Not only is Hendrick Ramaala a veteran of the New York City Marathon having run the race five times, he is one of the fiercest competitors on the race course. This 2004 New York City Marathon Champion, has spent a greater part of his marathoning career running sub 2:10 never backing down against the world's best competition - Tergat, Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Gebrselassie. Despite difficult performances in 2008 at the World Championships in Osaka and the New York City Half, Ramaala speaks with optimism.
Ramaala on himself -
I feel good. I am in good shape. I don't know if I'm in my best shape. I feel the best is yet to come.
Ramaala on the race -
I'm looking forward to Sunday. It's good to be in a hard race. Most of the time luck is on my side here. On Sunday, I am expecting a tough competition. It's going to be a hard race from the gun to the finish. There will be no waiting for the guys to come and kick us later.
Ramaala on strategy
The best is still to come. I'm looking forward to this one. Let the past be the past. I've run it before, which helps, and I've accepted 2005. There's not much I can do about the other guys. I suspect they're in good shape; maybe in better shape than myself. I suspect there will be team tactics, but I won't say who. I don't think guys will allow the race to be a walk for the first half and a race for the second half. To me, at 20K I start paying attention; it's my drink station and I have to drink. It's very important to take my drink then.
Ramaala on the Trials -
Olympic trials - I've a lot of friends competing for these three spots. If the older/favorites run too slow, the young ones will take the race.
(A 2:12 finish is the requirement to make the South African Olympic Team.)
Ramaala is a marathoner having run over fifteen marathons. He knows the course better than his competition and with two sub 2:10 finishes. If the conditions are favorable, 2008 could be his lucky year.
Martin Lel has just come off an incredible year. Most memorable in the 2007 London Marathon was his victorious fight to the finish against Abederrahim Goumri, which could possibly be repeated in New York as they go head-to-head once again. Lel has also outsprinted Half Marathon World Record Holder Sammy Wanjiru to a win at the 2007 Great North Run (13.1 miles). Lel, a champion of the 2003 New York City Marathon, had signed up for 2005 and 2006, but injuries kept him from the start line. Lel is back and ready to take on the competition.
Lel on the Race -
It's a great day for me to be here once again at the New York City Marathon. I'll try my best and see if I can retake my previous title.
Lel on Lel -
Is my condition where I can be to challenge these guys? The answer will be on Sunday.
Lel on training for London versus New York?
There is no difference in preparation for London and New York. It's more of the same; it's very competitive. I know here in New York again it's a fast race.
Lel on Geb's World Record -
When Geb broke the World Record, I was very happy because that guy was beaten by Martin Lel! Maybe something good will happen to me again.
Lel on setting his own world record -
For a World Record things have to be well-planned. Right now I don't have the preparation time with the Olympics so near. I'm still young. I'll get advice from Paul Tergat.
Despite having run New York City only one time prior, Lel won the 2003 New York City in 2:10:30 - a finish time slower that the 2:08 and 2:09s that Baldini, Ramaala and Rop have posted on this same course. Yet, Lel has finished in the top three at past six World Marathon Majors races.
Rodgers Rop is also coming off an incredible year. Selected as a pacemaker to lead Gebrselassie to his new world record at the 2007 Berlin Marathon, Rop returns for his fifth New York City Marathon. Having not backed down from training since Berlin and with 210 miles per week in his peak, Rop returned to Kenya with his coach Wagner Volker for two weeks of training due to inclemental weather conditions in Germany rather than a need for altitude. It is possible that the 40k at the Berlin Marathon could have been a good tempo displaying his current fitness level. If so, his competitors should watch out!
Rop on the race -
I'm glad to be here in New York for my 5th time. My prep has been going very well. I hope Sunday there will be great change. Last time I wasn't 100%.
Rop on Pacemakers -
Pacemaker doesn't affect so much as what happens in your mind.
Rop on the 2007 Berlin Marathon - Could he have continued and possibly set the World Record himself?
I wasn't prepared to go past the 40k; but I was feeling ok, you just cannot say.
Rop on Former World Record Holder Paul Tergat - did you feel badly for Tergat when Geb beat his time?
No, records are set to be broken.
Rop on race strategy -
Strategy depends on the field, it's a tactical race. The people here (Baldini, Lel and Ramaala) are the ones to watch, If they break, I will go with them.
Expect nothing less than a terrific race on marathon Sunday, as these four battle it out against other formidable competitors such as returning champion Gomes dos Santos and Goumri.
| 
