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Sambu Shares His 2015 Goals and Training TIps

Published by
RunnerSpace.com/RoadRacing   Jan 23rd 2015, 2:27pm
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Stephen Sambu: Exclusive Interview

Published by WorldRunning.com on January 23, 2015

Stephen Sambu was a standout during his four-year stint on the American collegiate scene on the track but since his university years, the 26-year-old has made a name for himself on the roads over 10km and the half marathon. However, the next few years hold new challenges for Sambu: the Kenyan National Trials this summer, and a marathon debut.

During his two seasons as a professional athlete, Sambu has amassed some significant wins in a handful of prestigious races on the US road-racing circuit. Most notably, Sambu beat world record-holder Leonard Komon over 10km on an undulating course in the Healthy Kidney 10K in New York last May before winning the B.A.A. Boston 10K a month later in a world-leading time of 27:25.

In 2015, Sambu tells worldrunning.com his main goal is to win the New York Half-Marathon and is thinking about moving up to the marathon in 2016.

Worldrunning.com: First of all, why did you decide to leave Kenya and pursue education, as well as an athletics career in the U.S.? And what was the hardest thing to adjust to, training wise?

Stephen Sambu: I finished my high school in 2006 and then was in training, went to a few training camps. In 2008, one of my cousins told me about athletics scholarships in the States. I ran time-trials for that twice and qualified. I think I ran 14:19 for the 5K. I chose one of the junior colleges for my first years in the U.S, because there were several Kenyans already [there]. When you’re going to a new place, it’s always better to have someone to show you everything.

The biggest challenge with the collegiate system was having a schedule. In Kenya, you can run anytime you want. Here, if it’s a 6am session, you run at 6am. It can be tiring. Sometimes I’d be late for a session and the coach would get really mad (laughs).

Why did you choose the University of Arizona to continue your collegiate career?

I visited so many schools, some strong ones too: Florida State, Iona College, Oregon. But I chose Arizona because of the coach. Coach Li [who also coaches Bernard Lagat] came to visit me in Illinois, and he was talking to me not only about my years at school, but also about the future. He said he’d continue coaching me and helping me after graduation. I already knew that I might want to run professionally after school, that’s why it was so important.

Also, Arizona won me over with its weather. Illinois is cold, it was snowing there often too. While here, it’s warm and sunny most of the time.

During your two years post-college, you barely ran any track races, switching your attention to roads. What is it with road-racing that captivates you so much?

I actually ran just one track race since then – the 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene last year. It was a good one; I set a personal best of 26:54.61. But when I race on the road, I feel good and strong. I just like it a lot.

But to represent Kenya at the World Championships and the Olympics you would need to run the 10,000m still, or move up to the marathon…

I definitely have ambitions to represent my country. I will go to Kenya for the World Championships Trials this June to run the 10,000m. If I don’t make it, I’ll try again. But I hope I will. Last time I went home for trials, in 2011, I was seventh.

Anyway, I do consider moving up to the marathon eventually. Next year. New York or Boston. It is scary. I remember my feeling after the half-marathon – it was painful! Imagine running another half marathon right after that?



Read the full article at: www.worldrunning.com

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