Ok, it's my Tempo workout day in the Hollywood hills. I creak out of the
car and hope I'll run well as I walk to the trailhead.
As I'm about to shuffle off for my 20 minute warmup, a van pulls out, and
disgorges two very thin, very dark gentlemen in identical stylish warmups.
Since the LA marathon is this Sunday, I've got a hunch...I walk up to them
and they ask about the trail, and I tell them it's a pretty flat 5 mile dirt
road. I tell them I'm going out 5 miles then turning up into the hills.
The three of us start jogging and I'm struck at how slowly they start out --
I start out slow, but these guys go even slower at first.
"You guys here for the marathon?"
"Yes."
"Where are you from?"
"Kenya."
"Do you mind if I try and run with you for a while?"
"No problem, we're just going easy and turning around at 30 minutes."
"Are you going faster on the way back?"
"No, easy all the way."
So we cruise along and chat. My plan was to warm up for 20 minutes, then up
the effort to 150-165 pulse for 40 minutes, then finish up easy for 10 miles
total. Well, we gradually accelerate to about a 6:45 pace, which is my
tempo pace, and they keep it right there. I start timing my 40 minute
segment. While I'm breathing moderately, they're just jogging along with
easy loping strides. The coolness of running with these guys made the run a
joy instead of a chore.
Ben Maiyo ran in front (and I run just a half step back!), and Benson Mbithi
politely stays a couple of strides behind, as if he's respecting his friend.
I ask Ben what his goal is, and he says "I'm hoping for 2:09." I think to
myself, that will probably win the race, since the course has a few hundred
feet of climb. I ask him what his best marathon is, and he says he's been a
track runner, this is his first marathon. I ask him what his 10k time is
and he says "thatee mean-its" in his accented English. Hmm, way too slow
for a 2:09, methinks. I googled Ben just now, and his 5k is 13:07, and 10k
27:07. So not only is he fast, but he's modest. I politely ask him what he
weighs (what is this, 20 questions??), and he says 57-58 kilos (125-127 lbs,
and the guy is 5'10"!)
Benson said his 2:11 pr was in LA. I looked him up and he won the race in
2000. Another modest one. If I'd won LA, you couldn't shut me up if the
topic arose.
Ben was impressed with the mountain ranges around us. I told him that I ran
up the highest range, the San Gabriels, last Saturday, and after 1 1/2 hours
of climbing, was in 6" of snow, and he was surprised. There were a couple
of muddy patches, and they stopped and tippy-toed rather than risk an
injury.
As we "jogged" along I have to admit I was feeling very cool with my new
running buddies, especially when a couple of local elites came up from the
opposite direction, put 2 and 2 together and gave them a "good Luck!" As
my pulse gradually rose to 165, I told them they'd been out 30 minutes (no
watches!) and we stopped and shook hands and I wished them both luck. I'm a
small-boned 5'8", but my hands practically engulfed theirs. Then they loped
back, and I worked it for another 20 minutes in solitude.
Here's a pic of Ben Maiyo training last summer in Boulder:
http://www.mensracing.com/photos/2004/bouldergroup04/boulder13.jpg
-- Dan