Olympic marathon bronze medallist Hellen Obiri has returned to Kenya to begin a rigorous 10-week training programme in preparation for her Boston Marathon title defence on April 21 in the United States.
Obiri, 35, who arrived in the country last Thursday from her base in the US expressed her determination to clinch a third consecutive victory in Boston after back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024.
She emphasised that her return to the hilly terrain of Ngong, Kajiado County, will be instrumental in setting the tone for her campaign.
“I am glad to be back home for the first time since June. I will need like 12 weeks to train for Boston, and the training regime and terrains in Ngong will be crucial for my hat-trick campaign,” Obiri said.
“I am ready for Boston, but being ready also calls for working extra hard. I will have to do something extra in training to make things easier for myself, but self-belief is also key to my success,” she explained after attending the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country event as a spectator.
Obiri highlighted the unique advantages of Ngong's terrain, which she said mirrors the climatic conditions of Boulder, Colorado, her training base in the United States, while offering a distinct edge.
“I know I shall have good training partners as you know our relationship is symbiotic, with each of us benefiting from each other,” she added.
A successful Boston campaign could bolster Obiri’s aspirations for a spot on Team Kenya for the World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13–21 in Tokyo, Japan.
“Competition for places in Team Kenya is always stiff, but I will wholeheartedly take that opportunity if given,” said Obiri, reflecting on her bronze medal in the marathon at the Paris Olympics.
“It’s rare to win an Olympic medal, so bronze was fine for me on my championship debut marathon, even though my target was gold.”
Obiri attributed her performance in Paris to a hip injury that limited her training. “Just after winning Boston, I got an injury that kept me out for some time and only trained for the Olympics for a few weeks,” she revealed.
Obiri’s 2024 season included standout victories at the Ras Al Khaimah and New York City Half Marathons in February and March, followed by her third World Marathon Majors title in Boston. However, the intense schedule took its toll.
“I was 100 per cent fit when I resumed training after the Boston race, but I sustained a grade-four hip injury, forcing me to stay away for six weeks and only resumed training at the end of June,” she said. Despite the setback, she clocked 2:23:10 to secure bronze in Paris.
The race saw Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan break the Olympic record with a time of 2:22:55, narrowly beating Ethiopian Tigist Assefa.
“Six weeks of preparation wasn’t enough for the Olympics, but I am glad to have rescued a medal for Kenya even with an injury setback,” Obiri said.
Obiri capped the year with a second-place finish in her New York City Marathon title defense on November 3.
Reflecting on the year, she said, “Running three marathons in a season to secure podium finishes in all wasn’t an easy thing. Olympic marathons have always been tough, and those conversant with the New York City Marathon know how punishing the course is. I had to stay away for almost a month just to recover.”
