“Hendrick! Good to hear from you. What up?”“All is great, training is going well. It’s been warm here, some thundershowers. I’m doing my training as planned. The 40k run, the hills. Now it’s time to decrease the distance and increase the tempo. I’m training well, I’m very motivated.”
Talking to Hendrick Ramaala is always good fun. He knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want. He’s been out there battling for many years now and has defeated the greatest marathoners. Hendrick likes tough races. Races like NYC where it is not about time but about competing. And he is impressed about the field that the NYRR assembled for this year. Stacked with talent. Not time trialists but fighters. Fighters like Hendrick.
He has raced them all, some of them many times. He covered their moves and they covered his. So let’s talk big guns!
On Abdi and Meb, the latest addition to the field:
“Racers, not time trialist, very well suited for NYC.”
On Martin Lel:
“The ultimate fighter. At his best he is something else. If he is in top shape, there’s Lel and then there’s the rest. He hasn’t raced marathon for more than a year – and that counts against him. You have to race twice per year to be in touch with the strain of training and most importantly racing. He has forgotten the pain.”
On Gharib:
“Adds another dimension to the field. A racer. Does instinctive moves. Front runner. Doesn’t wait. He’s ready for a 63 first half. However, it’s his first NYC and that counts against him.”
On Paul Tergat:
“He’ll still be there with the front guys. He will forever be a fighter.”
On Hall:
“Big talent. Big heart. For an American it is the ultimate to win NYC. That gives you big respect.”
On Dos Santos:
“He learned how to win the race. He wins when no one expects it.”
On Kwambai:
“Stronger than Duncan Kibet. He’s been around for a while. 5th in 2007.”
On Compression Socks:
“It makes you look soft.”
ShareThis