"Marathon runner Hellen Obiri starts her day like many of us: by checking her phone. First, she looks at the weather, then her schedule, and finally her group chats. After that, "I say a word of thanks to God," the 35-year-old Kenyan athlete tells WIRED on the phone. "To protect me because I'm going to have a long day. From there, I prepare myself for my run.""
"It runs through all five boroughs, crossing iconic bridges and ending in Central Park. The 2022 race was her debut; she placed sixth. "It was amazing," she says, recalling the roar of the crowd. "When you do something like this for the first time and you like the place, you're going to say, 'This is my best place to be.' New York is my best place to be.""
"If she's lacing up for a 6:30 a.m. run (which she often does), she keeps breakfast light: a banana. If she's running later-say 9:30-or on marathon day, she has a more traditional breakfast: cereal, two slices of toast, scrambled eggs, and a banana, washed down with black tea. In 2023, Obiri won the marathon, and in 2024, she finished second-just 14 seconds behind Sheila Chepkirui. When I ask what she's aiming for this Sunday, she doesn't miss a beat: "I'm looking for a win.""
Hellen Obiri begins mornings by checking the weather, her schedule, and group chats, then offers a word of thanks to God before preparing to run. Early runs often get a banana, while later runs or race mornings include cereal, toast, scrambled eggs, a banana, and black tea. The New York City Marathon course runs through five boroughs, crosses iconic bridges, and finishes in Central Park. Obiri debuted in 2022 (sixth), won in 2023, and finished second in 2024 by 14 seconds. She prefers the ultralight On Cloudboom Strike LS for major races because of its elastic mesh upper and hyper-foam cushioning.
Read at WIRED
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