'Go hard or go home': Jepkosgei primed for marathon debut

What you need to know:

  • Jepkosgei will race in the New York Marathon in USA, one of the biggest road races in the world.

World Half Marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei will on Sunday make her debut in the full distance.

Jepkosgei will race in the New York Marathon in USA, one of the biggest road races in the world.

Jepkosgei clocked the fastest time in half marathon for women (but paced by men) in October 2017 at Valencia Half Marathon winning in 1 hour four minutes and 51 seconds.

The athlete told Nation Sport that she had been training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County and Ngong, Kajiado County to familiarise herself with the chilly conditions anticipated in New York.

Jepkosgei believes she has done good preparations and she will be venturing into the long distance race in style.

“It’s my first marathon race and I believe I have done good training for the last four months. I will be running my race and I don’t want to promise anything for now but a good race,” said Jepkosgei.

She said she expected to finish the race strongly.

GOOD PREPARATION

"My training was good and I had to train in Iten and sometimes I would join my training mate from KDF in Ngong. It was a good preparation and what remains is to implement what I have trained for in New York,” said Jepkosgei before flying out for the US on Tuesday night.

Jepkosgei was scheduled to run her first 42km race in the Hamburg Marathon in April but withdrew at the last minute citing injury.

She participated in the New York City Half Marathon in March winning the race in 1:10:07 ahead of compatriot Mary Ngugi Wacera who clocked 1:11:07 while Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba finished third in 1:11:07.

She was later named as one of the pacemakers for the London Marathon women’s race where a world record attempt played out.

“I paced for London Marathon in April and dropped out after 30km. That also gave me good experience in the race and I now I know what to do on Sunday,” she said.