Nairobi, April 8 (IANS) The fastest female half-marathoner in history, Florence Kiplagat has trained her guns on clinching the elusive London Marathon title on April 26 on her third attempt.
Florence, who finished second at London last year, on Tuesday said she fears running the full distance because she is still young compared to others such as two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat, reports Xinhua.
‘Fastest Florence’ lost to Edna last year at London.
“I have a mental or psychological problem when it comes to marathon. One has to run 42 km before finishing, it is so tiresome,” the two-time Berlin Marathon champion of 2011 and 2013 admitted.
“I always lose hope towards the finish, but this time I will try to do my best.”
For two years running, Florence, 28, broke the world half-marathon record at the Asics race in Barcelona. She first lowered Mary Keitany’s time of one hour 05 minutes and 50 second to 1:05:12 in 2014 before beating her own mark in February by 1:05:09.
Florence came to London as part of a fearsome Kenyan quintet of Edna, New York title holder and twice former champion Mary Keitany, and 2013 winner Priscah Jeptoo, as well as Jemimah Sumgong, the 2014 New York and 2013 Boston runner-up.
Florence, who won silver in 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games last year, disclosed she gave up hope in the last two kilometers of the race as her namesake pulled away for victory.
“God did miracles in London last year and I became second,” the sixth finisher at the same race in 2013 on her debut added.
“This year, I have told God that I tasted sweet food, I want to eat real food.”
Florence won the senior women’s title at the 2009 World Cross in Amman, Jordan, before adding the World Half crown in Nanning, China, a year later to prove her versatility across distances and surfaces.
“I’m naturally talented, so I don’t need too much training to win in a race. Fast running is part of me. That is why I don’t normally strain while running,” she explained.