Download STRIVE-Cast Episode 11: Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor (right click to download)

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We have a VERY special guest on the STRIVE-Cast today. Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor is your 2015 World Cross Country Champion and your reigning 2014 World Half Marathon Champion. Geoffrey exploded onto the scene in 2011 when – at just 19 years old – he won the World Junior Cross Country Championships before going on to run 60’38 for half marathon, 27’06 for 10,000m, and 13’12 for 5000m. Later that year, he would go on to break 60-minutes in the half marathon and run as the pace-setter through 30km in Patrick Makau’s World Record Marathon run in Berlin.

Over the next few years, Geoffrey continued to improve – running under 60 minutes for four years in a row, including a personal best of 58’54 when he won the ultra-competitive RAK half marathon in 2013. He made his marathon debut in 2012 with a 2’06’12 at Berlin and ran three other marathons over the next two years between 2’06 and 2’09.

Finally, in 2014, Geoffrey won his first world Championship title at the World Half Marathon Championships. He won the race in 59’07 with a ridiculous last 10km of 27’18, establishing himself as one of the strongest distance runners in the world.

Now, Geoffrey has added a second World Title to his resume after he won what has been called the hardest race to win: the Men’s Senior race at the World Cross Country Championships, held last week in Guiyang China. Geoffrey dominated the race by sprinting to the front and never letting up – a tactic he has shown before.

Next, Geoffrey will turn his attention back to the track, where he will try to de-throne reigning world and Olympic champion Mo Farah over 10,000m this summer and then again next summer at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. His Strategy? Pushing the pace from the gun.

We caught up with Geoffrey at his training camp in Katagat, Kenya. Our call was split up into two parts, which we present to you in the podcast. You can also read some text high-lights from our conversation below.

PART I – Geoffrey talks about his background

STRIVE-Cast (SC): We read a story that you were discovered by Patrick Sang when you were running on the side of the road and he was driving by in his car. Is that true?

Geoffrey Kamworor (GK): Yeah, it’s real. My coach Patrick Sang found me in 2010 when I was still running small races and that day he took me to the camp where I got a good program and from there I started running good.

SC: Did you run when you were in school?

GK: No, I just ran my final year, 2009. I ran only one year. When I was in school I was not a very good athlete. I was just running in the classes so I was not that good but they said I can run. For me, my career started when I completed high school in 2010.

SC: To get from home to school, did you run or take a bus?

GK: No, I just ran. 4 kilometers every morning and evening.

SC: What motivated you to start training (in 2009-2010)?

GK: It was after meeting Patrick Sang. He took me to the camp I met various athletes like Eliud Kipchoge, Brimin Kipruto so I was inspired by them, and Patrick Sang, he gave me full support, training facilities and a program, and all goes well.

SC: Before you met Patrick Sang, were you running much? What were you doing?

GK: I was accepted to run for scholarship. I went back to school for four months. There, at the school, they did running. [From] my times, I thought, ‘I can run’, I discovered my talent, and [things changed when] also Patrick Sang saw that I [was] capable.

SC: Why do some athletes have two names, like yourself with Kipsang and Kamworor, or Bedan Karoki/Muchiri?

GK: Okay, like Bedan Karoki now is called Bedan Karoki Muchiri. Bedan Karoki is his given name, Muchiri is his family name. Geoffrey Kipsang is my given name but Kamworor is my family name.

Geoffrey talks about his racing strategy and the 2015 World Cross Country Championships

SC: You have a reputation of liking to go to the front and push and make the pace fast from the gun. Has this always been your strategy and do you train specifically for this?

GK: Yeah, for sure, for me my reaction is really high because I normally focus on endurance and strength, and also speed. So that’s my main focus. Right now I am tested to maintain my endurance and then focus on speed for my World Championships 10,000 which I know I will fight very hard to win the gold medal…. For me towards the latter part I really have enough speed [left over]. Towards the latter part of the race I normally feel strong. I really get in stride towards the latter part of the race. That’s why I [can] really sprint.

SC: That particular race course in China looked very difficult. It had a lot of turns, tight curves and steep hills. Did you practice for this?

GK: Where we train is a really hard course. It’s hilly and it’s flat, so I was familiar. Where I train looks like [the Guiyang course]. We did a lot of speed [on this terrain].

SC: Ethiopia won the team title and Kenya won the individual title. Which is most important?

GK: For us it was very important to win both. We wanted to win both. Last time we won bronze in the team title. This time we won silver, but it was good for us.

PART II – Geoffrey talks training and what’s to come

GK: It’s raining in Kenya!

SC: Is it difficult to train in the rain?

GK: Yeah, it’s very bad. Because of the mud, the roads are not passable. For now we are training on the tarmac.

SC: Where are you training right now?

GK: I’m training at Global Camp Kaptagat. I’m training with a group of around thirty athletes.

SC: Is everyone training for the same event?

GK: No, they are training for the track, also for the marathon, half-marathon.

SC: Were you with the same group for World Cross Country?

GK: No, we were at the team camp, Athletics Kenya.

SC: Is the AK camp a good place to train?

GK: Yeah, I really enjoy doing group work, team work.

SC: What’s a typical day?

GK: Now I’m training around 15 kilometers [twice-]a-day. We normally do speed work on the track two times a week.

SC: So, thinking about 5000, 10000, xc, half marathon, which is your best event?

GK: For me, I really enjoy running. I enjoy running in all areas.

SC: Favorite?

GK: Maybe half marathon.

SC: Are you running the 10,000m at World Championships? How will your training be different?

GK: Yeah, I’m really focused to do the World Championship 10,000m. I’ll do more on the track, a lot of speed!

SC: Rio 2016 – on the track or marathon?

GK: Track 10,000m again. The time that I will do the marathon is 2020, which I am focused to win the gold medal.

SC: If you face world champion Mo Farah, how will you beat him?

GK: I’m going to train very hard and do a lot of speed work. For me, running 10,000m, I will go with a high pace throughout the event until the finish. I don’t want to go a slow pace and then at the end someone can kick [in] 52 [seconds for the last 400m]. So, for me I’ll go with the high speed until the end. By then no one will have the strength to kick because of the high pace they have been coming through.

SC: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans here in America?

GK: Yeah, I would like to tell them: train hard and get focused and determined because everything is possible and they are capable. They are capable of running. They just have to focus and train hard.

SC: When is your next competition?

GK: My next competition will be in Eugene, OR: 10,000m [at the Prefontaine Classic on May 29].

SC: A fast race, pushing from the start right?

GK: Yeah.

The week’s show is NOT to be missed as Geoffrey is already a huge star. The show is just 15 minutes, so give it a DOWNLOAD and take it out for a run, walk, stretch, commute… whatever!