by Larry Eder
photo by PhotoRun.net
Shobukhova is one of the best women marathoners on the planet. Her modus operandi is a very tough second half, where she catches her quarry, and runs by them over the last several kilometers. She has run five marathons and won three of them with those tactics. In her last two ventures, she has set Russian national records and has come tantalizingly close to break the 2:20 barrier. (Liliya Shobukhova took third in London in 2009, won Chicago in 2009, won Chicago and London in 2010 and took second in London in 2011).
Liliya Shobukhova, 2010 Virgin London Marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net
Interview: Liliya Shobukhova
(Questions came from several media members, so I paraphrased and used the quotes that made sense for this interview.)
Liliya Shobukhova spoke to the media via telephone from Beloresk, in the southern Urals, ” I am training at home. “
Shobukhova speaks as carefully as she runs. She considers the questions
and is not going to make a communication error. Here are a few of our
her answers (Liliya responds in Russian and then we were given
translations.)
How do you feel about racing in Chicago once again?
Liliya Shobukhova: “Yes, for me is a great honor and
privilege to be invited to the great Chicago marathon again. The
marathon has grown in participation, it has gained excellent field of
elite athletes, and up until now, no one has managed to win three titles
in a row. And it is because of that fact, it has interested many people,
and it is exciting for myself as well.“
You have raced well on the Chicago course, any thoughts about your third time racing?
Liliya Shobukhova:“Even though I have run Chicago twice
before, this time, it is a new competition. And because of that, I do
not know what is going to happen. Every year, Carey Pinkowski invites
the best of the best from the entire world, so the competition is very
stiff and the competition is very, very good.“
Have you raced since your 10k in the NYRR Mini (June 12), and how is your training going?
Liliya Shobukhova:” No racing, and my training is going according to plan. No, I am now focusing on the marathon training. ”
You have raced well over the 1,500 meters to 5,000 meters, what made you try the marathon distance?
Liliya Shobukhova:“Marathon was always a distance that I
wanted to try, even though I enjoyed the shorter distances. In the
marathon, there is a lot more time to take place and you never know who
is going to win until the end, you never know how it is going to go over
42 kilometers. ”
Several marathoners have broken 2:20, is that your goal?
Liliya Shobukhova: “Since I have already run 2:20 twice, I would like to make a higher goal and get under 2:20.”
What do you like about the Chicago course?
Liliya Shobukhova:“I like Chicago very much, it is a fast, flat course, I like it very much.”
Paula Radcliffe ran 2:17 at Chicago, is that your goal this year?
Liliya Shobukhova:
“Running from 2:20 to 2:17 is very tough, I prefer to do things more gradually.”
How did you choose to run Chicago in the first place?
Liliya Shobukhova: “My manager, Andrey Baranov, chooses the marathons for me, and he decided that the Chicago marathon would be a good one for me.”
How does Russia pick the Olympic team? Are you on the marathon squad?
Liliya Shobukhova:“I am now a candidate for the team. They will be picking the team next
year. And I think, it will depend on the best results. Because the
competition in Russia is very, very high. “
Surely your two records for the marathon should give you some standing, who is better than you in Russia?
Liliya Shobukhova:“Yes, I have set those two records, but someone could come around and
beat them. At this point, I am still a candidate for the team, so I can
not say I whether I will be on the team or not. A lot depends on how I
run the Chicago marathon, after that, they will be able to tell me for
sure.”
You ran 69:18 for the second half of Virgin London this year, your second half of races is so strong, what do you do to train for such a result?
Liliya Shobukhova:”No secrets in my training, we try to run the second half always faster
than the first half. Even if it is hard, I try to run the second half
two to three seconds faster than the first. That is to say, I like to
run the second half two to three seconds per kilometer faster than the
first half. “
Carey Pinkowski:, in reference to Philip Hersh’s query, regarding a
special bonus for a three peat victory, was humorous, ” Obviously, we
will invite Liliya back to attempt the fourth victory.”
Carey Pinkowski: ” I think Berlin and Chicago are the fastest of the five majors.”
Robin Monsky, PR manager for B of A Chicago Marathon added, ” We do things different in Chicago.”
Carey Pinkowski finished the press conference with this comment: “If you look at history of the event, from Joan Benoit Samuelson to Paula
Radcliffe, from Ingrid Kristenson to Rosa Mota. We again have the
support of the Bank of America, our title sponsor, in putting this race
on, and we are we are very excited to have Liliya Shobukhova running at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.“
Liliya Shobukhova Aiming for First-Ever Three-Peat at
2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Is Only
World Marathon Major Without a Three-Peat; Shobukhova Would Claim
Second Straight World Marathon Majors Series Title with Historic Victory
in Chicago
CHICAGO – The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced
that two-time defending champion Liliya Shobukhova will return to
compete for her third straight victory, a feat that has never before
been accomplished at Chicago’s fall classic. The Russian Olympian and
national record-holder has dominated the flat and fast streets of
Chicago for the past two years, crushing the competition with a
devastating kick in 2009, and using patient, measured tactics to outlast
her competition in 2010. A victory at the 34th annual Bank of America
Chicago Marathon on October 9 would put Shobukhova in a class by
herself as owner of three consecutive titles.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has witnessed 12
back-to-back champions–seven women (including Shobukhova) and five
men–yet the closest three-peat performer was Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba
who placed second in 2002 after winning the 2000 and 2001 races. On the
men’s side, Kenya’s Evans Rutto nearly accomplished the feat after
victories in 2003 and 2004, but he dropped to fourth in 2005. Khalid
Khannouchi, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s all-time leader with
four victories (in the span of six years), was never able to string
together more than two in a row, which he achieved in 1999-2000.
With its storied history of highly competitive elite fields, the
Bank of America Chicago Marathon stands as the only member of the World
Marathon Majors in which an athlete has never been able to beat all
comers for three consecutive years.
“I would like to thank the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for
the opportunity to return to this world-class event for the third year
in a row,” said Shobukhova. “This year, there is additional pressure as
I am the two-time defending champion and despite all the prior repeat
champions, no one has yet been able to earn three straight victories in
Chicago. Each year that I return to the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon I feel more popular there, the crowds recognize me, and I am
more familiar with the course. This will help me run faster and
possibly set another record, which is especially important in my
preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games next
summer.”
Coming off a runner-up finish at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon
where she improved her Russian record to 2:20:15, a victory in Chicago
would undoubtedly cement Shobukhova’s status as a gold medal favorite
for the 2012 Olympic Games Marathon. The Bank of America Chicago
Marathon will be her final marathon competition prior to the Olympics,
and an invaluable opportunity to compete against a deep field of
international competitors.
“Liliya has the opportunity to do what no other athlete has done
in the history of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon–and there have
been some great ones,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski.
“Each year we bring together the world’s best runners to compete
head-to-head on the streets of Chicago, so the three-peat is no easy
task. Liliya is one of the savviest competitors I have ever seen with
her incredible speed, strength, tactics and discipline out on the race
course. I’m certain she has a special performance in store for us on
October 9, and that she’s looking to send a message that she’s the one
to beat at the
Olympic Games next summer.”
Shobukhova is also the defending World Marathon Majors series champion
and a third straight victory at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
would seal her standing atop the 2010-2011 series leader board and the
$500,000 share of the $1 million WMM prize purse.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Back-to-Back Champions
Women Men | 1983-1984, 3rd in 1985 1988-1989, did not run in 1990 1996-1997, 10th in 1998 1998-1999, did not run in 2000 2000-2001, 2nd in 2002 2006-2007, 10th in 2008 2009-2010 1984-1985, did not run in 1986 |
World Marathon Majors Three-Peat Champions
Boston Marathon Virgin London Marathon BMW Berlin Marathon ING New York City Marathon | 1922-1924 1978-1980 1993-1995 1994-1996 1997-1999 2006-2008 1992-1994 2006-2009 (four in a row) 1976-1979 (four in a row) |
About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
In its 34th year and a member of the World Marathon Majors, the
Bank of America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 participants,
including a world-class elite runner and wheelchair field, and an
estimated 1.7 million spectators. As a result of its national and
international draw, each year, the iconic race assists in raising
millions for a variety of charitable causes while generating $150
million in economic impact to its host city according to a report by
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Regional Economics
Applications Laboratory (R.E.A.L.). The 2011 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon will start and finish in Chicago’s Grant Park beginning
at 7:30 a.m. on October 9. In advance of the race, a two-day Health
& Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on
October 7-8.
