LISTEN
On this episode of the A to Z Running Podcast we discuss the running journey with Diane Nukuri. As a teenage Olympian, professional runner, and marathoner, Diane shares a dynamic journey with the sport.
If you are familiar with running, you’re familiar with a journey. While we may not have experiences like Diane, it’s likely you have had a dynamic relationship with the sport as well. Some remain constant, others the same.
Tune in to be inspired!
INTRO
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MAIN TOPIC: RUNNING JOURNEY
Main Topic: Running Journey
Today on the A to Z Running Podcast we discuss the running journey.
Diane Nukuri shares her running journey, from teenage Olympian to sidelined with injury and back again.
Stick around after that for an update from the world of running, including new world records and revelations about Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon.
About our Guest: Diane Nukuri
Alma Mater: University of Iowa
Sponsor: Asics
3x olympian, Diane Nukuri, is currently the Burundian record-holder in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, half marathon, and the marathon.
Starting at a young age, Diane competed at 15 years old for Burundi at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
In college, Diane had three Big 10 wins. She left Iowa with school records in 10 events and winning the prestigious Wilma Rudolph award.
Diane continued on with running earning many wins and successes in distance running representing her sponsor Asics. Notably, Diane has earned four top 10 finishes at world marathon majors.
In addition to running, Diane is a real estate agent.
Follow Diane:
Instagram: @dianenukuri
WORLD OF RUNNING
#1. Mens and Womens 5k World Records Broken
(According to World Athletics)
- Barcelona on NYE
- Pending ratification
- Women’s Record
- Ethiopia’s Ejegayehu Taye obliterated the previous 5k mixed race record clocking a blazing 14:19, bettering the record by 24 seconds on New Years Eve
- Taye, 21, had set an Ethiopian 3000m record of 8:19.52 earlier this year, and was the second-fastest woman in the world over 5000m this season, but tonight in Barcelona she was contesting just the second international road race of her career.
- Men’s Record
- Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi broke the men’s world 5km record in 12:49.
- Aregawi had a pacemaker for company for the first kilometre or so, but after then was out on his own. The Diamond League 5000m champion stormed through the finish line in 12:49, taking two seconds off Cheptegei’s world record. Peter Maru was a distant runner-up in 13:30.
- Video of finish: https://youtu.be/H0b4jtAFpJ8
#2. Madrid 10k
- NYE race
- World Athletics Elite Level Road Race
- Men’s Race
- Spain’s Mohamed Katir became the first Spanish man in 18 years to win in Madrid in a commanding time of 27:45. Women’s Race
- Women’s Race
- Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw ran her first race since her 2:17:58 runner-up finish at the London Marathon in October, won in 30:26, the third-fastest winning time in the event’s history.
- Two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri had been due to compete but she tested positive for Covid-19 and had to pull out on the eve of the race.
#3. Faith Kipyegon on Coming Back from Baby
(According to RunnersWorld)
- While childbirth is not relatable to all, coming back from a period of time where we cannot run might be relatable to most.
- She had taken about 12 months off before she ran again.
- When she started back to exercise, she began on the stationary bike.
- She built up to the Zero Runner and Elliptical.
- When she started back to running she did the run walk.
- Her 1500m training is as follows: A track session on Tuesdays, a long run on Thursdays, and a fartlek session on Saturdays. When she’s sharpening her fitness coming into the summer track season, the fartlek is replaced with a second track workout.
- “Many athletes think it is something that will end your career, but I see it’s just the start of your career.” -Faith Kipyegon
- A little history: In June of 2019, 12 months after giving birth, Kipyegon made her racing comeback, surprising everyone by winning the 1500 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Palo Alto, California, in 3:59:04. Later that year, she lowered her Kenyan record to 3:54.22 and won silver at the 2019 World Championships. Since then, Kipyegon has been virtually unbeatable. In 2020, she went unbeaten in six races, and ran the second-fastest time ever in the 1,000 meters in August of that year. She smashed the Kenyan 1500-meter record in Monaco in July 2021, clocking 3:51.07, and weeks later she powered away from the world’s best in Tokyo to retain her Olympic title in the 1500 meters.
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