http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/19/meb-keflezighi-olympic-marathon/89001370/
Healthy, content, Meb Keflezighi ready for a good run in last Olympic marathon
Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports 2:09 p.m. EDT August 19, 2016
RIO DE JANEIRO — The joy of aging is reaping the benefits of
experience. Meb Keflezighi knows that.
After 25 years running, the American marathoner has learned a thing or
two that have him competing in his fourth Olympics at 41 years old.
He’s also gained a perspective that has him enjoying the experience
with his family as he prepares for his final Games.
Keflezighi will run his 24th career marathon here on Sunday, joining
Galen Rupp and Jared Ward as the U.S. team members vying for the
country’s first medal since Keflezighi claimed silver in 2004.
“Don’t get me wrong, I would love to win a medal for our country. I
will strive my best,” Keflezighi said. “But if I am not on the podium,
if I finish the top 10, if I can’t finish in the top 10 and have a
good energy to be able to just, for the sport of running, finish
strong, for me that’s good enough.”
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That Keflezighi has at least a decade between him and his teammates
and is still competitive is a testament to the lessons learned over
years of running and the care that goes into maintaining his body.
Nutrition counts for more now, so Keflezighi asks himself if he needs
something or wants it. So efficient is his body after more than
100,000 miles running that he doesn’t burn as many calories as he used
to. He aims to be around 125 pounds, and he weighs himself daily.
He manages sleep and travel. After a 10-day trip to his native
Eritrea, Keflezighi opted not to compete in the Rock ‘n Roll San Diego
Half-Marathon and instead ran with the 1:30 pace group. It was a
cautious move meant to serve him here.
At this point in his career, he knows being smarter on the front end
can prevent injury on the back end. If he was aiming for 125 miles per
week and saw himself at 129, the younger man would have run the extra
mile.
Now Keflezighi knows it’s not worth it.
“You’d rather be undertrained than over-trained because in an Olympic
year, especially, most people overdo it. Because it’s no different
than another 26.2 miles, but you have more obligations,” Keflezighi
said. “Half of the battle is getting to the start line healthy.”
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There was a point eight years ago when Keflezighi thought he might be done.
Keflezighi broke his hip during the 2008 trials, causing him to miss
the Olympics that year and contemplate retirement.
“I wanted to leave on a better note,” he says, looking back on that
time, “and I couldn’t be happier to have my family here to experience
it.”
To be sure, that’s part of his perspective. Keflezighi and wife
Yardonos have three daughters — Sara, Fiyori and Yohana — who have all
made the trip and will be old enough to remember their father’s final
Olympic race.
They’ll remember visiting USA House, where their father spoke Thursday
on behalf of Bridgestone, which sponsors him and helps support The MEB
Foundation. They’ll remember getting gelato in Italy when he ran
there.
As Keflezighi winds down his racing career, he’ll be able to share
those memories with his girls.
“I should be in zero pressure whatsoever because I am completely
satisfied with my career,” Keflezighi said. “Nothing more that I could
do."
That’s why Keflezighi is content going into the race Sunday. He has an
Olympic medal. He won the New York City Marathon in 2009 and the
Boston Marathon in 2014.
Retirement looms. He’ll do two more races to get to 26. He doesn’t
know what the next one will be, but he’d like to end in New York.
He’ll be 42 then, a fitting nod to the marathon distance in
kilometers.
Rio comes first, and Keflezighi is not the favorite here. A podium
finish would be great, certainly, but years of running have taught
Keflezighi that there’s more to marathon racing than a top-three
finish.
“And the race is for me and our country and memory for them,” he said,
“and I hope to give it a good run.”
Received on Sat Aug 20 2016 - 09:42:17 EDT