'My training has not been smooth' Marathon record holder Ruth Chepng'etich ahead of London Marathon
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 28.01.25. | 07:22
The 2025 London Marathon promises a thrilling field of competition, and Chepng’etich will face some of the toughest runners in the world
World marathon record holder Ruth Chepng'etich has disclosed that she has experienced her fair share of ups and downs during her training for the 2025 London Marathon. The star-studded event is scheduled for Sunday, April 27.
For instance, the last time she did speed work was during the San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Gold Label road race held in Madrid on New Year's Eve, where she finished second in 31:32.
She then placed fourth in the Athletics Kenya (AK) Prisons Cross Country Championships, held on Saturday, January 25, in Ruiru, clocking 33:51.
The marathoner explained that she had been unwell leading up to the event, having been diagnosed with malaria, which at one point left her unable to get out of bed. This contributed to her rocky preparation.
Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic about regaining full health and resuming her training with determination.
"My training has not been smooth. But I’m getting started now. I have decided to go back to London for the third time and I am hoping for the best. I will do my best and run.
I started my preparations with the Prisons cross country. I did it as speed work since Madrid. It's less than 100 days to the London Marathon, and I have officially started training," she offered.
The 2025 London Marathon promises a thrilling field of competition, and Chepng’etich will face some of the toughest runners in the world.
Among her competitors are reigning Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who defeated her in Chicago in 2023, and defending London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, a two-time World Marathon Majors winner.
Both athletes have bested Chepng’etich in past races, adding extra weight to this highly anticipated race.
In addition to the heavy hitters like Hassan and Jepchirchir, the field will also feature the Kenyan marathon legend Hellen Obiri, who recently moved to Ngong for her training.
Obiri, who has won world titles across different distances, aims to become the first woman to win three consecutive Boston Marathons since Fatuma Roba’s remarkable achievement in 1999.
Also joining the elite field are seasoned marathoners such as two-time Boston Marathon winner Edna Kiplagat, 2022 New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, Hamburg Marathon champion Irene Cheptai, and 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop.
With such formidable competition, the 2025 London Marathon promises to be one of the most exciting events in women’s marathon history.
When asked about her analysis of the race, the soft-spoken marathoner said, “It’s a very strong field, and we are all strong. It’s all about self-belief, and I am hoping for the best.”
Chepng’etich's previous attempts at the London Marathon have not gone according to plan.
In 2020, she finished third in a pandemic-affected elite-only race, and her 2024 performance saw her place a disappointing ninth.
With her historic achievements in Chicago still fresh in the minds of fans and critics alike, Chepng’etich is determined to make her mark at The Mall this time around.
