Philaries Jeruto Kisang of Kenya will compete at this weekend’s 2024 Mountain Working World Cup Finals in Chiavenna, Italy, the place she’ll contest each the vertical kilometer and 23-kilometer path race. On this interview, our first with Philaries, she talks about how she solely lately took up working and located quick success, how mountain working is her most popular kind of working, and what it’s prefer to return to this occasion because the defending champion.
For extra on who’s racing, try our in-depth girls’s and males’s previews and observe our protection right here on the web site and on Twitter/X over the weekend.
Philaries Jeruto Kisang Pre-2024 Mountain Working World Cup Finals Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Sarah Brady of iRunFar. I’m right here simply a few days earlier than the 2024 Mountain Working World Cup Finals in Chiavenna, Italy. And I’m right here with Philaries Jeruto Kisang. How are you?
Philaries Jeruto Kisang: I’m fantastic.
iRunFar: Nice. It’s nice to satisfy you. I do know you’ve simply arrived, and also you went straight to this interview, so thanks a lot for making the time. You’ve raced right here earlier than. You had been right here final yr, and also you received each these races, the VK and the lengthy path. So how does it really feel to come back again as reigning champion?
Jeruto Kisang: I received this race final yr, each the vertical and the up and down, and this yr I must develop into place one in vertical. I do know I observed this yr in all Europe, there are various, many, many, many runners, so I thank Run2gether for permitting me to come back this vertical and all of the races.
iRunFar: Okay, and is the vertical your precedence? You’re doing each races, however is the vertical extra necessary to you?
Jeruto Kisang: A very powerful for me is vertical, and up and down… is by some means good.
iRunFar: It’s simply an additional. To rewind, we’ve by no means interviewed you earlier than, so I’d like to find out about your background in working. So, I do know you grew up in Kenya. When did you begin working, as a toddler or later in life?
Jeruto Kisang: I’ll proceed with working and till subsequent yr I’ll enhance all. Each vertical and the up and down. Sure.
iRunFar: Okay, and have you ever run for a few years earlier than?
Jeruto Kisang: I began working for 2022, and for World Cup I ran between 2023 and 2024, and I’ll proceed working once more.
iRunFar: Okay, so it was all mountain working. You probably did no street working beforehand?
Jeruto Kisang: No working earlier than.
iRunFar: Okay, simply straight in. I prefer it. Final yr you had a tremendous World Cup season. You completed second lady within the World Cup, so that you’ve completed a number of these races earlier than. Is it good to come back again with extra expertise?
Jeruto Kisang: Sure, to come back with extra expertise in 2024, however this yr I develop into place two or three, however let me attempt my greatest.
iRunFar: Sure, I do know I’ve seen that, that you’ve like come second or third so many occasions, which is de facto, actually good outcomes, however I suppose additionally irritating while you’re aggressive and also you need to win. I believe you received the Grossglockner?
Jeruto Kisang: No, I received a place three. No place one this yr, however final yr I attempt to go the place one and this yr place two solely, solely, solely and three.
iRunFar: However very constantly so it’s nonetheless superb.
Jeruto Kisang: Sure.
iRunFar: Of all of the races you’ve completed thus far this yr within the World Cup, what do you suppose was your favourite? Your favourite race thus far?
Jeruto Kisang: My favourite is working a mountain.
iRunFar: And final yr you probably did Golden Path Collection as nicely.
Jeruto Kisang: Sure.
iRunFar: In order that’s a number of racing. And this yr you determined to simply do the World Cup.
Jeruto Kisang: Sure.
iRunFar: And has that made issues simpler?
Jeruto Kisang: Sure, it’s simpler, however this yr a number of runners from throughout Kenya, all around the Europe, so I attempted my greatest.
iRunFar: It’s simply getting increasingly aggressive.
Jeruto Kisang: Sure, aggressive. Very, very aggressive.
iRunFar: And do you’ve gotten your technique labored out for each of those races by way of pacing?
Jeruto Kisang: No.
iRunFar: No technique? Simply run?
Jeruto Kisang: Simply run.
iRunFar: Okay, that sounds good. Hold it easy.
Jeruto Kisang: Oh, thanks.
iRunFar: After which after this, is that this the top of your season or do you’ve gotten extra races at residence in Kenya? Do you’ve gotten extra races at residence after this?
Jeruto Kisang: I’ve Mount Longonot subsequent month. And a race in Iten, up and down. I’ve three in Kenya.
iRunFar: Properly, the perfect of luck this weekend, and we look ahead to seeing you on the market. Thanks a lot.
Jeruto Kisang: Thanks. Thanks a lot.
