00:00 The U.S. back half marathon returns and it brings with it local rivalry as the
00:05 list of top distance runners in the country continues to grow. Keron Ali has
00:10 shown that he deserves to be considered as a top contender in Sunday's race
00:14 after taking down some of the top local runners by placing third in the South
00:19 American 10k. He seems to be getting a strategy right in the weeks leading up
00:23 to his races. Leading up to the U.E. half marathon this year I would say my
00:27 preparation has been great. It's more so especially coming from Guyana with the
00:32 third place in the South American 10k. I mean we're just a week in between U.E.
00:37 just doing some maintenance work and now we're just tapering down for the
00:42 final stages. In racing anything could happen and in Guyana that's what
00:47 I took the most from it. I was very much prepared. The heat and stuff and the
00:52 different environment bothered a lot of the guys and their running style and
00:56 some some things just seemed to suit me. I mean it was my birthday on the day too
01:00 so maybe something was looking down on me but the biggest thing I took away was
01:04 always be prepared and you never know what could happen in racing. Meantime it's
01:08 a chance for Colin Pereira to show he has returned to the form which saw him
01:12 run a 2 hour 40 minutes and 49 seconds marathon back in 2020. He has been
01:19 struggling for 2023 and he may be even feeling the pressure for this race
01:23 after he did not completed the South American 10k. Yeah I have no problem
01:28 going all out. I have a what I say in my head is to have no fear in any race.
01:35 So no matter the pace in the race I go at it. No matter the competition I will run at
01:40 whatever the opponent decide on the day whatever pace so that's the goal.
01:45 The changes I've made is I've put in place like proper hydration so I would have a
01:50 bite man on the morning to make sure I'm properly hydrated. Yeah so it's more about
01:56 getting in more electrolytes more salts into the body focusing more on what I'm
02:00 eating and being more careful what I'm eating per se so that will be changes I
02:05 have made from Guyana to now. He has set a target of one hour ten minutes to
02:10 complete the race and is hoping to go even further if his body allows it.
02:15 Christopher Mitchell will also be a contender in the race and he is aiming
02:19 to complete the marathon in one hour 12 minutes and perhaps pull off a surprise.
02:23 Well my mindset going in for the UEA half marathon is I'm more a relaxed person.
02:29 I do try not to overthink the race you know but I want to give my best
02:35 foot forward and I'm gonna make it easy for my opponents. I see myself as a
02:41 dark horse in the race also because it have other athletes who have faster
02:45 personal times than me but I do really care about that I know I put in the
02:52 work and I'm gonna get my best foot forward. Brian Maynard continues to coach.
02:57 He has a few athletes in the race and he's given each of them a plan. My
03:02 approach from this race I will say for any of the athletes who I will have
03:06 under my wing is have a very calculated approach not all out guns blazing
03:11 because I will find yourself in a lot of problems when it turn around to come
03:16 back up the road so I prefer that the athletes have a much more calculated
03:20 approach and they could pace themselves as they move along through the race.
03:23 The UEA spec half marathon begins at 5 a.m. on Sunday. Sergio Dufour, TV6 Sport.
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