Kim Smith and Amy Hastings Talk 2013 ING New York City Marathon
by: LetsRun.com
October 31, 2013
Kiwi Kim Smith and her American training partner Amy Hastings addressed the media Thursday in advance of Sunday’s ING New York City Half-Marathon.
Both are excited for Sunday’s marathon. Kim enters the marathon after having won the $100,000 BAA Distance Medley challenge for the second straight year. Kim wrapped up the $100,000 with a 1:09:14 win the BAA Half Marathon earlier this month.
Smith was pleased with win in Boston saying it was “very easy to run 69 minutes” and thinks she could have run a minute faster if she really pushed it, which would be a strong time on the hilly Boston course.
Hastings has not raced since the World Championships on the track. She was going to do the Tufts 10k, but pulled out as a precautionary measure.
Amy Training at Another Level in 2013
Amy Hastings (l) and Kim Smith prior to the 2013 New York City Marathon
Both Kim and Amy said Amy’s training is at another level this year. Last year, when Kim and Amy first started working out together after Amy relocated to Providence, Rhode Island to train with Kim, they actually did very little hard stuff together because Amy “couldn’t keep up at all,” according to Kim. That has changed this year as Amy has adapted to the training and they’ve done nearly everything together, with Amy pushing Kim on some of the longer stuff.
Amy said the harder workouts are harder under Coach Ray Treacy, than under former coach Terrence Mahon, but she gets an extra day or two of recovery. She’s now able to handle the harder stuff.
Figuring Out the Marathon
Both Amy and Kim are trying to conquer the marathon. Kim has the faster PR (2:25:21 to Amy’s 2:27:03), but Amy is the one who consider herself a marathoner. “I think I’m a marathon runner,” Amy said. “The training comes so much easier for me.”
Hasting’s 2:27:03 in her debut to win LA was a surprise, while Smith, one of the best half-marathoners in the world, has yet to fulfill all of her promise in the marathon. Smith isn’t sure exactly why the marathon has remained a struggle, but she’s optimistic about her chances on Sunday. Kim said she used to do shorter intervals of 400-600 meters once or twice a month in her marathon prep, but because of injury concerns that has been scrapped this time and the focus has been only on the longer stuff, one mile repeats and 1.5-2 mile repeats. She hopes the extra endurance works pays off.
Kim has crossed the finishline fifth in New York twice (2010) and (2011) and wants to improve on that. Smith was upgraded to fourth in 2010 because of the doping suspension of Inga Abitova. Smith talks in the interview below of Abitova stealing from her and we applaud the brunt words.
Hastings goal on Sunday is to “be in the race as long as possible and to come home strong.”
Video of Kim and Amy below.
More: Read out 2013 ING NYC Women’s Marathon Preview here
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