Abdi Abdirahman Talks About Training With Bernard Lagat for the NYC Half Marathon, The Doping Problem, and Much More

by: LetsRun.com
March 14, 2013

Thursday was day one of the two day media events for the 2013 NYC Half Marathon this Sunday in New York City.

Day 1 featured the three main American contenders running the New York Half, former World Champion Bernard Lagat, who will be making his half marathon debut, 4 time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, and the second fastest American ever at the half-marathon Dathan Ritzenhein.

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We talked to Abdi Abdirahman at length. We’ll textually recap the highlights later.

In the first interview Abdi talks about his preparations for the race, how he has been training with Bernard Lagat and former Arizona star Stephen Sambu (also in the race). Abdi has been training in Tucson, and although his main focus is on next month’s Boston Marathon, he wants to do well on Sunday. Abdi also talks about staying with his coach Dave Murray and how that has helped him have such a long career (4 straight Olympic teams).

In the second interview, Abdi talks about the drug problem in the sport and how the African athletes are subjected to less out of competition testing. Plus, Abdi reveals whether he believes Martin Fagan doped only one time.

Abdi on His NYC Preparations, His Boston Preparations, His Career, and Training with Lagat and Sambu for NYC

 

Abdi On the Doping Problem in Sport, The Less Stringent Testing in Africa, and Even Lance Armstrong

More NYC Half coverage: Dathan Ritzenhein interview here, Bernard Lagat here. We’ve also got 6 minutes with Ritzenhein, Lagat and Abdi together but recommend the individual interviews first if you have limited time.

Abdi Abdirahman, Bernard Lagat, NYRR CEO Mary Wittenberg, and Dathan Ritzenhein Abdi Abdirahman, Bernard Lagat, NYRR CEO Mary Wittenberg, and Dathan Ritzenhein

More NYC Half coverage: Dathan Ritzenhein interview hereBernard Lagat here. We’ve also got 6 minutes with Ritzenhein, Lagat and Abdi together but recommend the individual interviews first if you have limited time.

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