Five Things You May Not Know About Emmanuel Mutai

Emmanuel Mutai is on a roll. After three consecutive runner-up finishes at World Marathon Majors races, including the ING New York City Marathon last year, Mutai exploded at the Virgin London Marathon this spring to a 2:04:40 victory, running alone for the last 12 kilometers to set a course record. “Now I am feeling I am a great marathoner,” he said afterward. It’s hard to argue.

1. I started to train seriously because I wanted to get a college scholarship in the United States. When I saw my fellow athletes making money and my level was like theirs, I gave up on that idea.

2. My first marathon, in the spring of 2007 in Rotterdam, was 2:13:06, but just six months later in Amsterdam I ran 2:06:29.

3. I am crazy for mobile phones. I always like to look at the latest models and compare.

4. In the IAAF World Championships in 2009 I won the silver medal, but my finishing time of 2:07:48 was actually under the previous course record by 43 seconds.

5. I won the London Marathon last spring wearing shoes that were made for Haile Gebrselassie in 2008. We have the same size (USA 9). This special adidas shoe was never produced and an extra pair landed my way in 2008. In New York I will run with a pair that actually matches my shirt, though.