Interview with Gete Wami

by Cecil Harris

Gete Wami, 33, made history in New York City last year when her second-place finish at the ING New York City Marathon clinched the first women’s title in the World Marathon Majors (WMM) series, earning her $500,000. The result was even more impressive because Wami stayed with race winner Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain until the final 400 meters—just 35 days after Wami won the real,- Berlin Marathon.
 
Wami can win the 2007-08 WMM title—and another $500,000—if she finishes first or second in Sunday’s ING New York City Marathon. She and Irina Mikitenko of Germany are tied for the lead with 65 points. Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba would win the title if she takes New York and Wami finishes lower than second. And if Wami and Mikitenko remain tied for the lead after Sunday, the five WMM race directors will select the winner.   
 
Continuing the tradition of great distance runners from Ethiopia, Wami has won Olympic medals at 5000 meters and 10,000 meters, 10 individual medals in cross country and track at the IAAF World Championships, and two marathons in Berlin. The 5-foot-tall, 97-pound dynamo is married and the mother of a 5-year-old daughter. Three days before Sunday’s race, Wami (speaking through interpreter Sabrina Yohannes) talked about her bid for another WMM crown and the mistake she made in New York last year.

New York Road Runners: The possibility exists that you could lose the World Marathon Majors title to Irina Mikitenko if you don’t finish at least second here, even though Mikitenko is not running here at all. How do you feel about that?   
Gete Wami: I’ve prepared well, and the results are in God’s hands. If God wills [another title] for me, no one can take it away from me. Apart from that, this is sport. I’ve trained well and I’m just focusing on doing well. I’m not thinking too much about what will happen beyond that.
 
NYRR: What happened at the Olympics that prompted you to drop out of the marathon?
GW: Prior to the Olympics, I had been training on my own. Once I was selected to the [Ethiopian] team, I was training with the team, and that training was different from my own private training. However, I had prepared well. But during the race, I had some stomach problems, and at 30 kilometers, I dropped out. After that, though, I have continued to train well.

NYRR: So there was no injury?
GW: No.

NYRR: Last year’s ING New York City Marathon was a hard race from the very beginning. Did you anticipate that, and do you anticipate that you’ll have the same kind of race on Sunday?
GW: It could well be like last year. On the other hand, if the conditions of the day determine it, [the pace] could be slow early and pick up later.
 
NYRR: What have you done this year to improve your speed, if speed becomes a factor? Obviously, Paula seems to do well at the end of a race. Have you done anything differently in your training? And how do you measure your fitness when you do not race?   
GW: I’ve done the same training that I usually do. Once I’m in the race, I can gauge exactly how well I’m feeling during the race. However, before this race, I ran a 21-kilometer [half-marathon] race and I finished in 1:08. That tells me I’m in good shape.
 
NYRR: There was a report that you had a leg problem.
GW: Yes, I have had problems with my hamstring. But I’m all right now.
 
NYRR: There was a point in the last couple of miles of the ING New York City Marathon 2007 when Radcliffe fell behind you before she came back to win. When you were ahead, did you think the race was pretty much over and you had it won?   
GW: Not really. Soon after [I took the lead], she caught up again. Last year, because I had run two races in one month, it was quite tough for me. I followed her until the very end. However, there was a mistake I made, and I’ll make an effort not to repeat that mistake.
 
NYRR: What mistake are you referring to?  
GW: The mistake I made was that I should have kicked a little closer to the finish line. I tried to do that with about 800 meters left. I should have waited until I was closer to the finish.
 
NYRR: You’ve run in marathons all over the world. What is special to you about the ING New York City Marathon?      
GW: For me, it’s the fact that the World Marathon Majors [champion] is decided here, and it was decided here last year for the first time and I won it.
 
NYRR: How did you discover running?
GW: I began in school about 14 years ago. I used to run 200 meters and 400 meters in school. There was a sports program where you would compete against other classes, and you would represent the school and compete elsewhere. I joined a club after winning a cross country race, and I ran at the World Junior Championships in Korea.
 
NYRR: Are you enjoying this phase of your career as a marathoner as much as you did when you were running great 10,000-meter races on the track?
GW: To be honest, I’ve not yet had my fill of running on the track. I moved on to longer distances on the road, [but] I still enjoy running on the track.
 
Interview conducted on October 30, 2008, and posted on November 1, 2008.