By Nancy Marrapese—Burrell, Globe Staff | April 15, 2005
There are few people who can provide helpful advice to Catherine Ndereba. One of them, though, is Uta Pippig. As the 1996 Boston Marathon approached, Pippig was bombarded by questions about whether she could win the women’s open division for an unprecedented third straight time.
Pippig, one of the most popular champions in the event’s history, said she preferred to think of each race individually. She said that was impossible in that case.
“The media was so excited about it and the people got so excited about it, saying, ‘Uta, you can make history!’ so for two or three days, I was a little bit too aware of it,” said Pippig, who did go on to win. “You have to push it aside mentally. Otherwise, you get nervous.”
This year the focus has been on Ndereba of Kenya, the defending champion who could become the first four-time Boston victor Monday.
“The first time, basically you’re prepared for everything,” said Pippig, who captured top honors in 1994 when she was 28. “You prepare for every single one so hard. Along the way, you don’t think all the time about winning. Of course you want to win, but it is a process and you enjoy the process. The training is tremendously difficult just to win it one time. To win it three times, or in her case, trying to win it four times, it’s just unbelievable and it’s very, very special.”
Ndereba, 32, first won Boston in 2000, denying Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia a fourth consecutive win that year. She defended her title the next year, cutting her time by more than two minutes to 2:23:53.
In 2002, she lost to Margaret Okayo, also of Kenya, although both broke Pippig’s 1994 course record. Okayo’s 2:20:43 finish remains Boston’s best. Last year, Ndereba and Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia tied the record for the closest finish, with Ndereba winning by 16 seconds. From mile 10 to mile 25, the two battled but it was Ndereba’s superior kick that earned her the win in 2:24:27.
“Boston is my finest and my favorite milestone,” said Ndereba, who works as a telephone operator in the prison system when she’s in Nairobi. “I like the people and the atmosphere down there because they are very friendly. I like the location of the race itself and the fans are very welcoming. The course is very challenging and it’s so prestigious. In the marathons I’ve done, I think Boston is the most challenging course but it is the best for myself.”
Ndereba said she’s not stressing about going after a fourth title. “It is just a single race to me,” she said. “It’s my prayer that I will win for the fourth time. So if I win it, I will be very grateful. It doesn’t matter whether I win or do not win, all the time when I get to a race, I look forward to doing my best.”
She won the silver medal at the Olympics in Athens last summer, finishing in 2:26:32. It was hardly a disappointment, however, considering she had missed a month of training because of a hamstring injury.
“When you run, having the national flag, you’re like, ‘Wow, I have it all.’” Ndereba said about running for her country.
Ndereba and her husband, Anthony Maina, have an 8-year-old daughter Jane, who at the moment isn’t very interested in following in her mother’s footsteps.
“She used to like it when she was a little bit younger, but at the moment, she doesn’t seem to be liking it very well,” said Ndereba. “She feels like running is too much work.”
For Ndereba, it’s not like work at all. She acknowledged it will be a tough race this year, with Alemu set to face off against her again, but she said she’s up to it.
“I’ve had that [determination] since I was young,” she said. “I’ve always looked to challenge myself. [Boston] has always had a very strong field. I think it is very strong this year.”
Pippig believes Ndereba will be tested, but doesn’t know if it will be by Alemu. “I wouldn’t know who it would be exactly,” said Pippig, who will work for Channel 4 at the starting line of the women’s race. “Everyone will be focused on who has the potential to beat [Ndereba] because [a win] would be so incredible, it would be so big. For Catherine, I really wish that she could do it because there is so much dedication from her. She’s a wonderful person and she runs so gracefully. If I have the ability to give her my energy, here it is Catherine. It will be exciting for all of us. I’m happy I don’t have to challenge her.”
