PUBLISHED 04/16/2007
After a fifth place finish in the 2006 ING New York City Marathon, where she didn't have a solid game plan, this Russian runner comes to the Boston Marathon with a set plan and the desire to win.
When you came to the finish at New York what did you think?
Lidiya Grigoryeva: I was thinking 'Idiot! Idiot!' I was very upset with myself for not going with Jelena and Tatiana. I know I know I could have done it, but I wasn't thinking straight.
After New York, you said you wanted to run a 2:22. Can you do that here in Boston.
LG: I don't think a 2:22 is realistic here in Boston especially with the bad weather that's expected. My plan is to just stay with the pack. I'm sure the speed won't be high because of the weather so I know I can do it.
How many miles do you run a week?
LG: Russian women are known not to do huge amounts of distance and I follow that. I don't go over 200km per week, which is about 120-miles, and I don't run farther than 35-kilometers in any one run.
You have a signature workout you do for the marathon, can you tell us about it?
LG: Sure. I run 20km with 1km fast, 1km slow, 1km fast, 1km slow, etc. I do this in about 68-minutes and I try to do it twice during my marathon build-up. This kind of quality work is important in my training.
Do you race a lot when you're training for a marathon?
LG: No, not really. I usually only do one or two races, but I find that it's best to concentrate just on the training. Before New York I did one half-marathon, and before Boston I just did that the Ekiden.
You describe your life as running and home, home and running.
LG: I know. My life is very boring. I run, come home, and cook. I never go out. I am always focused on running.
Are you feeling confident about your race here?
LG: Yes, for sure. The weather is going to be similar to what I train in in Russia so that helps a lot.
How will you make adjusts for the weather on race day?
LG: I will probably use different shoes. I run in Nike's but they are often slippery in these kinds of conditions. We'll wait and see on race day.
