Athletic champion Pau Capell says that he learned a lot while training in Kenya ahead of this year's Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) tournament slated for Friday, August 26.
UTMB is a 171 Kilometers marathon staged on mountainous terrain.
On August 24, 2022, Capell, a former champion of the sport told Belgium-based Dhnet Sports, that he was impressed by the welcoming nature and the spirit of togetherness Kenyan athletes embrace during training sessions.
"I learned so much in a short time. Not just in terms of speed or technique. For Kenyan athletes, training together is essential to push each other up.
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“They are your friends in training and your competitors during the races. I think this is something we should be looking at in Europe,” stated Capell.
In an earlier interview with Wilder Magazine, the Spanish athlete stated that it was also an honour to train with the reigning 42 km marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge.
"It was good – I joined him on an easy run one afternoon. He is the best in the world, not only because he is the fastest, but because he has a special attitude. The first time I met him I felt something different.
"I don’t know what the feeling was, but his attitude is totally different. He is really nice and we spoke about running, UTMB and his record of 2 hours. So we had a good time together," explained Capell.
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The 30-year-old who seeks to break the 20 hours mark had pitched his camp in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County in preparation for Friday’s race.
Capell broke the world record at the 2019 edition in a time of 20 hours and 19 minutes, making him one of the greatest ultra runners in history.
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