Hellen Obiri/ FILETwo-time Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri says she will take a short break before resuming full marathon training in August to be 100 per cent fit as she plots the next phase of her season after a busy start to 2026.
Last weekend, Obiri returned to the roads at the New York Mini 10K, hoping to defend the title she won in 2025. However, the Kenyan distance-running star fell short in her bid for back-to-back crowns, crossing the line in third place in 31:10.
World 10K record holder Agnes Ng'etich stormed to victory in 30:07 while Ethiopia's Tsigie Gebreselama claimed second place in 30:53. Obiri had triumphed in the 2025 edition of the race, clocking 30:44 to outkick American Weini Kelati (30:49) and Ethiopia's Gotytom Gebreslase (30:54).
The podium finish capped a busy opening half of the season for Obiri. She launched her 2026 campaign in style with a commanding victory at the New York Half Marathon on March 15, breasting the tape in 1:06:33. Sharon Lokedi followed in 1:07:10 for second place, while Britain's Megan Keith completed the podium after clocking 1:07:13.
Obiri then stepped onto the marathon stage once again on April 26, making her highly anticipated debut at the London Marathon, where she produced a personal best of 2:15:53 over the classic distance.
In London, Obiri trailed Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa, who shattered the women's-only world record with a stunning 2:15:41, while Joyciline Jepkosgei rounded out the podium in 2:15:55. After an intense stretch of racing and training, Obiri says the time has come to recharge before beginning preparations for her next marathon assignment.
"My marathon training will start at the beginning of August so that I can resume training when I am 100 per cent fit. Also, no big marathons are coming up soon," Obiri said.
The 36-year-old revealed that she will assess her condition once training resumes before deciding on her next target. "After that, now we will plan on what's the next stop."
Obiri further disclosed that her preparations for the New York Mini 10K were disrupted by an Achilles issue that surfaced in the aftermath of the London Marathon.
"I took one week off from training after London, and I got back to training. I trained with a programme of doing training one day and having an off day the next. "My training did not go so well because I had an Achilles problem," she noted.
Despite missing out on consecutive New York Mini 10K titles, Obiri was satisfied with her podium finish, particularly given the calibre of the field and the proximity to her marathon effort. "Being on the podium with these youngsters and also coming from a marathon, I am so happy with the results," she said.
The former world champion admitted she anticipated a stern test from Ng'etich, whose credentials over the distance are unmatched. "I knew Agnes was strong because she has run 28 minutes in a previous 10K, so I knew the race would be tough," she noted. "But I told myself that I'm just from the London Marathon, so I should just focus on my speed and do what I can do."
Ng'etich holds the current women's 10K world record of 28:46, set in Valencia in 2024. She also owns the women's-only 10K world record after clocking 29:27 at last year's Adidas Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
