Marathon coach scores maiden title
Russian athlete Vladislav Demianov of Russia, who has devised a program to coach people online in how to run marathons, showed how it’s done on Sunday when he captured his maiden marathon title, the Singha Cha Am Bikini Beach Run in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The 35-year-old from Vladimir, north of Moscow, crossed the line in 2:37:35 hours to win the category for men aged 18-39, with Thomas Muli of Kenya coming in second with a time of 2:38.06.
“This is by far my biggest win as I had to compete with Kenyan runners,” said Demianov, who had won three shorter events (10K and half-marathon) in Chon Buri, Bangkok and Rayong earlier this year. “Kenyan runners are famous and tough to beat. This is also the first time I have won a full marathon.
“I was only confident that I was going to win during the last 100 metres. He [Muli] was running on the sand but I was running on the wet sand, which was easier.
“In Russia it’s very cold. So I prefer to compete in Thailand where the weather is nice and there are beaches. But today it was like 28 degree out there, which was quite tough for me.
“I know many people in Russia who want to run marathons and I write programs for them.”
Demianov, whose most recent other victory was in Rayong last week, will next week return to the Isaan town and aim for a hat-trick of triumphs in another half-marathon, but is not confident of repeating his success.
“I’m not sure if I can do it. My legs are a little tired now,” he confessed.
Tarus Dorcasjebotip from Kenya clocked 3:19:16 hours to win the women’s race, followed by Aregay from Ethiopia in 3:23.28.
