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Former Sri Lanka Marathon champion Stephen Mugambi and former Kass 10km bronze medallist Amos Birgen will line up among other runners at the Berlin Marathon on 25th September as pacemakers.

Iten-based runners have intensified their training to ensure that athletes meet their target time on the course that has been used to set the world marathon records. Born and raised in Meru County, Mugambi said that it will be his first time in pace-making.

 “I am training here, doing speed work as I prepare for my pacing job in the Berlin Marathon. However, we are still in discussion with my coach and manager either to pace group A or B,” said Mugambi.

 After finishing fifth at last year’s Stan Chart Marathon 10km, he finished ninth at the Enschede Marathon. “I have competed in many races and winning the 2018 Sri Lanka Marathon opened the doors for me.

Now I want to try a major marathon after pacing in Berlin next month. My coach has been giving me good training programmes like completing 40km, 30km and that is good enough for pacing,” said the 29-year-old runner.

Mugambi moved from Meru to Iten to undertake his training programme.

“I came to train here because where I come from, there are no athletes to train with. So, I could not stay there with no training fields or no training group.

 “I was forced to come to this side and get training mates who have improved in my performance and morale in running,” Mugambi added.

Just like Mugambi, Birgen will be pacing in Berlin for the first time. The upstart runner said that he has been training well for the task where he will be pacing group two with a target of 63:00 minutes.

 “Group two is the second fastest runners where we have to cross the half marathon at 63 minutes. “The fastest group, group one will have to cross the finish line at 60:00 minutes to meet the target mark,” Birgen explained.

He admitted that he has never paced anywhere but he has hope of delivering his mandate.

“Am capable of pacing for better results. So far, I ran at the Kass Marathon 10km in 2018 where I finished in position three and thereafter I concentrated in track events, competing in weekend meetings across the country. I also ran at the Stan Chart 10km where I was 14th,” he said.