Mikitenko - 2:24 run in Berlin - Germany’s new marathon hope?

After fine performances at the World Championships in Osaka there was another major success to come for German athletics this year. Irina Mikitenko ran the greatest marathon debut ever by a German woman when finishing second at the Berlin Marathon with 2:24:51.

In former years Mikitenko had again and again produced fine track performances for Germany at the major championships. When it mattered she always confirmed her position as the country’s only runner to keep up with the world’s best. In the World Championships’ 5000 m finals she was fourth (1999) and fifth (2001), while she placed fifth and seventh in the Olympics at this distance (2000 and 2004).

Having missed the World Championships in 2005 because of giving birth to her second child, Mikitenko came back and concentrated on road running. Her marathon debut was the reason why she had decided not to go for Osaka this year. In the end it turned out to be worth the sacrifice. Mikitenko’s performance in Berlin gave Germany new great hope in the marathon.

In the path of Dörre-Heinig and Pippig

Here at last is a German runner again who has the potential to play a role in the future Olympic or World Championships races or in the big city marathons.

Many years after the tremendous successes of Katrin Dörre-Heinig and Uta Pippig, who won many of the major races in the 90ies, Irina Mikitenko is ready for more in her new event. It was more than eight years ago that a German woman was faster in the marathon: Dörre-Heinig had clocked 2:24:35 in Hamburg in 1999. And the only other time that was faster had come from Uta Pippig in Boston 1994 (2:21:45). Placing behind these two icons of marathon running in the German all-time ranking is quite an achievement, especially in a debut. So it was no coincidence that Mikitenko became the first German runner – male or female – to score points in the World Marathon Majors (WMM).

Asked about her feelings and recovery after nearly two months Mikitenko says: “I have already forgotten about the strains and training for the new season has begun.”

The 35-year-old will run a New Year’s Eve Race in Trier and then plans to do a couple of road races in the first few months of the year. She has not yet decided about a spring marathon but admits that it is tempting to run in events like London or Boston, especially since there is interest from both.

“It is great to know that these races are interested in me running there. And I know that it is quite a couple of years ago that a German elite runner was in one of these. Additionally it would be good for me to run in such strong fields. But my priority really is the Olympic marathon next year – so I have not yet decided if I will do a spring marathon or not,” says Mikitenko, who has no doubt that her future lies in the marathon.

German roots and settling in

It was in the Republic of Kazakhstan, where her international career as a runner once began. In 1995 she won the 1500m at the Central Asian Games and in the next year she competed in her first Olympics, but did not qualify for the 5000m final. Her family – the great grandparents – had originally come from Germany and her parents still had German passports. In 1996 Irina Mikitenko moved to Germany together with her husband and coach Alexander.

It was a prominent German athlete who helped her settle in: three-time European 400m Hurdles champion Harald Schmid.

“Harald helped us a lot. He arranged a job for Alexander, helped us getting a flat and brought me to a club. We still have good contact with him today,” confirms Mikitenko.

During her international career she has always been coached by her husband. Learning about the training situation one assumes that there could be quite some room for improvement for Mikitenko. Her husband Alexander has a full-time job as a metalworker with changing shifts at daytime and through the night.

“I am used to running alone in many training sessions, especially the one before noon,” says Mikitenko, whose parents are nearby and help out looking after the children. Because of Alexander’s limited holiday and one of the children in school it is not possible to do long weeks of high altitude training at present. When Mikitenko did go to Switzerland to prepare for Berlin she could not stay longer than three weeks in a row. She did this a couple of times though.

This winter she plans to train in Spain for two weeks. “Alexander can’t come along but my parents will join to take care of the children,” says Mikitenko. “The children don’t know a life without sport – they are used to it.” And Mikitenko herself is used to the situation as well. “It has always worked fine for me.”

Not reflecting her true potential

Her weekly mileage also leaves room for improvement. In a more careful approach to her marathon debut she did not train more than 180 kilometres (112.5 miles) a week.

“I know that there are a number of things to improve regarding my future in the marathon,” says Mikitenko, who is sure that she is able to beat her Berlin time. “If my preparation is fine then I am able to run sub 2:24. But I can not say how fast a time will be possible for me.”

A runner she admires is Paula Radcliffe, who she knows well from various track races. “If she runs then she is really giving you a run,” says Mikitenko, who has beaten Radcliffe a couple of times in 3000 and 5000 m races. She also went to Albuquerque in 2001 after Radcliffe had invited her to join her for training. “It was interesting to see her training and we did a couple of sessions together.” Following Paula Radcliffe’s marathon career and her mileage during training Mikitenko recalls: “I thought: no, I will never run a marathon!”

Regarding her personal bests on the track (3000m – 8:30.39 / 5000m – 14:42.03 / 10,000m – 31:29.55) Mikitenko admits that especially the PBs for the two longer distances do not reflect her true potential. “This is a bit sad, as is the fact that I never won a major medal. But I have shown that I can run on a consistent high level. Regarding the times I did not get a perfect 5000 metres race when I was in peak form in 2000. And I never really liked the 10,000m so I did not train properly for them. May be I will go for the 10,000m again.”

Berlin 2009 a target

But now the focus is clearly on the marathon. And Mikitenko hopes to be able to run in her new event for a couple of more years.

“After the Olympics we will have the World Championships in Berlin in 2009. This is a very big goal – because it is on home soil it would be the greatest event for me. If I stay free of injuries I hope to continue until 2012.”

May be the best is still to come from Irina Mikitenko.

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF