Olympic gold medal winning runner David Rudisha is a trendsetter. And a very fast one at that.
His working uniform is unlike yours or mine, usually consisting of a mesh tank top, lightweight shorts and a pair of adizero spikes. But it’s the work he does in that uniform that has him winning medals, breaking records and traveling around the world.
Rudisha may not be well known to all of you, but he should be. As an 800-meter runner, the Kenyan native has accomplished feats that are matched by few others in any sport. His dominance at his event is legendary. In fact, the 26-year old recently became the first man to win both the Olympic and world 800 meter titles while also holding the world record at the event. He is the only man to ever break the 1:41 barrier for his race, with a 1:40.91 effort to win the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He has the best three 800 meter times ever, as well as six of the top eight.
Rudisha may have seemed destined for greatness, which is an attribute that can be traced back to his Maasain roots in Kenya. His father Daniel was a silver medalist with the Kenyan 4x400 relay team in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, while mother Naomi starred as a long hurdler. As he prepared for the London Olympics, he recalled his father’s influence.
"My father's encouragement is what has brought me this far, because when I grew up I wanted to be like him, and I knew I had that ability to become an athlete. Being an Olympian is one of the greatest things, and being an Olympic gold medalist is one of the most prestigious titles in the world."
The young Rudisha attended school at the Kimuron Secondary School, an institution that included Wilson Kipketer among its former students. It was Kipketer’s 800-meter record that Rudisha eventually broke at the tender age of 21, when his 1:41.09 at an ISATF meet in Berlin became the new world standard. A week later, he lowered the mark to 1:41.01 at a meet in Rieti, Italy.
But it was at the Olympic that Rudisha set foot on to the world stage. In the fastest 800-meter race ever, he took the field out at a blistering pace (49.28 after 400 meters), daring any runner to challenge. While no one could catch Rudisha, five managed to break the 1:43 mark, an unheard of feat.
Just before leaving for London, Rudisha reflected on his childhood and how the pride of his ancestry would help to motivate him.
“Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went back and being their leader, I want to also be the warrior in the Olympics. That will be something good because that will be the first Olympic gold medal for the Maasai."
While his parents and his heritage helped him along the way, it is also training and diet that are critical elements of Rudisha’s training. The greatest middle distance runner ever maintains a strict diet – one that mixes proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. Junk food is a foreign term to Rudisha, and fortunately, there is little to be had in Kenya. Most of the food he eats is fresh, and the only thing he changes throughout the year is the amount he eats.
Rudisha’s training regimen has also remained consistent since his teenage days. A typical weekly training plan is chock full of speed work, with a lot of drills and striding. He’s never run more than eight miles in a workout, so his practices are fast and furious.
In the end, Rudisha simply loves his sport, and has said, “Running is so exciting! I really enjoy it because it’s something I am passionate about.”
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| Most of the guys that race David Rudisha probably don't know what he looks like -- Exhibit A. |
Rudisha may not be well known to all of you, but he should be. As an 800-meter runner, the Kenyan native has accomplished feats that are matched by few others in any sport. His dominance at his event is legendary. In fact, the 26-year old recently became the first man to win both the Olympic and world 800 meter titles while also holding the world record at the event. He is the only man to ever break the 1:41 barrier for his race, with a 1:40.91 effort to win the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He has the best three 800 meter times ever, as well as six of the top eight.
Rudisha may have seemed destined for greatness, which is an attribute that can be traced back to his Maasain roots in Kenya. His father Daniel was a silver medalist with the Kenyan 4x400 relay team in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, while mother Naomi starred as a long hurdler. As he prepared for the London Olympics, he recalled his father’s influence.
"My father's encouragement is what has brought me this far, because when I grew up I wanted to be like him, and I knew I had that ability to become an athlete. Being an Olympian is one of the greatest things, and being an Olympic gold medalist is one of the most prestigious titles in the world."
The young Rudisha attended school at the Kimuron Secondary School, an institution that included Wilson Kipketer among its former students. It was Kipketer’s 800-meter record that Rudisha eventually broke at the tender age of 21, when his 1:41.09 at an ISATF meet in Berlin became the new world standard. A week later, he lowered the mark to 1:41.01 at a meet in Rieti, Italy.
But it was at the Olympic that Rudisha set foot on to the world stage. In the fastest 800-meter race ever, he took the field out at a blistering pace (49.28 after 400 meters), daring any runner to challenge. While no one could catch Rudisha, five managed to break the 1:43 mark, an unheard of feat.
Just before leaving for London, Rudisha reflected on his childhood and how the pride of his ancestry would help to motivate him.
“Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went back and being their leader, I want to also be the warrior in the Olympics. That will be something good because that will be the first Olympic gold medal for the Maasai."
While his parents and his heritage helped him along the way, it is also training and diet that are critical elements of Rudisha’s training. The greatest middle distance runner ever maintains a strict diet – one that mixes proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. Junk food is a foreign term to Rudisha, and fortunately, there is little to be had in Kenya. Most of the food he eats is fresh, and the only thing he changes throughout the year is the amount he eats.
Rudisha’s training regimen has also remained consistent since his teenage days. A typical weekly training plan is chock full of speed work, with a lot of drills and striding. He’s never run more than eight miles in a workout, so his practices are fast and furious.
In the end, Rudisha simply loves his sport, and has said, “Running is so exciting! I really enjoy it because it’s something I am passionate about.”
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