Boston Marathon 2012: Geoffrey Mutai's Success Starts with His Desire

You certainly have to be athletically gifted to win the Boston Marathon, but what separates the great from the best in a marathon generally comes down to desire.

Last year's winner, Geoffrey Mutai, certainly has desire.

The Boston Globe detailed Mutai's annual training regimen on Friday, and it's something to behold. The 30-year-old Kenyan reportedly runs 110 to 125 miles per week for 45 weeks each year, as well as adding in speed workouts at a 4:50-mile pace.

And this isn't just a flat track. Mutai runs in the hills of Kapng’etuny, Kenya, which includes altitudes of 8,200 feet. He describes his regular routine "like the day of the race." He'll also mix things up to keep himself fresh, like "easy" runs for two hours at an eight-minute mile pace.

At the Boston Marathon last year, Mutai ran the fastest marathon time ever at 2 hours 3 minutes 2 seconds, although it wasn't recognized in the record books because the conditions didn't meet specific qualifications. That's a pace of 4 minutes 42 seconds per mile over more than 26 miles.

Mutai, who also won the New York City Marathon and broke the course record there last year, is an example of where hard work will get you. He may not be the youngest, or most athletic, or strongest, but his desire has made him one of the top marathon runners in the world.

There is something to be said about that in a sports world that marvels at the physically gifted, sometimes ignoring an athlete's pure determination.

Mutai will go for a repeat performance on Monday, and it's hard to see anyone beating him. His training regimen is second-to-none and you get the feeling he's only going to continue breaking records this year. So much of the marathon is about stamina, and it's Mutai's work ethic that allows him to run marathons at an alarming pace.

In the Boston Marathon this year, it won't be about the most athletically gifted. It will be about who wants it the most. Mutai has demonstrated his dedication quite emphatically.

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