Walker Tereza Ďurdiaková chose a step into the unknown for this year's preparation in the form of a concentration in Kenya. Lucie Nekulová asked her how Terca was doing in Kenya.

The winter training is behind us and the pedestrians are already impatiently waiting for the start of the new racing season. This year, the Czech representatives prepared for them in non-traditional destinations. Eliška Martínková went to Colombia (an interview with her was published on the ČAS website and an even more interesting interview about the conditions can be read on the website athletics.sk - conversation with M.Morvay), Vít Hlaváč traveled to South Africa together with the Slovaks and occasionally joined a strong German group regularly training there. In terms of walking, Tereza Ďurdiaková visited the most exotic destination and spent several weeks in Iten, Kenya.

Although Kenya is a mecca for runners, it is, unlike Colombia, a very new destination for walkers. Many athletes are interested in how Terca did in Kenya, so our elite athlete agreed to answer a few questions to Lucia Nekulova about her training in Kenya. There are:

1. Why did you decide on the concentration? in Kenya?

Kenya has attracted me for a long time. Even as a runner, I looked up to her. It is an unusual destination for me and I was tempted to try the modest living conditions. From Europe, we are used to sometimes unnecessary luxury and a hurried life. There are times when I get tired of it. When I have hard training, I need to rest a lot and I like peace and no stress around me.

2, How do you cope with the high altitude in Iten?

It's an appropriate question. Everyone thinks that there is a direct correlation between being at altitude and improving performance. But everyone reacts differently to height. Even after five weeks here, sometimes I can't catch my breath. A misjudged pace during a demanding training session will almost destroy you, and regeneration at altitude is subsequently relatively long. The fatigue seems deeper and sometimes you would like to run away down to the lowlands, or straight home :)

3, Howé there are tr for youéninkové conditions from the perspective of an elite walker? bthe reapers repeatedly praised the quantity clayof roads on trénink, for that they drove on the road on a special tréninnies. Howé is that there for you

There are a lot of dirt roads here, but also a lot of asphalt roads. It reminds me a little of the hilly terrain in the Tatras. On the long plain, you ride about 10 km to Moiben. You can hire a motorbike, of which there are many on every corner, and for 35 CZK you will be taken (without a helmet) to Moiben. If you want the motorcyclist to complete the entire training as a pacemaker with you, you will pay 300 CZK in conversion. The length of training doesn't matter either. For me, it was almost 4 hours long training for this amount. Otherwise, I also like to trot, so saving my legs on dirt roads is very convenient and pleasant. From the hotel we have free entry to the tartan stadium, which is 2,5 km away. For other visitors, it is practically impossible to get to the stadium and they have to travel to Eldoret. You can run to the stadium, or walk along the road, or you can catch a motorcyclist.

4, Where and how do you live? From socigeneralteathey are going is ví that you also moved with your partner... How many NoEchů is in place this winter? mdo you have a chance to meet?

At first I lived in so-called Kenyan conditions. One room, bed, things on the floor. But we missed the kitchen and overall we didn't like the chosen accommodation. For example, Jirka Homoláč had it much better and at the same time cheaper (10 euros/night). There was grass everywhere around the accommodation, a room where you could cook. There was a massage parlor in the compound and in general a lot of professional Kenyans lived there. In combination with food, our accommodation was quite expensive and there was no possibility to cook for ourselves. We had no contacts, so we decided to stay in a hotel that offers European standards. So we experienced 1/2 of the stay in Kenyan conditions and 2/2 of the stay we enjoy in the hotel. There are quite a few Czechs here and Iten is a relatively small village, so meeting each other is not a problem.

5, What is Kenyan like to you? diet?

Fortunately, I don't have to deal with anything at the hotel. We have food 4 times a day and it suits me perfectly. It is light and easy to digest. We also have typical Kenyan specialties (ugali, chapati, cabbage, rice, Nyama Chomu (roast beef or mutton). I miss the cheese, but it can be bought in the nearby city of Eldoret. You can probably buy almost everything there, including classic pizza, etc. I would probably she preferred to tune up before the race in her classic environment with her usual food, but for training the food is really light and diet.

6, Trédo you live alone or do you have a coas motrédating someonem? Czechs marathon runners často trénovali with Kenyans, how are you doing as a pedestrian?

During this period, I don't need to go to full fitness yet, so it's no problem to carry out most of the training sessions myself. But I had help for key trainings. I paid for a motorcycle, which cost me about 300 CZK, and the biker was with me for 4 hours. But Michal Stanovský helped me a lot. A marathon runner, also employed in Victoria and we fight together here in Kenya. For a few runs, I joined the Kenyan group, which took good care of me and someone was constantly checking how I was doing and whether the pace was okay.

7. How do Kenyans react?é on chgoat? In recent years, they are starting to reap success in the field of sports walking, but for most Kenyans it will probably be a big unknown.

There would be great potential to make Kenyans good walkers. It is a source of income for them, if there was someone who would create large groups here, they would definitely go for it. Kenyans like to run together and solitary training is not for them. It would like to start with the children and create the same groups as on the run. There are a few walkers here, but unfortunately I didn't manage to meet them. Kenyans often join me and try a section with me. It's pretty fun. Everyone here is friendly and even I made Kenyan friends here. They are simply used to clustering in groups and spending time together.

8, In Kenya, you are without trenéra, letdid you go with the given tréwith a rough plan or just a rough idea and you adjust the plan according to possibilities and how you feel? Supervisionit's up to youas nsomeone about the techniqueséexecution of it?

Yes, I am here without a coach, because I am with him most of the year and here I feel that this concentration is more about rough work. I came here with a training plan, but it is not a dogma and we consult it daily over the phone. For example, after an intestinal virus, the plan simply had to be dug up and adjusted. Michal even films me on video and I send the videos to Ivoš via Whats App.

9, You often use in tréninku bike, you don't miss the secondary tréninkové resources? What kind of additional sports, strengthening, regeneration do you have?

We have a quite nice fitness center here, which is equipped with cycle trainers of a sufficient level and cardio machines. The gyms host group fitness classes, which are mainly for professional Kenyan runners, but hotel guests are welcome to join in at any time. I have to say that Kenyans don't have much of a stabilizing core :) But in their defense - the lessons are not easy at all... Before leaving for Kenya, I covered quite a bit of mileage, so I don't really need a bike here. In any case, it is possible to rent a beautiful MTB for 200 CZK/day or 5000 CZK/month in Iten, and the riding routes here are great. Otherwise, we have a 25m open swimming pool available at the hotel. Until the rainy season came, he was very good at swimming.

As far as regeneration is concerned, massages are enough for me, which are at the level of 10/10 points and cost from CZK 100 - CZK 300. We also have rehabilitation equipment and a physiotherapist in the hotel. A Finnish sauna is also available.

10, Kenya TV fulfilledé imagination? And what did you even go to Kenya with?éwas she

I flew here with the vision of a calm, stress-free preparation. I wanted to visit Kenya and see how they train here. It's a completely different world. Specifically, in Iten, the majority is dedicated only to running, and even then there is only one goal - to run and be the best.

11, You seem to like V Iten. Will you want to repeat your African stay in the future? In what naléyou know the advantages and disadvantages of the stay from the point of view of a pedestrian?

I would like to come back here in November and December, because Michal has the World Deaf Cross-Country Championships here, and it suits us to prepare together. It would be nice to follow up the high-altitude training with another stay, for example, in the Alps or another resort. From the point of view of pedestrians, there is no possibility to form large groups, but I am not used to them from the Czech Republic, so I do not look for them too much. Personally, one sparring session or even a really paid biker or a Kenyan driver in a crisis is enough for 86 CZK/training. Personally, I only miss the indoor pool and the longer opening hours of the local gym.

12, First race start tHe is waiting in Dudince, immediately noAvrat from Kenya. the journey is quite long, how did you manage the journey there and you are not afraid of fatigue from the challengeséhim traveling?

I'm honestly very afraid of fatigue, but those who are afraid are not allowed in the forest :). We already know that they changed our flight, so we will arrive in Vienna 5 hours later than originally planned. I always raced best around the 10th day after returning from the mountains, so this is a test and a premiere at the same time. I was surprised that the trip to Kenya was not nearly as difficult as I expected. You basically spend one night on the plane and you are there in the morning. You get two meals on the plane, watch a movie and the trip goes by quite pleasantly.

13, And finally one with a preview of TVérelease himétime Is the stay purely sporty, or do you sometimes have space for something elseé that africaé adventure?

In the end, I have to evaluate the stay as purely sports. But it was not planned. I originally wanted to go on a Safari trip, but I was feverish and had intestinal problems for a week. In the end, the Kenyan medicine, which I should have had from the beginning, solved it within a day. Well, a lesson learned for next time. But I had my hair braided here twice for a minimal amount of money and the afternoon spent with the Kenyan women was quite pleasant. The lady who braided my hair has a half marathon run of 1:09 and is currently preparing for a marathon in France.

Thank you very much and everyone certainly wishes you not only to fulfill the nomination criteria, but also to further improve the Czech record. Best in Poděbrady.  🍀