Have You Tried Sifan Hassan’s Unorthodox Training Method?

Tokyo Marathon pre-race favorite Sifan Hassan had some unusual training methods leading into her spring marathon campaign.

Hassan came into the Tokyo Marathon seeking her third consecutive marathon win in less than a year after prevailing in her debut at the 2023 London Marathon, followed by a stunning victory at the 2023 Chicago Marathon later that year.

Hassan also had eyes on breaking the course record of 2:16:02 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2021.

In the days leading up to the Tokyo Marathon, Hassan could be seen training up and down the hallways in her hotel.

“I have prepared well for this race…I mean the period between after the Chicago Marathon and now. I’m going for a course record,” Hassan said during the pre-race press conference.

However, it seems her peculiar training methods weren’t enough to push her to victory, as Hassan would settle for fourth place, clocking a time of 2:18:05, far off her personal best of 2:13:44 from the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Rather, it was Ethiopia’s unsung star Sutume Kebede who would not only take the victory but also shattered the course record, running a time of 2:15:55.

Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru would take second in 2:16:14, and Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso would round out the podium, clocking 2:16:58.