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Jimmy Gressier, world champion in the 10,000 meters in 2025 — beating Yomif Kejelcha — was yesterday in Madrid at a Decathlon event that revolved around the training shoes Kiprun Kipride Max. Before a jog of about six kilometers with the French genius, he spoke with Jon Zumaquero (Decathlon’s commercial director for running) and answered several questions from the attendees. Here are the most interesting statements:
A WEEK OF TRAINING“I usually cover about 150 kilometers per week. I have to live calmly and take lots of naps. I mind my diet, I avoid going out with friends, I avoid playing football and other things, but I am very happy to be able to practice my profession, which is my passion.”
LIVING AS AN ENTREPRENEUR“An athlete’s life is also a business life. We are entrepreneurs and think about the future. I have many dreams and I’m already starting to prepare them.”
REGENERATIVE RUNS
“The easy kilometers help me complete the volume I need and improve my aerobic capacity. Thanks to them, I train my body to manage the miles and to be muscled and stronger. In this way I train my heart through phases of different intensities.”
EASY RUN VS. SPEED WORK
“To me, an easy run is running at around 4:20 to 4:30 per kilometer, for example 14 or 18 kilometers at that pace. Easy runs help me recover. Then there are fast workouts, specific for preparing 5- or 10-kilometer races. The longer the outing, the easier the training becomes. Conversely, in shorter distance sessions, the training becomes very demanding.”
KIPRIDE MAX“I signed with Kiprun because I have a very special history with them. When I began running, my parents couldn’t afford to buy me shoes, so I grabbed a pair of size 38 Decathlon sneakers from my grandmother’s loft. I already wore a size 41, but with those size-38 sneakers from my grandmother I could win a race. After that victory, I received a gift card that allowed me to buy shoes in my real size. From there I started winning more easily. When Decathlon offered me a contract, I remembered my story and trusted them. Their shoes from two years ago aren’t today’s shoes, but I was eager to succeed with them, which is why I left Nike and today I’m very happy to work hand in hand with Kiprun to bring out the best sneakers on the market. There’s still a lot to do, but we’re getting closer to the top 5. The KS900 didn’t appeal to me, but now I’m very comfortable with the Kipride Max and it’s my favorite shoe for daily easy runs. I’m in love with these sneakers. When I was with Nike I wore the Nike Invincible, and now I wear the Kipride Max. I also know people from other brands who use Kipride Max for training. It’s one of the most comfortable shoes on the market for stacking up kilometers and doing long runs.”
TIPS FOR RUNNERS
“First of all, put on a good pair of shoes… Kiprun, obviously! I also recommend finding an expert coach to guide you. You should never forget that running fast every day does not necessarily mean you’ll improve, because you’ll exhaust yourself physically and mentally. To me, the mental part is among the most important. You have to be consistent, gradually accumulating kilometers over the years is what makes you improve. You need to combine demand and training. Anyone, regardless of their level, must make the same efforts to reach their level as I do to reach mine. The beauty of running is that everyone can progress. Not everyone can be Jakob Ingebrigtsen or Jimmy Gressier, but everyone can surpass themselves. We’ll only get better by training and being serious. Obviously, elites have to combine training with work, and I don’t know if I could run as I do if it weren’t my profession. Another piece of advice I can give is to set goals according to the season. I always look at the race calendar and schedule the moments when I must deliver my best. The rest of the races serve to prepare the big objectives. More tips: eat well, sleep plenty (I sleep 9 hours and take a 90-minute nap), and stay properly hydrated. Strength training always helps, and also doing short distances and gaining speed that will help us for the longer distances we’ll do in the future.”
MENTAL TRAINING
“In my case, it’s innate. My mental strength comes from the environment I grew up in. When I was small, my family had problems. I’ve always fought to get ahead. Now I’m aware of how lucky I am to live the life I have now. I put things into perspective, because what I do is just sport. Nothing serious could happen to me and if I fall, I’ll get back up. I always say that this is simply a sport. Obviously, I always put everything on the line to make things go well, and when I know I’ve given my all, I don’t second-guess anything. When I was younger I wasn’t as serious as I am now, and before a race the uncertainty would seize me because I felt guilty for not having done all the work I should have done. Now I have no doubts because I am older and I do things right.”
BEATING KEJELCHA“When I saw Kejelcha run the marathon in 1:59, I certainly valued that feat a lot. He’s one of the best runners in the world, and at that moment he proved it. I had become the world champion in the 10,000 meters a few months earlier by beating him, and sometimes I joke and say, ‘He isn’t world champion and I am.’ The truth is I’m proud to have defeated him, but I don’t know if it will happen again because honestly I think he’s better than me.”
