Mary Ngugi-Cooper

Kenya

Personal Bests

Marathon

TCS London Marathon

2:20:22

10/2/2022

10 Kilometres Road

30:50

5/31/2021

Half Marathon

1:06:29

1/17/2016

15 Kilometres Road

48:49

7/12/2015

5 Kilometres Road

15:07

4/18/2015

Upcoming Events

Recent Mentions

Podcast

The Final Push! How to Taper & Mentally Prepare with Mary Ngugi-Cooper

March 30, 2025

World record-breaking runner Paula Radcliffe and double Olympian Chris Thompson guide you through week thirteen of marathon training. Paula and Chris explore tapering, trusting your training, and managing mindset in the final weeks of preparation. They’re joined by elite Kenyan runner Mary Ngugi-Cooper, who shares her inspiring journey, her Boston Marathon insights, and the powerful story behind her Nala Track Club – a safe space she created to empower young female athletes in Kenya. Any questions, please email us: hello@paulasrunpod.com, or you can leave a voice note on WhatsApp: 07418 627194 – we love hearing from you! Timecodes: 01:22 – Tapering begins: mindset shift & aches are normal 04:05 – Paula’s 10-minute rule for assessing niggles 05:34 – Chris on knowing when to stop a session 08:26 – Training is study, race day is the exam 10:30 – Practical taper prep: shoes, travel, kit 21:09 – Mary on founding Nala Track Club to protect & empower girls 27:03 – Recovering from injury & building back smarter 36:02 – Boston Marathon tips: respect the downhills, race smart This podcast proudly supports Children with Cancer UK - Britain's leading childhood cancer charity supporting families and research since 1988. Sadly ten children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and it is the biggest cause of death in young people under the age of 15. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4h5SoXU to help the charity succeed in its mission to ensure every child and young person survives cancer. To find out more about Children with Cancer UK and see how else you can get involved or get the support you need please visit https://www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk/ Paula's Marathon Run Club is a Viral Tribe Entertainment Production. Exec Produced by James Carpenter and Jon O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Show notes58m

Podcast

Mary Ngugi-Cooper's Unwavering Commitment to Empowering Women In Kenya With Nala Track Club

April 17, 2024

Mary Ngugi-Cooper has been a formidable force in the Kenyan marathon scene within the past decade.

Mary's journey is not just about her remarkable achievements on the roads; it's about her unwavering commitment to empowering women through the sport she loves. In the wake of a tragic loss that shook the running community to its core, Mary took action by responding to the heartbreaking murder of Agnes Tirop by founding Nala Track Club in October of 2022. Named after the Swahili word for a powerful, successful woman, Nala Track Club is a sanctuary for female athletes.

But it's more than just a club; it's a beacon of hope. Mary's vision extends beyond the finish line, providing not only a safe haven for young women to train but also covering housing and education costs for those in need. Additionally, Nala Track Club has pioneered a groundbreaking coaches training program, empowering women to lead and mentor the next generation of Kenyan athletes. Nike has come on board with the to assist with funding the girls’ basic needs and in-residence scholarships to remove financial barriers

Her story is one of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of sport. It was super nice to chat with her just days before she went on to finish sixth in the Boston Marathon in 2:24:24.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Mary Ngugi-Cooper | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@maryngugi on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

👟 ON Experience the magic of Penn Relays with On. Races. Athletes. New kits. New faces. Try the latest On running shoe innovations, customize your gear and more. For the full events schedule, check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Penn Relays website⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you can't be there in person – follow @on for all the action. CITIUS MAG is a proud media partner to capture the atmosphere and excitement of the 2024 Penn Relays from April 25-27 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

🩴 VELOUS RECOVERY FOOTWEAR is the active recovery footwear brand that is designed to help you Restore, Revive and Reenergize before and after you train. They are launching two new styles to their recovery mix for Spring ‘24. The Active Slide and Active Flip collection. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoy a 20% discount by entering the code: CITIUSMAG20 at checkout at VelousFootwear.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel⁠

Show notes26m

Loading...