Luis Enrique's success comes from running marathons.

Luis Enrique has just been honored as the best coach in the world right now, and he's probably also the best running coach in the world at the moment.

Enrique is currently the number one coach in the world .

In the world of football, fans often only see Luis Enrique as a top-class coach: having led Barcelona and PSG to historic trebles, and guiding the Spanish national team to a free-flowing style of football. However, beyond his tactical prowess on the sidelines, Enrique possesses an unparalleled quality: he is the world's best marathon coach.

Hang up your shoes but keep running.

Many players tend to slack off after retirement, easily gaining weight or living a more relaxed life after years of intense competition. Examples include Ronaldo "the Fat," Wayne Rooney, and Wesley Sneijder. Luis Enrique, however, is the opposite. Even after ending his playing career, he maintained his daily training routine and, in particular, turned to marathon running as a way to maintain both his physical and mental fitness.

Enrique has conquered the New York Marathon, the Amsterdam Marathon, the Florence Marathon, and even the Marathon des Sables – one of the world's most grueling races across the Sahara Desert.

At the 2005 New York Marathon, Luis Enrique completed the 42.195 km distance in 3 hours, 14 minutes, and 9 seconds. At the 2006 Amsterdam Marathon, the recorded time was approximately 3 hours, 00 minutes, and 19 seconds – a significant improvement compared to the previous year's New York Marathon.

Enrique ran in the 2005 New York Marathon.

The 2007 Florence Marathon was a significant milestone when Luis Enrique broke the 3-hour barrier, finishing in 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 8 seconds. The 2008 Marathon des Sables was an extremely grueling race held in the Sahara Desert, covering a total distance of approximately 250-254 km over several days. Luis Enrique participated under extremely harsh conditions, carrying a backpack full of supplies for the entire journey and personally transporting his equipment throughout the race.

Not only did he compete in the 42km marathon, but he also challenged himself with the Ironman Frankfurt 2007 – where athletes had to swim 3.8km, cycle 180km, and run 42km consecutively. Luis Enrique also completed the Ironman – a triathlon consisting of swimming, cycling, and running – in Germany with a total time of approximately 10 hours and 19 minutes. These achievements show that Luis Enrique is not simply "running for fun" but has truly reached a professional level in the world of long-distance running.

Endurance training helped Enrique overcome pressure.

Upon returning to coaching, the demanding schedule, media pressure, and performance expectations left Luis Enrique with no time to participate in official marathons. However, he maintained his endurance training: long-distance running, cycling, and swimming. This was not only a training habit but also a method to maintain alertness, emotional balance, and mental energy recovery.

Modern football coaches demand an enormous workload: tactical analysis, opponent observation, dressing room management, and facing harsh criticism. Not many coaches can remain calm under such immense pressure. In Luis Enrique, one sees composure and steadfastness – qualities that most likely stem from his relentless training sessions.

Enrique finds joy and relaxation on the running track.

In a marathon, success comes from controlling breathing, distributing energy, and pushing mental limits. On the coaching bench, Luis Enrique applies the same principle: he knows how to rotate the squad, maintain discipline, and most importantly, instill a "never give up" spirit in his players. In other words, marathon running has forged a stronger, more resilient Luis Enrique in his coaching career.

Enrique is the champion among coaches.

For football coaches, maintaining training is difficult enough, but conquering a marathon is even rarer. That's why Luis Enrique is considered a rare "marathon coach" in the world of football.

If the football world were to ever organize a special marathon just for coaches, Enrique would almost certainly be the first to cross the finish line. This is because he not only has a professional training background but has also conquered some of the most grueling challenges in the world of endurance sports .

Who could be his rival? Perhaps only Jurgen Klopp – the Liverpool manager with a long-standing passion for running. Also, Thomas Tuchel, who maintains his fitness through daily endurance training. However, Enrique's experience conquering marathons and Ironmans puts him on a different level. If Klopp and Tuchel are considered serious "amateur runners," then Luis Enrique deserves to be called a "professional marathoner" in the coaching world.

Source: https://znews.vn/luis-enrique-thanh-cong-nho-chay-marathon-post1590748.html