I'm in Vännesborg (J.S's home relatively near Gothenburg, 100km), for 2 days, on a 7 day visit to Denmark and Sweden.
Jan Stensson, the Wizard - and Ghost met up for coffee in a Mongolian restaurant in Vännesborg and a long review of his career, coaching philosophy, tales about Madame Tanui, Victor Chipchirchir, and others.
I can confirm that Jan will not race this year, but will get ready next year...at least that's the plan. J.S. looks surprisingly youthful for a sexagenarian pushing 65, next year. At my request, J.S. broke into a run, near his home, and his form was good...forefoot striker, unlike most veterans who are heel strikers. It was a rather impressive sight seeing the tall, blue eyed Viking master lope up the road in his Saucony shoes.
Yes, he's overweight...for elite running purposes, but carries his weight surprisingly well on his tall, 6ft2 frame (1.88cm). If he weren't a runner, he would look a lot fitter than the average 64 year old, which cynics might claim doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but that's my view.
One more thing. For those claiming he's a con man...that's an inaccurate portrayal, because most of the people he coaches are not charged any money. Yep, he's eccentric, but if you meet him in the flesh, as I've done today, your opinion about the man might change.
Ghost in Vännesborg, Sweden. Thursday, May 30, 2024.