Valentina Galimova is ready to show off her training regimen after she was left out of August’s World Track and Field Championships just 10 days before her race.

The IAAF, the sport’s governing body, said her winning time here at the 2012 Honolulu Marathon wasn’t fast enough for her to qualify for the world stage. On Sunday, Honolulu’s defending women’s champion will run her first marathon of 2013, still stinging from the decision that kept her off Russia’s national team.

"It was my great dream to run for national team," said Galimova, 27, who aspires to compete in the Olympics.

Her manager, Alexandra Bocharova, added: "All of us were disappointed."

Galimova said she had prepared hard for the world championships. She said she dealt with depression while training for several months in Portugal.

"I was very disappointed," Galimova said. "It was hard for me to begin preparing for marathon. Until October, I had depression, I didn’t know what to do. But my coach, she helps me. She said we must work hard."

Making her third consecutive Honolulu appearance, Galimova is aiming for a top-three finish and to "show my result from work."

She’s raced in half-marathons and 10-kilometer races to prepare for this race. To repeat as champion, Galimova will need to hold off a quartet of Ethiopians, including 2011 champion Woynishet Girma. Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia placed eighth at last month’s New York City Marathon. Volha Mazuronak of Belarus rounds out the field of professional runners.

Galimova made a late push last year to beat Girma. Her surge was aided by the worried look on her coach’s face. She caught a glimpse of his expression with 1,000 meters left and applied an extra burst to win in 2 hours, 31 minutes, 23 seconds. Even her husband, who was tracking her progress online back in Russia, was worried and called her coach for updates.

"For me, it’s tactical running," Galimova said. "I know the course, it’s uphill at the end and downhill, so you need a lot of strength to run because your legs become tired.

"In Portugal, where we train, the weather is the same (as Hawaii). The same humidity, different temperature, but humidity is the same."

Galimova started running at age 14 after briefly dabbling in trampoline and other activities. The opportunity to travel was a major lure. At 16, she ran the 1,500 in her first track event outside of Russia at a European junior meet in France.

"When I’m running, I’m relaxed, I don’t think about problems," Galimova said. "It’s a training of your mind, you overcome yourself."

Her coach at the time thought she should increase her distance. Galimova made her marathon debut as a pro at the Twin Cities (Minnesota) Marathon in 2010.

"Marathon is my job," Galimova said. "It helps me overcome difficulties and problems. After running a marathon, I think I can run 10 kilometers better because it’s good training for your body."

Galimova has attracted a following of children in her town of Perm in central Russia. She wants to motivate and encourage them — and people everywhere — to run and live a healthy lifestyle.

"When they come to our group, you try to be an example for them," Galimova said. "They see how you’re training and doing, and exercise helps them see you.

"Also, I like yoga because it helps me to relax and the young sportsmen see that and they started to come with me. I told them it’s good for your training."

Running professionally has afforded Galimova the opportunity to train and compete around the world. She enjoys seeing other countries, cultures and different ways of life.

"I like it and I enjoy my life," Galimova said. "All places are different and they have their uniqueness. I like everywhere. For example, I like Kyrgyzstan. I go to train there. It’s a poor country, but it’s very beautiful there. I like a lot of places, but Hawaii is the best. You feel very calm here."