Eliud Kipchoge is the first ever person to run the length of a marathon in under two hours; 1:59:40 to be exact. That is the same as running 100m every 17.08 seconds 422 times in a row!
Some have compared this feat to Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. Honestly I don’t think the risk of death is comparable, although I guess it depends on who is running.
Much like Bolts’s 100m sprint in Beijing, Kipchoge is now a sporting icon rooted in history! But can the two sporting elites be held equal?
This was not an official run by Kipchoge who still holds the official marathon record of 2:01:39 set in Berlin 2018. This run was more of a feat for sport science than an improvement in Kipchoge’s athletic ability.
The run was uncontested, virtually flat and near sea level. There were also 42 pacemakers including previous Olympic and world record holders running in an inverted V to reduce wind resistance for Kipchoge. Additionally a car was shining laser beams onto the road ensuring everyone kept pace for a sub 2 hours run.
This run was no better or worse than what Kipchoge has previously produced, but was obtaining training for this controlled record worth it when Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele ran the Berlin course in 2:01:41 two weeks ago, just two seconds slower than Kipchoge’s world record?
Is Kipchoge’s name cemented in marathon history? Or is he to marathons what Donovan Bailey is to the 100m sprint?
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