Marathon star says epic run was like landing on the moon
AS a boy growing up in rural Kenya, Eliud Kipchoge would run two miles to his school every morning, while his classmates walked.
Living in a mountain village close to the equator, the young man thought little of this high-intensity altitude running.
But the farmer’s lad was taking the first steps on the road to sporting immortality
Three decades years later, Kipchoge entered the history books with a feat of endurance few thought possible.
In becoming the first person to run a sub two-hour marathon, he had smashed a seemingly unbreakable barrier.
The four-time Olympic champion ran at a remarkably steady pace of around 13.6mph during Saturday’s 26.2 mile run.
That is the equivalent to running 100metres in 17.2 seconds, 422 times.
And he did it all sporting a beaming smile, which he forces himself to do as it encourages the brain to release painrelieving hormones.
Millions around the world watched in amazement as he sprinted – yes, sprinted – over the finishing line in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.
Kipchoge, 34, who seemed to have barely broken sweat afterwards, declared: “Today we went to the moon and came back to earth.” Just like the moon landings, this was one small step for one man and one giant leap for mankind.
It was probably the biggest achievement in athletics since Briton Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in Oxford in 1954.
But the 5ft 6in tall athlete looked as if he had completed a quiet morning run as he reflected on his achievement.
With his feet shod in controversial Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% trainers, which contain a carbon-fibre plate that helps propel him forward, Kipchoge looked as if he could do it all again.
His 140-mile-a-week high-altitude training regime and daily intake of a Kenyan cornmeal porridge called ugali, had clearly paid off.
“I have been training for this for fourBannister’s sub-four-minute mile With wife Grace after race and-a-half months,” Kipchoge said. “I have been putting my heart and mind to run under two hours and make history. I am feeling good.
“After Roger Bannister it took another 65 years to make history,” he added.
“Now I’ve gone under two hours to inspire other people and show the world nobody is limited.”
Back in Kenya thousands poured on to the streets of the capital Nairobi as Kipchoge made history.
On streets usually clogged with traffic, cars stopped so drivers could watch the run With Ineos boss Jim Ratcliffe on big screens. Kipchoge’s time was not recognised as a world record because the event was not classed as an official race.
The Kenyan’s 2:01:39 run in Berlin last year still holds that distinction.
But many now believe he could one day get under two hours in a race that qualifies for world record status. And Kipchoge reckons others will undoubtedly crack the time now that he is shown it can be done. Although running is a solo pursuit, this was very much a team effort with British influence to the fore. It was organised and funded by British chemical company Ineos, run by Jim Ratcliffe, and dubbed the Ineos 1.59 challenge. A