Harness Kipchoge’s Mindset
If anyone has the right mental attitude, it’s the first man to run a sub-2:00 marathon
The mind tricks of Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s fastest marathon runner
TRACK YOUR INVESTMENT
Eliud Kipchoge, who made
history last October by running the first sub-2:00 marathon, logs his workouts in a notebook, to record the effort he has put in. ‘When the race is hurting, I think of my great workouts and training,’ he says. If you do the same, he adds, ‘All will
be well. Trust me.’
YOUR MOVE Keep a journal and refer to it before a big race to remind yourself of all
your hard work.
JUST KEEP RUNNING Even Kipchoge has days when he doesn’t want to run. But he does it, anyway
– and so should you. ‘If I keep on running, the body
responds,’ he says. ‘You can’t let the bad days deter you.’ Kipchoge compares marathons to life: the hard days make the good ones all
the more satisfying.
YOUR MOVE If you’re following a running schedule, make a promise to yourself to do every workout, unless injury prevents you from doing so.
LEARN FROM FAILURE
Fear of failure can stop runners from fulfilling their potential. Not Kipchoge: ‘The best lesson an athlete
can learn from failing is that failing is not suicide.’ Instead, it lets you know you’re pushing your limits.
YOUR MOVE At a low-key event – such as your local parkrun – set off at what you imagine may be an unsustainable pace. You won’t know how quick you can go until you
test your limits.