Sub 2 hour marathon

[calumb]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/50025543

Some going out of him. Amazing

[patch1875]

Superb achievement same as running at level 21 on a treadmill apparently!

[Pretty Boy]

I've commented on it extensively elsewhere but there's just so much to be said.

I followed the Breaking2 attempt at Monza a couple of years ago featuring Kipchoge and 2 others. On that occasion he seemed nervous and was quite obviously feeling pressure. He ran 2.00.25, the only 1 of the 3 to get close. This time around in the build up he has been so relaxed and absolutely clear that he would do it. His training was amazing to watch, the mileage covered and the variations in pace he ran at was something that I think a marathon runner at any level could learn from. Also his attitude in the training camp, the same one he has used for years, was inspiring. Although he is obviously the superstar he still bought into the whole team ethos and took his turn cooking, perpearing veg, changing bedsheets and cleaning the toilets. There was plenty self belief and confidence but very little ego.

Watching the scenes as it became obvious he was going to be successful today was great. Tens of thousands of people cheering him home and social media going into meltdown with comment that was, for the most part, favourable was fantastic. My girlfriend thought I was mental for setting my alarm for 6.30 to get up and watch the coverage, with 10K to go she was on the edge of her seat willing him on as much as I was. Running is such a simple sport but it's physically and mentally challenging and stimulating in equal measure and if today inspires one more person to pull on a pair of trainers then that's a positive legacy.

There has of course been issue taken with the support he had. It has to be clear there was never any pretence this was an official world record attempt, he already holds that distinction. It was essentially an experiment to disprove the theory that a sub 2 hour marathon was either impossible or decades away. Yes he had rotating pacemakers, a favourable course and various other aids but he still had to make it all click. Anyone can pay £200 for the shoes he was wearing, most of us can't run 2.01 official or 1.59 unoffical marathons. A few purists are enjoying pissing on everyone's parade but that's always going to happen. When Hillary climbed Everest he used supplementary oxygen, since then a few people have summited without it but it doesn't invalidate what Hillary did or tarnish his legacy. Why should this be any different?

Sometimes sport has the power to make you go wow and today was one of those days. I enjoyed watching every one of the 119 minutes it took him to run the course.

[Hibrandenburg]

Superb achievement same as running at level 21 on a treadmill apparently!

Same as running at 21kph or 13mph.

[Killiehibbie]

Amazing. Did he break sweat?

[RyeSloan]

BBC suggests it was the equivalent of running 17 second 100m every 100m for the whole distance!!

I don’t care what shoes he had or how many pace setters the fear of achieving that time is just phenomenal and is rightly being compared to the 4 minute mile.

Truly amazing and the background from PB’s post just makes it all the more inspiring.

[Hibbyradge]

It's beyond my comprehension, to be honest.

He's run 26.2 miles at a speed of 4 minutes 34 seconds per mile.

Even when I was at my fittest, many years ago, I couldn't have run a single mile at that speed. I'm not even sure I sprinted as fast as he runs!

Bonkers.

[Pretty Boy]

To put his time in perspective this stat from Parkrun gives an idea:

51 363 611 Parkrun 5Ks have been completed. Only 5 have been run in a faster time than Kipchoge's pace. He ran the equivalent of 8.4 Parkruns back to back.

[Bristolhibby]

It's beyond my comprehension, to be honest.

He's run 26.2 miles at a speed of 4 minutes 34 seconds per mile.

Even when I was at my fittest, many years ago, I couldn't have run a single mile at that speed. I'm not even sure I sprinted as fast as he runs!

Bonkers.

Was just chatting to my mates about this. My best time as an 18 year old for the 100m was 13 seconds. He was moving 4 seconds slower than my fastest sprint over 100m, but doing that over 26 miles.

It’s just insane!

J

[calumhibee1]

Same as running at 21kph or 13mph.

Ridiculous. I’m fit and I mainly train for 5km as I like aiming for speed rather than distance. I can run a 5km at a pace of about 17-18kmp/h and I’m absolutely ****ed after it. He blows that out the water and also does it 8 times back to back.

[stu in nottingham]

There has of course been issue taken with the support he had. It has to be clear there was never any pretence this was an official world record attempt, he already holds that distinction. It was essentially an experiment to disprove the theory that a sub 2 hour marathon was either impossible or decades away. Yes he had rotating pacemakers, a favourable course and various other aids but he still had to make it all click. Anyone can pay £200 for the shoes he was wearing, most of us can't run 2.01 official or 1.59 unoffical marathons. A few purists are enjoying pissing on everyone's parade but that's always going to happen. When Hillary climbed Everest he used supplementary oxygen, since then a few people have summited without it but it doesn't invalidate what Hillary did or tarnish his legacy. Why should this be any different?

Agree with this. The bottom line is that he ran the distance sub-two hours - whether it was a competitive 'race' or not. There are plenty of comparisons to make with Sir Roger Bannister's first sub-four minute mile at Iffley Road, Oxford in 1954. The event was completely set up for Roger to make an attempt on sub-four with two pacesetters in Chris Brasher and Christopher Chataway. I don't recall anyone calling the achievement into question over the years though stand to be corrected. Nor do I think this incredible achievement by Eliud Kipchoge should be devalued in any way, it is just immense.

[Hibernia&Alba]

How is it possible to maintain that pace for 26 miles? Hate to be a cynic but are these kind of times possible whilst running clean? It seems a super-human performance.

[Pretty Boy]

Paula Radcliffe's long standing women's marathon world record was finally been bettered today in Chicago. Brigid Kosgei ran 2.14.04.

Mo Farah finished 8th in the men's race. He may be many things but a genuinely elite marathon runner he is not.

[calumb]

Paula Radcliffe's long standing women's marathon world record was finally been bettered today in Chicago. Brigid Kosgei ran 2.14.04.

Mo Farah finished 8th in the men's race. He may be many things but a genuinely elite marathon runner he is not.

Some weekend for marathon running.

[Moulin Yarns]

Paula Radcliffe's long standing women's marathon world record was finally been bettered today in Chicago. Brigid Kosgei ran 2.14.04.

Mo Farah finished 8th in the men's race. He may be many things but a genuinely elite marathon runner he is not.

Yes, a real marathon record has been broken.

[calumb]

Yes, a real marathon record has been broken.

One of them anyway. She was paced by men so some claim its not the official marathon record. Mary Keitany holds the woman only record.