How Did Eliud Kipchoge Break the Marathon Record So Soon?

He ran fast.

When I first started running in the early 1990s, the men's marathon record holder was an Ethiopian nmed Belayneh Dinsamo who ran a 2:06:50 at the 1988 Rotterdam Marathon. He had bested the previous WR by only 22 seconds, however, his was the first ever 2:06 and his time seemed out of reach, almost an anomaly. Although he's not widely remembered today (outside his native Cambridge, MA), Mr. Dinsamo's WR lasted an entire decade before Brazilian Ronaldo da Costa lowered it by 45 seconds to 2:06:05 in 1998. So it's incorrect to assume that the current world's fastest times run by men, like Kenenisa Bekele's 2:01:41 and Mr. Kipchoge's 2:01:39 (the world record) will be broken anytime soon, and probably not by these two gentlemen who are already 37 and 34 years old respectively. So wh is the huge mega-shoe-sporting goods company is already profiteering off a record that has not yet been achieved? I think Nike timed this event to coincided with the big American fall marathons (yesterday was Chicago and NYC is in a few weeks). They wanted runners buying plenty of shoes and talking about this instead of focusing on the news, which is that their Oregon Project, which has had so many of us hopeful about the state of distance running in this country and places like the UK, was shut down last week when its director and coaching guru Alberto Salazar received a four-year ban. We knew it was coming ever since Kara Goucher blew the whistel on him a few years ago.

Having seen "The Game Changers," I'd guess he's a vegan.

Pure athleticism, technology and the overarching presence of corporate marketing all converged on this tiny piece of Earth. Probably to prove the under 2 hour is possible with those shoes legitimately before the ad machinery get to work overtime.. < 2 h ... trust our brand .... If, in this news saturated world of ours, this event can encourage even a 100 consumers to buy these shoes when available and do a small morning jog, it would have proved worthwhile. Otherwise like yesterday's news it shall be meaningless when the next technological marvel improves the performance of the marathon. To V or no V that is not the question.

Magnificent achievement. But for me, the greatest marathoner ever will remain Abebe Bikila--the first East African to win the marathon--especially his barefoot world record in Rome in 1960. Bikila set another world record in Japan four years later, bettering his previous mark by more than three minutes, this time in shoes: 2:12:11.2. Bikila and Waldemar Cierpinski are the only men to repeat as Olympic gold medalists in the marathon. Cierpinski's second gold medal was achieved in Moscow, 1980, which was boycotted by sixty-five nations. Cierpinski was also East German, and may have to be asterisked. If Bikila were born today, with access to the training and equipment available, sub-two hours would be well within his reach. The man was all natural talent and will. The legend of Bikila is all the more poignant because of his car accident and the manner of his passing. Great two days for Kenyans. First Kipchoge, then Kosgei shattering Paula Radcliffe's sixteen-year-old record in Chicago.

A truly magnificently engineered stunt. Not to take anything away from the performance but to compare it to the moon landing or Bannister's sub four minute mile is a stretch too far. Kipchoge will be remembered more for his world record breaking actual marathon times that this marketing stunt that will be forgotten by next week.

A remarkable accomplishment - even with the shoes and drafting. A four and a half minute mile is impossible enough for most but doing so 26 times!?! It seems that East African dominance of distance running continues. Ethiopia and Kenya have dominated the event for a while now.

The author mentions the first sub 4 minute mile but then compares this feat to the first successful climbing of Mt. Everest. If he had stuck with running, he might have noted how different this was then was the breaking of the 4 minutes mile. Roger Bannister did that in an official race without any of the special help Kipchoge had. Also, it's worth noting that running is Kipchoge's full time profession. When Bannister ran his mile, he was a full time medical student. The only help he had from science was that he knew from his medical studies there was nothing special about the 4 minute mark. There are stunts and there are real sports. We can appreciate the former but they are different from the latter.

This is a flawed headline as he didn’t break any actual record. What he did, make no mistake, is truly impressive and it won’t be long before you see this in an actual race. It’s an import barrier time wise, but it wasn’t in actual race conditions.

Magnificent achievement. The best marathon performance of all time, however, is Abebe Bikila's in Rome, 1960, where he won the Olympic gold medal and set a new world record--running in bare feet. Bikila was the first East African to win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon. He won gold again at the Tokyo Olympics, 1964, bettering his previous Olympic time by more than three minutes. If Bikila were born today, there is little doubt he would be a sub-two hour marathoner. The man was all natural talent and will.

If you think the shoes and pacers gave Kipchoge unnatural advantages in his achievement, next year's Olympic marathon will serve as the converse: The athletes will be forced to run in unnecessarily brutal conditions that will not only impair their performance but also threaten their very health. Thanks to NBC and the International Olympic Committee, the Games will be held when the brutal heat and humidity of Japanese summers are at their absolute worst, late July to early August. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October for that very reason. But NBC, which paid the IOC a vast sum for the exclusive right to broadcast the Games in the U.S., didn't want them to conflict with the American football season. And the IOC, of course, let the money do the deciding. So instead of thrilling race between two of the fastest distance runners in history, what we'll likely see is a parade of plodding athletes simply trying to survive.

"The run involved a few tricks that purists don’t tend to buy"...I'd like to see those purists show us how it should be done! Yes, he ran under ideal circumstances and with the help of special shoes, but let's not take away the magnificence of his accomplishment or how unbelievably great he is as a runner.

Yes, with both the special techniques used and the corporate funding and branding tactics employed (now everyone running in a marathon, both professionally and in your neighborhood, will need to purchase those Moon Shoes or else feel ill-equipped) make this just another example of Hype. Hype, the chemistry our world has been fed to feed upon, whether in sports or in politics, to cover up issues that need serious and sustained attention. Human consciousness, so necessary, so forgotten, once again diminished by "those hopeless little screens." If not now, what will it take for us to grow up and see the world as it is? Hype needs and then feeds upon more Hype in this Age of Rush, in sports, in politics, in news, and in conflict. How far dare we go?

"There were thousands of people lining the park cheering him on in Vienna, something that rarely happens for distance running these days." Er, clearly you haven't been to many marathons! Just today I was at the Chicago marathon and the streets were so filled with spectators all over the city that it was difficult walking on the sidewalks.

A remarkable achievement: but this is no Bannister moment. The record for a marathon has been steadily improving for a century, and I have no doubt that a sub two time in a regular race with regular competitors and no fancy pacemaking would have ben achieved in a year or ten. And Kipchoge would have been my bet to make it. Just today an even more remarkable achievement in the Chicago marathon. Brigid Kosgei shattered the old women's mark by 80-odd seconds and broke the 2 1/4 hour barrier. Regular race, the same fancy Nike shoes, and I'm guessing some pacemaking assistance but not beyond what is routine these days in elite competition.

The really astonishing thing about Kipchoge is the scant two minute difference between the time he ran aided and the time he had already run on his own before this--the recognized world record. All those pacers weren't exactly a rocket ship to the moon for him. He was already so close to breaking two on his own steam. Today at the Chicago Marathon, Brigid Kosgei broke the old women's world record of 2:15:25 when she ran 2:14:04. Don't know about the bouncy shoes and she only had two pacers and no lasers.

A remarkable achievement and, quite likely, a big boost for Nike when they start selling Kipchoge's special running shoes at an unbelievable price. The event was promoted and paid for by Nike with the obvious marketing goal of having a milestone event performed using their product. How much did Nike pay the cadre of runners who assisted Eliud Kipchoge by reducing drag and maintaining the pace for him? That's not the way a competitive marathon is run, as one could easily observe by watching today's Chicago Marathon. Yes, it is a remarkable achievement, something like a made for TV reality show, designed for lots of recognition (deserved) and publicity. One can imagine Nike manufacturing other record breaking achievements: - running faster than Usain Bolt on downhill 100 meter and 200 meter tracks. - a new discus record with the new record holder throwing downhill from the top of a steep hill into a strong headwind. Eliud Kipchoge is a remarkable athlete and superb marathon runner. I hope he can again achieve a sub two hour marathon in a real competition against other remarkable marathon runners who might not be sponsored by Nike.

For the "it was only two minutes faster" crowd: It sounds like you've never run 26 miles while thinking about pacing while simultaneously convincing your body to do something that may or may not be beyond its limits. Two minutes can seem like a very long time. And when you are trying to get tired legs to turn over even a little bit faster at regular intervals, it is a VERY long time.

A great example of how a champion team makes a champion achieve greater greatness Stronger together. A great analogy for how humans cooperate to achieve what is otherwise an impossible goal for just one man. Just like landing on the moon Just like making Democracy work Yes we can!

What, precisely, is the nature of the course in this "Viennese park"? Not one mention in this regard is made in this article. Is it perfectly, or relatively, flat? In other words, is it missing the Boston Marathon's "Heartbreak Hill"? Or any urban marathon's "hill," for that matter. If so, I question the significance of this feat. For starters, run a Boston Marathon in under two minutes and then ask for my reaction.

Five runners formed a V-shape ahead of Mr. Kipchoge, reducing drag, and two runners followed directly behind to push him forward. A accomplishment for the ages by an extraordinary individual made possible through the collaboration of an inspired cadre of true believers and corporate interests that isn't in the least diminished by the fact that geese (for instance) figured this V shape stuff out probably before man came to the conclusion walking on two legs, while slower, also made so many other things, like walking while eating, drinking, or more lately staring endlessly at a tiny screen on one's 'smart' phone, possible.

It may seem tainted to others; especially since this seemed to be a 'team effort," but the fact is Mr. Kipchoge still had to have the ability to keep up a pace never before seen in the history of marathon running. The breaking of the 2 hour barrier had the same mystical challenge as breaking the 4 minute mile. Roger Bannister is still legendary for being the first to do it so many years ago. Eliud Kipchoge now enters that rarefied air of doing what was impossible until now. Instead of sour grapes; give this man his moment in the sun. He deserves no less.

This "record" is a meaningless stunt, and the article's saying that's OK because it is incredible how fast he ran is not logical. The real record is incredible, and now the corporate overlords have diluted the achievement of the person who will someday actually break the world record. I guess we should have a special article for someone running the fastest marathon on a downhill course, or the fastest marathon with a giant fan blowing behind you. We probably will if Adidas makes a new pair of shoes and pays for the fan. If the real world record means something, which it does, then this Nike stunt doesn't mean squat.

Sometimes nice guys DO finish first.

So...Kipchoge runs sub 2 hrs for the marathon distance. It is the sad state of athletics these days that I look upon his achievement with skepticism. Kenya was among the countries placed on World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA’s) compliance watch list in 2016 and even since then more than 60 Kenyan athletes have been convicted of doping violations. As someone who has both cycled and run marathons what I find incredible is not even that he ran that fast but appeared completely unfazed by the effort as he danced and bounded around after. The press was chock full of the amazing Lance Armstrong story for a while and look how that ended up. Sorry for the world of sport but for now I am not buying this story. Poor Kipchoge in my mind is unfortunately guilty until proven innocent.

"the run involved a few tricks that purists don’t tend to buy — and that violate enough rules to make it ineligible to be considered a “real” world record."....I don't care if it was all down hill with a 20 mph tail wind. The fact is he covered 26 miles 385 yards in less than 2 hrs. Until someone else covers that distance faster, it is the record.

It was not a race. It was a massive PR stunt that lessens the integrity of track and field and especially the Marathon. At least this article is in the Opinion, not the Sport, section.

This descriptive article “explains” the interactions between this champion marathon runner’s internal resources, a large group of “enabling” international runners, undelineated modern science and very special running shoes to create a world record. It “predicts,” with a touch-of-certainty, garbed in “expectedness,”the likelihood of future-faster-outcomes. Breaking through human “traditional”-consensualized limitations? Boundaries? I enjoyed reading about the outcome. I pondered, as I read about this runner’s “oatmeal” savoring, whether he considered, as he trained, at home, and perhaps elsewhere as well, about UNknowables? UNknowns? UNcertainties? UNpredictabilities? Random outcomes; beyond the planned and aspired to? A reality in which TOTAL CONTROL is not achievable notwithstanding one’s preparations and efforts; oneself and/or with others. Efforts which are timely or not. In a world which commodifies athletes. The “mantra” about: “ if you try hard enough...” can be inspirational. In a world Stigmatizing “losers” and failures, whatever the acculturated criteria, and deifying-reifying “winners,” perhaps it is also TIME to engage with: Slow eating. Slow thinking. Slow perusing. Slow looking and seeing. Slow listening and hearing. Slow knowing and understanding. Slow judging. Slow deciding and implementing. Slow learning from “Fail(ing) better.״ Slow BEcoming. Slow BEing.

It would be a lot more impressive a person did it alone wearing a pair of shoes bought at Foot Locker. I’m not impressed with these ideal condition accomplishments. As far as running in races is concerned, how much trash did this event generate as the runners discard their drinks containers? Like Everest climbers do, I find despoiling the environment disgusting while you attain your selfish endeavors.

What an accomplishment! I'm glad Kipchoge is getting attention for this astonishing accomplishment in the MSM. I'm not a runner, but a big fan of Kipchoge. His determination, perseverance, and attitude should serve as inspiration to all.

If nothing else, think of this publicity stunt as running’s answer to a Home Run Derby or Slam Dunk contest. If you choose to ignore it, I understand. But for many who have run a marathon with a goal of breaking 3 or 4 hours this was amazing. I have to shake my head though at the criticism directed toward the new shoes. The golf clubs Tiger Woods uses are very different than the ones Ben Hogan used. As human beings evolve so does their equipment.

How flat was the track ? What was the wind doing that day ? How special are the shoes ? But wait, there are hundred of millions of homeless, refugees, people starving, caught in wars and we worry about how fast you can run 26.2 miles...

It was an exceptional feat, no doubt. But by no means surprising. 41 pacers and some clever gadgetry were all he needed to make him two minutes faster than his own world record. You can applaud or criticize this, whatever. So I don’t get the point of this op-ed.

To me, the moral of this story is that Mr. Kipchoge gave due diligence to the training and habits that make a great marathon runner. But in the end, what really mattered was the assist he got from his teammates, who cooperated in forming that last lift he needed to succeed. As my mom always used to say, "look for the moral in this story".

For perspective, 13 miles per hour is approximately 19 feet per second. At that pace, a runner would cover 100 meters in approximately 16 seconds, 400 meters in approximately 64 seconds. A very fit adult runner could do that one or two times, possibly three without rest. Kipchoge did that 105 times over.

To the naysayers, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier dropped from a plane. That's the name I always heard and 10/14/47 was the date I always knew. It was some time later that it was done from the ground, and if I remember correctly, Yeager did that, too, with the approach better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. Fascinating to read about how Kipchoge did this. I was wondering when it would happen.

Not a runner myself, simply reading this piece gave me a rush as I felt the excitement of the race, and the effort on the part of everyone who helped Mr. Kipchoge Truly an amazing physical achievement.

lest we forget, roger bannister broke the 4 minute mile under "non-race" conditions with 2 pacers. and john landy broke that record in a race a couple of months later, only to be beaten later by bannister in the commonwealth games. and don't forget all the other records that were set on lighter, more aerodynamic bicycles, flexible pole vault poles, lightweight runners' shoes, and the list goes on. should we go back to some unknown time for the sake of someone's idea of purity? i think not. kipchoge is the first. that's all that matters.

I guess the days of the loneliness of a long-distance runner are over. Like cycling, it is now a team sport. In spite of the tremendous achievement, this record requires an asterisk.

If you think this was a record breaking performance, then you should go back and think again. When Bob Beamon broke the Olympic long jump record by more than 2 feet, almost 10% of what the record had been, the only assistance he had was natural; Mexico City's elevation. What this gentelman did may have been a great scientific achievement, it was certainly not a great athletic achievement, not even in the league of Edwin Moses or Usain Bolt. Edwin Moses, a 400m hurdler, won every race in which he competed (about 110), every world championship in which he competed and every Olympic Gold medal (for which he competed; he could not compete in 1980 because of the US boycott of the 1980 Olympics) over the course of 11 years. Usain Bolt won the 100m and 200m dashes in 3 consecutive Olympics. You can call it what you want. I call it a giant publicity stunt.

I'll disagree here. A great runner for sure, but a stunt in the end. Someone rode a bike 184 mph, look it up on Youtube. This "run" is not quite the stunt that "ride" was, but still a stunt.

Come on! That's inhuman. I'm almost sure that if you were to disassemble and inspect Mr. Kipchoge, you will find a small diesel engine, or maybe a small gas turbine engine, in there, somewhere. But seriously, though that is an accomplishment. And it's not diminished in any way by the application of science to achieve it. I do feel a slight pang of envy to go with my inspiration, as a man who has never run more than 5 miles without stopping, though.

As a hard core runner from 1976-2001 I can say that it is your body and your training. it is also the love of all of that training and running. If I had not developed a rare form of Dystonia of my right leg I would still be running at the age of 77. Wear the best shoes you can afford helps and lots of sleep and eating well are part of the equation as well. In my view the best thing about Kipchoge is his being an inspiration for what is possible in any endeavor. My two best achievements were 2:45:55 at the age of 42 at the Long Beach marathon in 1985 and running from Whitney portal to the top in 4 hours. Both were magical for me. Once I could not run I found biking and became a hard core road biker. If something does not work go to the next sport to achieve your goals.

In an era when increasingly fine-grained records proliferate — the first double summit of Everest, the youngest female single-handed circumnavigation, etc. — there are still true milestones to celebrate: the sub-four-minute mile was one such, and the sub-two-hour marathon is another. What a remarkable achievement. Truly epic. Congratulations to all involved.

Nothing less than an amazing achievement by a great runner and human being. This running duffer has his hat off in salute.