Two Kenyan Runners Break World Marathon Records
Eliud Kipchoge competes at the 4 Mijl van Groningen race. (Wikimedia Commons)
October has been a groundbreaking month for the running world as two Kenyan runners broke major marathon records: Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon barrier (with a 1:59:40 time) on October 12 and Brigid Kosgei broke the women’s marathon record, untouched for 16 years (with a 2:14:04 time) on October 13. These records were years in the making and further establish Kenya as one of the world’s running powerhouses.
Kipchoge surpassed the two-hour marathon barrier for the first time in recorded history. This was his second attempt at breaking the barrier, the first being an exhibition race hosted by Nike in 2017 in which he achieved a 2:00:25 time. The 2019 exhibition marathon was hosted by the petrochemical company INEOS. However, the record will not be formally recognized as an official marathon time due to the optimal conditions set by the organization and running team.
The course was primarily a flat, straight, and newly-paved road in Vienna, which lies at the ideal altitude, time-zone, and temperature for Kipchoge. Additionally, an entourage of professional runners who served as pacesetters accompanied Kipchoge, running with him in an aerodynamic, backwards-V formation. Finally, he had steady access to energy drinks and electrolyte replenishers throughout his run. INEOS optimized these conditions as part of their 1:59 campaign to promote the company. Thus, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) did not consider the record an official marathon time. The official marathon record still stands at 2:01:39, set by Kipchoge on September 16, 2018.
However, Kipchoge was fully aware of this going into the event and was primarily focused on breaking the record as a statement. He said, “Marking history was my goal. I'm a happy man; there are no human limits.” He compared the feat to man reaching the moon. He also said, “That was the best moment in my life. When I had 500 meters to go and the time was actually to make history.” Kipchoge received wide acclaim for his athletic endeavor with thousands celebrating at the event and millions taking to Twitter to congratulate him, including former-President Barack Obama.
The second world record broken was the women’s marathon record set by Kenyan runner Brigid Kosgei at the Chicago Marathon. Unlike Kipchoge’s race, this record was formally recognized by the IAAF as it took place under regulation race conditions. Paula Radcliffe set the previous world record time of 2:15:25 at the London Marathon in 2003. This world record race came just one day after Kipchoge’s historic run. Kosgei said in an interview, "I wanted to be the second Kipchoge — the Kipchoge for women. I focused on that." She continued, “I don’t know how to explain how it feels to run a world record… I am so happy.”
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics set to take place this summer, all eyes are on Kenya for distance running. They have routinely performed well at the summer games, with six gold medals and seven silver medals from the Rio 2016 Games alone. With the recent shattering of these two records, the future appears even brighter for Kenyan running.