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Amid the bluster and noise that often surrounds professional sport, they discovered that Kipchoge’s calm, contemplative demeanor was unique – calm in the eye of the storm.
The film, released digitally from August 23 in the UK and August 24 in the US, tells the story of the first marathon under two hours – a feat achieved by Kipchoge in Vienna, Austria, in 2019 in part of a company called the INEOS 1:59 challenge.
A behind-the-scenes look at the carefully designed environment to maximize Kipchoge’s performance over 26.2 miles, it’s also about the athlete’s own understated manner and his home long-distance training environment at home at the Kenya.
“There was no distraction, no entertainment, no family; they ran 100 miles a week and slept 14, 15 hours a day.
“To us, it seemed like they were training to ignore pain for the last 10 kilometers of a marathon. And we thought, well, that’s fantastic – we’d like to make a story about that.”
Eldoret, a town over 2,000 meters above sea level in the Rift Valley, is a sacred destination for long-distance runners due to its high elevation, temperate climate and long stretches of winding country roads .
The rural region is the place from which Kipchoge, the fastest marathoner of all time, lays the foundations for his success in races around the world.
He set the world record for the two-hour, one-minute and 41-second marathon in Berlin three years ago, before becoming the first man to unofficially run the distance in less than two hours the following year. Out of the 14 major marathons in which he participated, he won 12.
“My real enthusiasm in Tokyo is no longer to compete in the Olympics, but to leave a legacy,” he said earlier this week.
Kipchoge’s mantra – that “no human is limited” – is one he strives to embody through his run rather than words.
“Because he’s so reserved, calm and humble, he’s pretty hard to get to,” Scott told CNN Sport. “Eliud, it’s not that he’s elusive or that he’s evasive in any way, he’s just calm. He doesn’t say much. And when he does speak, he says something. incredibly important. “
Within his elite training squad, Kipchoge is “the captain among the other riders”, according to Scott, and leads quietly.
“Eliud isn’t someone who calls attention to himself… he doesn’t stand out that way. He doesn’t put himself above anyone else,” Scott adds.
“I think he really lives by his code that no human is limited.”
Unlike the unpredictable conditions of most large marathons, these attempts of less than two hours created the perfect conditions to produce a quick time.
In Vienna, Kipchoge ran on a smooth, flat course with few turns. It was assisted by an army of pacemakers to block the wind and a support car emitting green lights on the road to provide a visual marker of the required pace of two minutes, 50 seconds per kilometer.
His fluid intake was also carefully monitored, with a cyclist on hand to pass by and collect beverage bottles.
Another notable aspect of the challenge, and more broadly of Kipchoge’s career, was the shoes he wore.
Following Nike’s success, which was led by Kipchoge’s record-breaking times, other big brands – including Adidas, Asics, Brooks and New Balance, among others – released versions of the shoes featuring a fiber-reinforced plate. carbon and ultralight foam.
“Is Kipchoge an outlier with immense athletic potential? Or is he just a very good runner who benefits from the immense improvements his shoes have made? Maybe both,” Tucker said.
Beyond the marathon, there is a debate to be had as to whether Kipchoge is the greatest long-distance runner of all time.
“For me Kipchoge is the best, but I think Kenenisa (Bekele) is the GOAT (the greatest of all time).”
Ethiopia’s Bekele, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, held world records in the 5,000m and 10,000m during his career. In 2019, he won the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:41, two seconds off Kipchoge’s world record.
“What he has accomplished as an athlete is rare. You hardly hear about it,” continues Abdirahman. “He was breaking world records – 5k, 10k – when there weren’t great shoes on, when there weren’t any.”
Kipchoge’s challengers in Sunday’s race include fellow Kenyan Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopians Lelisa Desisa – the reigning world marathon champion – and Shura Kitata, winner of the 2020 London Marathon.
Whoever triumphs on Sunday will likely have to master extremely hot conditions in Sapporo, which was initially chosen as the marathon location to escape the heat of Tokyo.
This weekend will see low temperatures in the morning of around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Farenheit) and afternoon highs of 32-34 C (90-93 F) for the race. In addition, humidity values between 70 and 80% are added.
Kipchoge, however, remains unfazed by the conditions.
“I have no complaints,” he said. “We are all competing, we are racing in the same environment. I’m sure it will be a great competition.”
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