19 Oct 2019

Eliud Kipchoge and the sub two hour marathon

From Saturday Morning, 8:35 am on 19 October 2019

Last weekend was exciting for distance running fans. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge broke the "unbreakable" two-hour marathon barrier and compatriot Brigid Kosgei smashed a 16 year old women's marathon world record by more than a minute.

Kosgei's record was achieved during a standard competitive marathon race in Chicago, but Kipchoge's attempt involved a major commercial sponsor and precisely engineered non-race conditions: a wind break of a pace setting runners, a guiding laser beam, and performance-enhancing Nike Vaporfly shoes.

We asked former international athlete and exercise science writer Alex Hutchinson about the uneasy mix of commerce, technology and sport.

Eliud Kipchoge runs the fastest ever maraton 2019.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT