If simplicity is the mark of greatness, the world of sport takes note Eliud Kipchoge an exemplary case. The life of the athlete who is currently closer to the supposed physical limits of man is characterized by humility, monotony and work.
That was the way to express his passion for athletics, as intense as his daily seriousness in its forms, quite a contrast to a society and a world exposed ad nauseam and even ridiculous to the social network. A weirdo, even some linguists would say.
However, Kipchoge is not a ghost, but a traditional man who is determined to show that limitations do not exist and be an inspiration to the youth. His method will attract attention for being sober, but he proved to be invincible in his goal of breaking two hours in the enthusiastic 42.195 kilometers of the marathon, a barrier that seemed impossible until recently, in fact until his appearance in the distance.
The Kenyan has dropped in 2019 from two hours, but that’s in Vienna (1h.59’40”) was not homologated because the racing conditions and the commercial ‘show’ mounted around it – rabbits taking turns or illegal slipstreams – were outside the regulatory standards. I already know that. It doesn’t matter. However, that day showed that the challenge was not a chimera.
Last year, in 2018, running 2h.01”39, he took a huge bite of 1’18” off his compatriot’s previous world record Dennis Kimetto: 2h02’57” in 2014. Last Sunday he took another 30″ bite off his own record at the Berlin marathon and, of course, the 2h01’09” put Kipchoge on the threshold of the amazing. It will be said of time if the man gets under two hours, but Kipchoge certainly leads the way.
In 2019, this newspaper extended an invitation to the Kenyan to become an international figure to lead the MD gala. Their representatives excused their refusal to go Barcelona who said he preferred not to attend such occasions. That year he was chosen the best athlete of the season, but he did not go to collect the award Gala of the International Federation in Monaco. Take the anecdote to illustrate the stern profile of Kipchoge, a man comfortable in his affairs.
“The first factor that makes him different is his mentality. Eliud acts as if he has a mission in athletics beyond himself. And he was very humble, perhaps the humblest of all. A training camp can be built for himself, but he sleeps in the craziest bunk, helps the group and has details that he pays from his own pocket,” he explained to MD at the time. Marc Roiga Catalan athlete based in Kenya and a physiotherapist for Kipchoge and other athletes at his training camp in Kaptagat, the center of his Spartan regime.
“They eat the same thing every day, they don’t care if the food is good or if there is variety. Lunch is usually rice with potatoes and beans and they eat in habit, a mass of corn that is common in Kenya, with meat or vegetables. It is pure and simple monotony that will be very difficult for us to endure”, detailed Roig.
African genetics, the altitude of valley, more than 2,000 meters, and discipline in training and rest are the basis of Kipchoge’s success. In this tradition, he also joins the modernity of technological developments in the shoes he uses to float more, if possible, on the asphalt and scratch more seconds off the clock.
Eliud, 37, is an early riser, siesta and sleeps early. “They lose themselves running, but they rest more than anyone, more than a Western athlete. Either they are running or they are lying down”, exaggerated Roig to explain the almost ascetic life of Eliud and his companions. Father of three children, he loves to read and those who know him say that he is very excited to meet Messi one day, considering that he is a unique case in sport. “He knows everything, football and even Formula 1”, commented Mark.
He has now won 15 of the 17 marathons held and owns four of the five best marks in history. In 2003, he won the world gold of 5,000 meters. Almost 20 years later, Kipchoge, two-time Olympic marathon champion (2016, 2021), is still among the elite with a mission beyond sports.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
