Eliud Kipchoge was the only person to have ever completed a marathon in less than 2 hours.
A documentary shows that Kipchoge relied heavily on pacers for the event, as well as a flat course and Nike shoes.
Insider was told by Kipchoge that he doubts he will be the last to run a marathon this fast.
Insider Healthcare: Get the latest news and analysis in healthcare Loading Click to sign up for marketing emails from Insider and other partners. You also agree to our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy
Imagine running the length of a football pitch in just 17 seconds, then repeating that 422 times. This is how you can run a marathon in less than two hours.
Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya is the only one to have ever achieved this feat. He is a two-time marathoner with a gold medal. He ran 26.2 miles in just over an hour, 59 mins, and 40 seconds two years ago.
"Kipchoge, The Last Milestone" is a new documentary that explores his journey. The Ineos 1 :59 Challenge marathon was held in Vienna, Austria. It was designed to make him successful so that it wasn't considered a new record by the international governing body for track and field.
Kipchoge stated that he couldn't have run as fast without the help of so many people before and during the race.
Insider told him that he saw teamwork in Vienna in 2019 and that it was exceptional and good. That's why he performed well.
Kipchoge gave credit to a 41-strong international team of runners that trained with him before the race and who served as pacers throughout the marathon. In a Nike shoe, he ran on a flat course. His nutrition was also taken seriously by his team.
Kipchoge stated, "It's about more than me alone."
Kipchoge was anxious after failing one time.
Eliud Kipchoge participates in the Nike Breaking2 Marathon in Italy on May 6, 2017. Pier Marco Tacca/Getty
The Vienna marathon was a redemption for the world's top male marathoner.
In 2017, he tried to run a marathon under two hours on a Formula One track near Monza, Italy. But he failed 26 seconds. The documentary reveals that Kipchoge was unable to complete the race due to humid conditions, insufficient carbohydrates, and the lack of support from his fellow competitors.
Kipchoge lays down after crossing the finish line at Monza Formula One's marathon in Italy, May 6, 2017. AP Photo/Luca Bruno
He said, "Failure as part of the challenge you face as an athlete."
He was anxious to try agin.
He says that he woke up the night before at 2 o'clock in the morning, but didn't go to sleep again.
The morning of Ineos, Kipchoge did not speak to anyone. He then gathered his first group of pacers, and they ran together to get to the start line.
The documentary shows Kipchoge taking a moment to pause after the start gun and then getting back to work.
His coach Patrick Sang immediately knew that this would be a different time.
Sang says that the film's beginning was beautiful. "A coach looks at body language. Eliud's eyes were clearly visible in the camera. He was focused and relaxed.
Kipchoge (in white) and his pacers at starting line for the Ineos 1:159 Challenge marathon in Vienna. Austria, October 12, 2019. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
Kipchoge explained that he felt more confident after his training. "What makes me more relaxed is the culmination in training for four to five months."
The live broadcast was seen by half a million viewers from 196 countries.
A perfect track and a group of pacers
Ineos, a UK-based petrochemical firm, sponsored Kipchoge’s second attempt. Prater Park in Vienna was chosen because it offers a 2.7-mile straightaway, with roundabouts at either end. Curves are more demanding than straight sprinting, so it was important to minimize them. The entire route was flat with only 8 feet of inclines.
The event organizers turned the roundabouts into banked turns, by repaving the asphalt on those sections of the course. According to the documentary, this made them titled at an angle. This saved Kipchoge 12 seconds.
After running a marathon for less than 2 hours on October 12, 2019, Kipchoge crossed the finish line in Vienna. REUTERS / Lisi Niesner
A team of researchers, including Spencer Barden, a consultant for British Athletics ran computer simulations inside a wind tunnel in order to determine the best formation for Kipchoge’s pacesetters.
The pacers, who ran in a V-shaped pattern like geese flying in flight in 2017, ran ahead of him. To minimize air resistance in Vienna, Kipchoge formed a Y with five runners ahead and two behind him. Each runner in the mobile shield rotated approximately every 11 minutes. Laser beams projecting from behind a pacing vehicle that was 50 feet away from the flock helped pacers know where to run. The car displayed Kipchoge's time for each kilometer.
Kipchoge explains in the film that "my job was to follow the formation."
Kipchoge runs alongside his pacesetters in his sub-2-hour marathon Vienna (Austria), October 12, 2019. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
The drag of Kipchoge was reduced by 83% thanks to the pacers. Ross Tucker, a sports scientist and consultant for World Rugby suggested that Kipchoge save two minutes by using pacers with a car combination.
Nike sneakers were his shoes of choice, and nutritionists monitored his water intake and carbohydrate consumption.
Kipchoge, his pacers and the pace car follow him during the Ineos 1 :59 Challenge marathon on Oct 12, 2019. Lisi Niesner/Reuters
Ineos organizers tried to find the best weather conditions for Kipchoge. Meteorology experts examined Vienna's temperature and humidity before choosing October 12, 2019.
Three days before the race, Kipchoge nutritionists set up a carb-loading diet. Bicyclists were able to pass Kipchoge energy gels and drinks during the marathon. Nutritionists monitored Kipchoge's fuel consumption as he ran, and adjusted his intake accordingly.
Kipchoge is joined by his fans, who saw him run a marathon in less than two hours in Vienna, Austria on October 12, 2019. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
The Alphafly, a prototype for Nike's Vaporfly shoe, was also worn by Kipchoge. The Vaporfly's blend of carbon fiber, foam and rubber has been shown to increase energy efficiency by about 4%. This could help long-distance runners like Kipchoge to cut three minutes off their marathon times.
Two air pods are also included in Alphaflys to increase energy return per footfall.
"My job is done"
Kipchoge was cheered on by 120,000 people as he ran.
Kipchoge said in the documentary that it was very helpful to hear everyone actually screaming. He also stated that hearing people tell him he would do it gave him a boost of morale.
He gave a thumbs-up and waved his pacers off for the final 500m. Kipchoge looked between his eyes at the crowd.
He says, "I was telling the world, 'Please sit and watch with you own eyes that 12 Oct 2019 is the day when history has been made'," he said in the film.
Kipchoge crosses over the finish line at the Ineos 1 :59 Challenge marathon on Oct 12, 2019. Courtesy DDA Group/ "The Last Milestone"
Kipchoge stated that he believes it will one day be possible to run a sub-2 hour marathon in a regular race, without having to use the special equipment he had.
He said, "I have shown everyone the way." "My goal was to show everyone that running in under two hours is possible. "My job is done."
