Happy Monday everyone,
This week I dare you to go to a gym and try run on a treadmill at 21.1 kmp/h (~13.1mph)
See how long you last…
… most people can’t do more than a minute and Eliud did this for 2 hours.
Anyway C’mere to me.
Eliud Kipchoge
Makes History in Vienna.
Eliud Kipchoge has become the first human in history to break the landmark 2-hour marathon.
He ran 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds in Vienna on Saturday morning.
Image: Evening Standard
‘Yeah, but every world record is a new first for mankind?…
…And this attempt took place in perfect conditions, so much so, it doesn’t officially count as a new record.
So why is this so significant?
A two-hour marathon has long been deemed as simply impossible, it is one of those records that the running world has been looking at for decades.
Sports scientists have published papers over the last few years looking at the 2-hour marathon, one saying humans could probably do about 1 hr 57mins in a mathematically perfect scenario where someone had an exceptional V02 max and running efficiency.
“Guided by rotating seven-man teams of pacesetters, many of themselves renowned athletes, and an electric pacecar that shone green lasers onto the track, Kipchoge averaged around 2.50 minutes per kilometre.
He reached the halfway mark in 59.35 seconds, 11 seconds inside the target, and ran remarkably consistently with his one-kilometre times fluctuating between 2.48 and 2.52 seconds.”(read more - RTE News)
Due to the perfect nature of this run and all of the supports in place and the fact that it was not in open competition, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) has said it would not recognise the run as an official record.
But that does not taint its historic significance.
The team around him were some of the worlds best runners.
“Kipchoge was assisted by a team of 42 pacemakers, including Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz, Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Paul Chelimo and the Ingebrigtsen brothers Jakob, Filip and Henrik.
They rotated in and out, running in formation around Kipchoge, with former 1500m and 5,000m world champion Bernard Lagat anchoring the final leg.
"They are among the best athletes in the world - so thank you," added Kipchoge. "I appreciate them for accepting this job. We did this one together."
(read more - BBC Sport)
The event, run by sponsor INEOS, was very carefully planned and hyped up online. It was similar to Eliuds previous attempt arranged by Nike in 2017, where Eliud missed the sub 2 hour by just 25 seconds.
“Seeking the most welcoming environment for Kipchoge to attempt such a feat, the event’s organizers had settled on Vienna: It was not too warm, not too cold and not at all hilly. The altitude, 540 feet above sea level, was just right, and it was only one time zone away from Kipchoge’s training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya, where he had worked out for the past four months under the guidance of his longtime coach, Patrick Sang.”
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“What materialized on Saturday was perhaps the most finely tuned, carefully orchestrated marathon-length run in history.
Kipchoge got out of his hotel bed at 4:50 a.m. and had oatmeal for breakfast.”
(I highly reccomend the detail in this New York Times Article)
And this video demonstrates what it is like to run on a treadmill as fast as Kipchoge.
Photography 📷
Think 🤔
A college class is like Dora the Explorer. The professor asks a question, stares blankly for a few seconds, then answers their own question.
Profound 🤯🌊
Whoever created the tradition of not seeing the bride in the dress beforehand, saved countless of husbands everywhere from hours of dress shopping and will forever be a hero to all men.
That’s all for now 🤙🏽
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Guy