Eliud Kipchoge sets new world record in Berlin Marathon
Eliud Kipchoge updated his record in the history books with a new world record of 2 hours 1 minute 9 seconds in an iconic performance at the Berlin Marathon. In 2019, he had already become the first human to break the two-hour marathon mark. He did it in 1 hour 59 minutes 42 seconds in an exhibition event that, while not counting as an official world record, established Kipchoge as a superhuman.
He inspires generations and is the pride of Kenya. He receives congratulations from the president and is the biggest figure in athletics turned into a star. Since Usain Bolt, the discipline had not seen a celebrity of this magnitude. However, Kipchoge is not the only Kenyan reference, as the African nation has been dominating the podiums in marathons and Olympics for years.
In the Global Sports Communication training camp, the best in the world come together. Each of them accumulates over 200 km per week and lots of meditation. In Kipchoge's case, he only makes brief visits to his wife and children in Eldoret on some weekends. The discipline of training six days a week for two decades in this kind of monastic sanctuary for runners has been key in the case of the double Olympic gold medalist. No secrets.
However, Kipchoge is not the only How is it possible for an ethnic minority representing 0.6% of the world's population to dominate long-distance races? On several occasions, it has been observed that the top three positions, both in the men's and women's categories of various marathons, are conquered by Kenyans since they began to make their appearances with more force in the eighties.
There is no concrete answer to their success, as it is a delicate and racial issue, but there is no doubt that the most spectacular marathon runners can be found in the mountains of Kenya. What has been proven is that they can achieve great records with less training compared to Western runners. The reason probably has to do with the genetics of the community. Less percentage of mass according to their height, smaller torsos, longer legs.
They also train on terrains unsuitable for professional athletes, and perhaps that can be an advantage, combined with the altitude and climate that promote greater oxygenation to their lungs and encourage practice. What has been proven to be a myth is that it has to do with the local food, with running long distances to school from a young age, and doing it barefoot.
RECOMMENDED:
-
Who is Eliud Kipchoge, the man who finished a marathon in under two hours? -
Eliud Kipchoge breaks his own world record and wins the Berlin Marathon
JR