So Eliud Kipchoge has started his attempt to become the first person to run the marathon distance in under 2hrs https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/athletics/49771509. It won’t be ratified as a world record because it isn’t in open competition amongst other things but will he do it?

This generation’s four minute mile?

I think he’ll make it this time. The prep work they seem to have put into making this possible is amazing – so much attention to detail. Regardless of the contrived setup, it will be an amazing feat; the guy still has to do the running.

I think once that mental barrier has been broken, and the milestone has been hit, it won’t be too long before it goes in a competition. At the moment it seems impossible – once it’s proven achievable then the WR time will come time.

It won’t be ratified as a world record because it isn’t in open competition amongst other things but will he do it?

It will be by Guiness, just not the IAAF.

Live on YouTube

That is a hell of a lot of pedestrian barrier and banners for a one man race. The cost to have put it on must have been huge.

Jim Ratcliffe –

If it cost a million to sponsor, then he’d only have 21049 millions left of his 21050

Want: laser for the car!
RM.

This live stream is just people staring at Ineos/Nike logos for 2 hours. I bet it’s a pretty cheap form of advertising vs. The exposure they’re getting, especially if he is successful!

Just read into it a bit more, I see it’s a 3 ish mile stretch repeated. Must admit I’ve been tuning in and out and thought the Vienna scenery was very similar each time I watched 😂

for something as dull as watching 8 runners run past the same things at the same speed over and over again, this is great viewing.

Will he? Commentators making the point it’s not an issue to stay on pace, it’s waiting to find out when the man with the hammer shows up.

Is it much different to cycling behind a car to get an aero advantage? I appreciate the aero benefit he is getting from the other runners is quite small, but then he is only looking to go a little bit quicker. Fair play its a tough challenge but I am struggling to see the point of the event.

in the challenge, or in the pace setters running such a tight formation?

He needed a second per mile compared to last time, all bits of help are needed.

Watching this and the lakes in a day live tracker. Probably the weirdest sports viewing I’ve ever done…

Awesome!

Incredible human feat. Great work.

Just waiting for monday morning now to see folk with that laptop holder on the bars during their commute. 😂

Nike athlete?

Is it much different to cycling behind a car to get an aero advantage? I appreciate the aero benefit he is getting from the other runners is quite small, but then he is only looking to go a little bit quicker. Fair play its a tough challenge but I am struggling to see the point of the event.

a “real” marathon (race) isn’t a TT, he’d be running in a group there too. That is the next goal obviously. They’ve just artificially created the perfect conditions here. (Cynically I would say the point of the event is to promote the sponsors 😀)

Grear spectacle.
I just really, really wish the broadcast concluded with a 1 lap race for all the pacemakers. So much talent in one place across all distances from 1500m up.

Arm warmers with sleeveless vest. What on earth was he thinking?

Cynically I would say the point of the event is to promote the sponsors 😀

or they knew when the Salazar case was going to conclude, and took the attention away from that, with this

Glad Eliud Kipchoge did, such a humble man.

Arm warmers with sleeveless vest. What on earth was he thinking?

That if he got too hot, he could always take them off?

Staggering time. I think the IAAF are being a bit pissy not allowing the record to stand. It’s no more artificial than running indoors.

Arm warmers with sleeveless vest. What on earth was he thinking?

That compression sleeves improve blood circulation probably.

Arm warmers with sleeveless vest. What on earth was he thinking?

No chaffing

Canny see it, if my bingo wings don’t chafe in an ultra, pretty sure Eliud won’t either! 😂

It’ll be temperature regulation, like pit zips for a biker, keeping comfortable without overheating.

Phenomenal effort, couldn’t care about the pace makers, sponsors cash, world record or not, he still had to rattle out 14 minute 5ks eight and a half times.

Thats bonkers.

He also sped up at the end so his last one would’ve been even quicker. Also shows that his pacing was actually on the conservative side 😂

Is it much different to cycling behind a car to get an aero advantage? I appreciate the aero benefit he is getting from the other runners is quite small, but then he is only looking to go a little bit quicker. Fair play its a tough challenge but I am struggling to see the point of the event.

When Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile he did it in a TT. Becuase of this he rated it rather far down his list of athletic achievements but its the one he’s remembered for. Lots of people thought it wasn’t possible but by showing it was he paved the way for others to do it in real races. That’s the point.

. I think the IAAF are being a bit pissy not allowing the record to stand.

Am I right to presume that the pacemakers swapped regularly?

Am I right to presume that the pacemakers swapped regularly?

Yes amongst other things which the IAAF don’t allow e.g. having nutrition delivered to him rather than fetching off a table, which at this stage were all needed to make the unachievable possible.

Arm warmers with sleeveless vest. What on earth was he thinking?

UK across country league chic in that is. Gloves, bobble hat and knackered Helly Hansen bass layer not required this time.

I read this on the BBC site

Some #parkrun perspective on the #INEOS159 1:59 marathon attempt…
Only five of the 51,363,611 5k parkruns completed have been faster than @EliudKipchoge’s target pace

Only five of the 51,363,611 5k parkruns completed have been faster than @EliudKipchoge’s target pace

Try running at 13.1mph, it feels like your almost sprinting !!!

Why couldn’t he do it on a track instead if it is contrived. Could take fuel at every few laps. The original long distance competitive walkers would walk a short course. And then there is that mental round the block race in the US that goes forever.

My guess would be the bends. You’d basically be running a bend for 13miles which I thing would actually be quite tough going at pace.

Only five of the 51,363,611 5k parkruns completed have been faster than @EliudKipchoge’s target pace

Try running at 13.1mph, it feels like your almost sprinting !!!

Fastest I’ve done a mile at was at 12mph, which is around 5 minutes, and that absolutely killed me. Can’t believe he ran faster than that for a whole marathon.

JP

Staggering time. I think the IAAF are being a bit pissy not allowing the record to stand. It’s no more artificial than running indoors.

I think what he did was an incredible achievement but this is very different to running indoors. The other marathon runners must be pretty miffed;

1. Carbon fibre plate in his shoes Nike shoes that could potentially return 4% more energy on rebound.
2. changing pace setter formation which significant lowered wind drag for him.
3. Pace setting laser.
4. No water stops required, which must have knocked easily 15 seconds off.
5. car providing wind break.
6. flat continuous circuit.

This is like the leader of the Tour De France tucking in behind the TV car for the whole race and finishing significantly ahead to the rest of the pack….

I think what he did was an incredible achievement but this is very different to running indoors. The other marathon runners must be pretty miffed;

1. Carbon fibre plate in his shoes Nike shoes that could potentially return 4% more energy on rebound.
2. changing pace setter formation which significant lowered wind drag for him.
3. Pace setting laser.
4. No water stops required, which must have knocked easily 15 seconds off.
5. car providing wind break.
6. flat continuous circuit.

This is like the leader of the Tour De France tucking in behind the TV car for the whole race and finishing significantly ahead to the rest of the pack….

1. Are these shoes not normally allowed? If so, it makes no difference
2. Aero drag at this speed is nowhere near as significant as at cycling speeds

Your last point is not a valid analogy – the aero advantage from tucking behind a car at TDF bike speeds is in a different country to that experienced when running.

JP

So why did he do it then?

Fastest I’ve done a mile at was at 12mph, which is around 5 minutes, and that absolutely killed me. Can’t believe he ran faster than that for a whole marathon.

When our school gym got its brand new powered treadmill – this is 25yrs ago, it was a big thing then, OK?! – there quickly developed a range of competitions on it. Fastest km, mile, 5min mile target and so on.

There were quite a few people who could routinely put out close on 4-minute miles but amusingly, no-one could come close outdoors because of the obvious extra help a powered treadmill gives you.

Related to the above, I’m going with a very impressive achievement but not *technically* a marathon because of the various illegal kit and pacing. A sub-2hr marathon distance yes but it won’t be recognised as “a marathon” by IAAF.

Technicalities. Like me saying I can do a 4-min mile and then admitting it’s on a powered treadmill in an air conditioned gym.

Bloody marathon runners thinking they own the road. No wonder people park on pavements.

Seriously though, despite being slightly contrived that’s an awesome feat. He’s approaching my 400m pace when I was younger, fitter and ran quite seriously in my early teens. The mind boggles…