CONDITION Spotlight on “Prepared”: Eliud Kipchoge Materials Clip: Vienna, Austria course for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge Clip: Preparation in Kaptagat for Challenge (please start at 12:40; run time is 5:17) Introduction A marathon is a race 26.2 miles long, and Eliud Kipchoge, a 34-year-old runner from Kenya, has won 12 of the 13 marathons he’s raced in. This number of wins includes 8 world marathon major race titles and the 2016 Rio Olympics marathon title. In 2017, Kipchoge was part of a 3-person team to run an unofficial marathon at a Formula 1 racetrack in Italy, complete with a crew of 30 pacers and a pace car. What was the goal of the Monza project? To break the 2-hour time frame for 26.2 miles. While the other 2 runners were unable to maintain the pace required, Kipchoge finished the race in 2 hours… and 25 seconds. When Kipchoge won the 2018 Berlin marathon, averaging a pace of 4:38 for the 26-plus miles, he also set a new world record for this event, coming in at 2 hours, 1 minute, and 39 seconds. He eclipsed the previous world record by a stunning 1 minute, 18 seconds. He followed up this win with a victory in the 2019 London marathon, clocking a 2:02:37, the second- fastest marathon time in the world. Days after this event, he announced his goal to break the 2-hour barrier in October of 2019. Preparation for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge Kipchoge has been training for months to prepare for the run planned for Vienna, Austria, in a time window starting October 12th. Here’s a link that describes the course. At his training camp in Kaptagat, he’s known as “The Boss.” But he takes his turn cleaning toilets. He’s known for his discipline as well as his humility. One training partner described him this way: “When it’s time to train, Eliud’s always ready to train. When it’s time to sleep, he’s sleeping.” Kipchoge has logged between 124 to 140 miles per week as he readies for the October attempt. Here’s a clip demonstrating some of his preparation. You’ll hear commentary from his coach and from another member of his planning team. What do your students notice about Kipchoge’s work to prepare for this challenge? Sources: https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a28701150/eliud-kipchoge-two-hour-marathon-ineos-challenge/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliud_Kipchoge .