Year-ender: Historical human breakthroughs in 2019

Physical endurance

Science helps man break 2-hour barrier in marathon

Eliud Kipchoge has become the first athlete to run a marathon in less than two hours. It is a milestone once believed to be unattainable for a human.

The Olympic champion and world record holder from Kenya clocked 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds on Oct 12 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, an event set up for the attempt. He was supported by 36 pacemakers who accompanied him in alternating groups, one of the reasons the IAAF will not ratify the time as a world record.

Kipchoge has his training in a small town Kaptagat in Kenya with his team every day except Sundays. They get up as early as around 6 am and often discuss the performances in their previous competitions as well as analyze them. Besides training, Kipchoge also often appears in the physical therapy room in order to reach highest potential of his body.

This was his second attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier, after missing out by 26 seconds at a similar event on the Formula One track in Italy in May 2017. Besides, he will participate in London Marathon in April next year.