Eliud Kipchoge Looking to Maintain His Position as Top Marathoner

By Adam Kopet

Eliud Kipchoge is going for a record fourth Virgin Money London Marathon win Sunday.

No man has ever won four times in London. His previous wins came in 2015, 2016 and 2018. And Kipchoge appears ready to add the 2019 London Marathon to his list of wins.

It is hard to argue against the dominance Kipchoge has shown in the marathon. He has won nine straight marathons and 10 of 11 in his career. In addition to his three London Marathon wins, he has won three times in Berlin, and then once in Chicago, Rotterdam and Hamburg. He also won the 2016 Olympic marathon.

Then there is the matter of Kipchoge's world record. His first attempt at a blazing fast time came at the 2017 Breaking2 event in Monza, Italy. He ran 2:00:25 for the event, which was not record eligible. He followed that last year in Berlin with a proper world record of 2:01:39. That took 78 seconds off the previous best mark.

Despite his success, Kipchoge does not necessarily show it off. He has made huge sums of money, but he does not flaunt what he has earned. According to Cathal Dennehy for Runner's World, Kipchoge lives a simple life when he is in training, including sharing a room at his training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya.

In his free time, Kipchoge reads self-help books as he attempts to sharpen his mind equally as much as he sharpens his body in training. He approaches training and racing with a zen-like focus that few others can equal.

Thus far, such dedication has paid off. Now he returns to London ready to once again show his ability.

Good morning your Majesty. pic.twitter.com/S50noQaqB4

— NN Running Team (@NNRunningTeam) April 24, 2019

In Kipchoge's three London wins, each has placed him in the top-six times ever run on the course. He holds the course record of 2:03:05 from 2016. In 2018, he made a bid for the world record, which at the time stood at 2:02:57. Despite a fast opening half putting him on pace, the heat of the day eventually took its toll. His winning time was 2:04:17.

This year, the current weather report from Weather.com appears favorable with temperatures expected between 47 and 60 degrees with cloudy skies. Light winds from the northwest are currently expected. There is a small chance of rain.

If the weather forecast comes true, the likelihood of Kipchoge being able to once again put on a show goes up. And there should not be a worry if he finds himself alone during the race. According to Kipchoge's NN Running Team, Kipchoge ran the final 17 kilometers of his world record race in Berlin in a solo effort without slowing. If anything, he only ran faster.