Kenyan Olympic gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge has run the world’s fastest marathon, finishing the Breaking2 project in a time of 2:00:24. 

 

Described by its organisers as athletics’ “moon shot”, Breaking2 was a monumental effort combining the world’s top runners with the best sports scientists (and a healthy dose of Nike advertising) to attempt to get a human to run 41.195km (26 miles and 385 yards) in under two hours. You can read more about the science behind it right here.

While they didn’t make the moon this time around, it cannot be stressed enough that no-one in history has ever run so far, so fast. This is wildly cool shit.

The current marathon record belongs to another Kenyan, Dennis Kimetto, who ran a time of 2:02:57 in the 2014 Berlin Marathon. Because of the science/witchcraft that went into Breaking2, including the non-standard practice of using rotating “pacers” to cut down on wind resistance, Kipchoge’s time will not be officially recorded.

But the feat is still an incredible testament to what the human body and mind is capable of. The whole thing was broadcast live on Twitter and Facebook, and never has watching a pack of blokes run non-stop for two hours been so damn riveting.

What a way to spend a Saturday arvo.

Oh and FYI, if you reckon you’re a good enough weekend jogger to take on one of the world’s top athletes (like a certain someone who shall not be named), know this: Kipchoge ran at an average of 4 minutes and 36 seconds per mile – by all means, set your treadmill to that at your next workout, and prepare to have your mind blown all over again.

Source: Runner’s World. 

Image: Twitter / @jhlanmark.

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