100m in 17 seconds x 422 times...

[ktsok]

This translates, of course, as Eliud Kipchoge breaking the marathon two hour barrier.

This is clearly a jaw-droppingly amazing feat of human endurance but in my mind, it’s rather like talking about trillions of pounds of national deficit; the numbers are so huge they don’t make sense. Or a pigeon, miscalculating the speed of a car because nothing in nature moves that fast.

But we have come to know very well what 1km of running feels like, haven’t we? Well, Eliud ran at a 2’50” pace... for over 42km.

That’s running a Parkrun in 14’10”... more than 8 times...

I went for a short 3km run yesterday with splits of 6’38; 6’09”; and 5’36”. I was a gasping wreck at the end of it, with only my son on his bicycle shouting “you can do it, mummy” keeping me going for the last few hundred metres of that third km. 2’50”... it’s incredible.

I’m going to go out this weekend and try to run 100m in 17.08 seconds to get a sense of the pace of this man. Anyone care to join me?!

Well done Eliud!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

100m in 17 seconds? No problem.

422 times? Sure, I can do that.

How long a rest can I have between each one? 🤣

[ktsok in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I knew someone would look for a loophole! Is 100m in 17 seconds really no problem for you?! 😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

Once... on a track... with blocks... I could just about do it... I think

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

🤣🤣

[Jell6 Graduate10]

I'm prepared to give it a go, but I'm busy tomorrow 🤣🤣🤣🤣.

It is the most incredible achievement, truly awesome.

[Kallyfudge]

Thats pretty good I guess... I have run past him in a Marathon before though.

Granted he was going the other way, and was closer to the end than me

Reminds me I need to put my London Marathon race report up here.

I recently did 18x300m intervals close to this pace, with 1min rests. Also this would have been a half marathon world record until 1993. Look forwards to seeing him do his next marathon attempt, since he knocked 40 seconds off last sub 2 attempt.

The rate at which other runners have closed the gap shows how much of a mental game it is too.

[ktsok in reply to Kallyfudge]

Holy maloney you are fast Kally!

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Let me think about that for a nanosecond - no!!😅😅

[ktsok in reply to cheekychipmunks]

😆

[Run46 Graduate10]

Brilliant...I am more than happy to just look on in awe 😀

[Katnap Graduate10]

Maybe at the end of my 10k race tomorrow...

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[skysue16 Graduate10]

Simply AMAZING!!

[PaulS83]

I remember seeing that on the news a while back and thought it was pretty special, but you’re absolutely right that the significance can lost (it was on me) until you break it down into digestible chunks. That’s phenomenal pace and endurance.