After finishing the New York City Marathon this past weekend, the Kenyan Olympian and distance-running legend is entering a new phase of his career – one that may not be about winning, but will always center running.
Nadia NeophytouNadiaNeophytou
courtesy of Nike
It’s the day after the New York City Marathon, and on Fifth Avenue, near the Nike flagship store, excited whispers ripple through a group of medal-wearing runners. They’ve spotted Eliud Kipchoge. As he makes his way into the store for a post-marathon Q&A, people call out, asking for autographs. He flashes that megawatt smile — and obliges. The electric moment speaks to how far and wide the Kenyan runner’s appeal has traveled, from his early days training in Kaptagat to this, standing in the heart of the Big Apple.
By running the New York City Marathon, his first time taking on this storied World Marathon Major, Kipchoge has now completed all seven of the sport’s top global races. He’s conquered Berlin five times (setting the world record there), London four times, as well as Chicago and Tokyo. When he first began chasing these global titles, his goal was simple: win them all. This past Sunday, he finished 17th.
It was not the performance of his prime, but Kipchoge, considered the greatest marathoner of all time, has long transcended results. He gave us the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, where he broke the two-hour barrier for the marathon — something once thought impossible. Between 2014 and 2019, he won all ten marathons he entered. From 2018 to 2023, he held the official world record. His secret, he always says, was discipline and motivation.
In New York, the photos of him wiping away tears at the finish line are testament to his enduring love for the sport – even as victories grow rarer. “Seven world majors, seven stars, it’s been a long journey,” he reflected. “It’s like life: I’ve learned a lot, but done a lot too. Failing, succeeding, maintaining. At the end of it, I got a medal. Life is about falling, getting up, and moving on.”
Over the years, Kipchoge has built legions of fans and brought global attention to the once-niche world of distance running. As the sport surged in popularity, his name has become iconic – spoken with reverence by veterans and newcomers alike. And it’s these fans, perhaps more than his finishing times, who will define what comes next for Kipchoge.
A Running Philosophy of Discipline and Inspiration
Since breaking the two-hour marathon barrier, Kipchoge has maintained that his greatest achievement is sparking the imagination of all who watch him, showing others what’s possible when you go beyond what you thought possible. When Nike coach Chris Bennett asked him at the interview how he stays motivated, Kipchoge’s answer was characteristically simple, revealing the philosophy by which he lives. “The key to actually getting these goals accomplished is to wake up every morning and do the training,” he said. “Sometimes the training doesn’t go the way I want, but I go through [ with it]. Consistency, even when you are not 100%, is the key.”
That quiet discipline was instilled in him at an early age, shaped by the rhythms of his upbringing in Kapsisiywa, Kenya – a high-altitude village in the Rift Valley where he grew up on a farm, and lost his father as a child. It was there, on the red dirt roads, that he first learned endurance as a way of life. And even now, on global stages like New York, he speaks often of the values instilled by that environment: patience, humility, and community.
Eliud Kipchoge’s next plans include a world tour of completing a marathon on every continent.courtesy of Nike
“What actually makes me wake up each day is these people,” he told the crowd that had gathered to hear him speak. “When you inspire a generation, inspire the community – that’s the best thing. While you’re running, they’re inspired.”
Kipchoge knows not everyone will make history, but he believes everyone can move closer to their potential. “Running under two hours, I knew I was going to make history,” he reflected. “But it wasn’t about me. It was about showing you can push yourself – in sport, in work, in life. That’s why I say running is a movement. When you wake up and put your right foot forward, your left foot forward – that’s movement. Anything in life, you need to push the limits. It’s not about records. It’s about what remains in history.”
After the marathon, he announced ‘Eliud Kipchoge’s World Tour,’ a project that will see him run a marathon on each of the seven continents, including Antarctica, over the next two years. “I want to continue to push myself to run at my best, but I also want to inspire, give back, and remind everyone that no human is limited. I believe that we can all come together and become a better world,” he said in a statement.
Details about the tour have yet to be revealed. When OkayAfrica asked Kipchoge if he intends to run the Cape Town Marathon, which is vying to become the eighth World Marathon Major, he answered coyly, “The future will tell!” But whatever the tour may bring, it will focus on drawing attention to the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation and raising funds for projects like new libraries and promoting environmental causes.
In the meantime, for those who still want to know as much as they can about him, Kipchoge recently released an app called Kotcha, promising to share more about his training routines and habits. It even includes a recipe for ugali. It doesn’t, however, include Patrick Sang, Kipchoge’s longtime coach, who’s been the special sauce behind many of his feats.
As the running star turns 41 tomorrow, November 5, what comes next for Kipchoge isn’t about chasing faster times or collecting more medals. It’s about continuing his legacy, the mindset behind the movement, and making sure that lasts beyond whatever his final finish line may be.
