Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya has been the world’s best marathon runner for nearly a decade but there is a glaring omission in his resplendent resume.
Kipchoge will look to secure his 13th Abbott World Marathon Majors victory when he makes his BAA debut in the 127th running of Boston Marathon on Monday morning.
“I am aiming for a win but with this course it is possible to come in all over here,” said Kipchoge during a gathering of the elite men’s and women’s professional athletes on Friday morning at the Fairmont Copley.
“Boston is the oldest marathon around. Boston is the test in the sport of running and that is why I am here.”
Kipchoge has competed in four straight Summer Olympic Games and he became the third marathoner to capture back-to-back gold medals with wins at Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Kipchoge captured gold at the Tokyo Olympics with a winning time of 2:08:38 on Aug., 8, 2021. He returned to Japan and set the course record, winning in 2:02:40 at the Tokyo Marathon on March 6, 2022.
Kipchoge won his first marathon major on American soil when he broke the tape at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:04:11 on Oct. 12, 2014. Since then, Kipchoge has elected to compete primarily in the European majors.
Kipchoge has run London five times, with four victories, and recorded a personal-best course time of 2:02:37 on April 28, 2019. He has won Berlin four times and he recently set the world marathon record there on Sept. 25, 2022, with a clocking of 2:01.09.
Kipchoge, 38, has run his fastest races in this decade at an age when most marathoners would be transitioning to the master’s category. Kipchoge is literally running out of worlds to conquer and figured it was time to make the arduous 26-mile, 385-yard trip from Hopkinton to Boston.
“I think this is the right time to be in Boston,” said Kipchoge. “They say that the best time is the right time and I trust that this is the best time to be in Boston.
“This is the best time to put my foot here. It is the oldest marathon and it feels really good to run in this field. That is why I am here, to run on Monday.”
The Boston field has 12 returning champions in all categories. The last two men’s professional winners were from Kenya and both are back to reclaim their place on the podium. The 2020 Boston Marathon was postponed due to the global pandemic and the race returned with the 125th running on Oct. 11, 2021.
Benson Kipruto captured the only fall edition of the race in 2:09:51. The Boston Marathon resumed to its Patriots’ Day schedule on April 18, 2022, with Evans Chebet breaking the tape in 2:06:51. Kipruto was third in 2:07:27.
The course record time of 2:03:02 was set by Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai on April 18, 2011, a clocking well within Kipchoge’s reach at this point in his career. Chebet and Kipruto are training partners and they are sure to employ team tactics to force the pace and try to keep Kipchoge off balance.
“I trust they will use team tactics,” said Kipchoge. “They are training partners and they will be running as teammates, but I trust the most prepared person will take the day on Monday.
“I respect everybody and I respect their tactics and I respect their winnings.”
The Boston course is unique with its notorious hills, long flats and a sea of humanity watching from the sidelines. Kipchoge has a healthy respect of the layout and its many nuances and challenges.
“I have been preparing for Boston for the last five months,” said Kipchoge. “I think that is what will push me to the finish line and I have been preparing and we have no limits at all.
“We need to push. It is about pushing and there a no comfort zones as far as I am concerned. We will push it and we will enjoy it.”