The Mature Runner
This Is Why We (BSWD’ers) Are Not Setting World Records!
By David Summerfield
Some of you might remember a runner who set World Records many years ago. At the time he was called the greatest marathoner of all time: Kinenisa Bekele. An Ethiopian, he started winning every race he entered. He became the folk hero of a generation of runners back in the early 2000’s. Eliud Kipchoge followed in his footsteps and became his replacement. If you go back far enough, you’ll remember Haile Gebrselassie, who set the standard for both of those runners. To better Haile’s world records was an amazing achievement. Kenenisa Bekele is in the news again, not for the open marathon world record, but for setting a world record for men over 40 – they are called “Master” runners. Get this: Kenenisa Bekele ran a 2:04:19 as a 41 year-old (in Valencia, Spain – this December – he came in 4th, imagine that!).
Mo Farah, Kenenisa Bekele, and Haile Gebrselassie in a tight pack! Via athleticsweekly.com
I just realized that these three runners I’ve admired over the past 25 years have some other interesting statistics. For example, their weight and height are so similar:
Haile Gebrselassie: 5’5” 119 pounds Ethiopia born 1973 marathon record: 2:03:59 (2008)
Kenenisa Bekele 5’5” 123 pounds Ethiopia born 1982 marathon record: 2:01:41 (2 seconds behind Eliud Kipchoge’s WR
Eliud Kipchoge: 5’6” 115 pounds Kenya born 1984 Marathon record: 2:01:09
Kelvin Kiptum: 5’11” 143 pounds Kenya born 1999 Marathon record: 2:00:35 – current world record
So, from that picture above, I had to look up Mo Farah’s stats, and this guy is 5’9” and 143 pounds and is 40 years old. He’s also setting world records. So, he’s an anomaly for sure. But his story is just as riveting as the others: he was born in what is now Somaliland, and was “trafficked” into England, where he was treated as a slave when he was 12. He eventually gained his freedom (in present day England), and his real running talents were recognized. He rose quickly to national prominence, gaining citizenship and then appointed the Commander of the Order of the British Empire. And he currently holds most of the British distance records.
What do we learn from these stats? The obvious: the swift runners have to be small people (around 5’5”) and not weigh too much (119 pounds average). I guess that’s not all: you need to have grown up in either Kenya or Ethiopia (or Somaliland for Mo) and run something like a 10km to school every morning and evening, in your grade-school years. And barefoot. And eat a very simple diet (no sugars and lots of grains). And for Mo, a strong dose of hardship was also his essential ingredient in becoming a world class runner. As for Kelvin Kiptum, well, he breaks all my rules for running fast … we’re the same height and weight. So there.
I must give credit to Eliud Kipchoge as I have in a previous article. He did run the 1st ever marathon distance in under 2 hours (1:59:40.2) so we know it is humanly possible. For certain humans, at least. Well, specifically one human on the planet so far. Anyway, this wasn’t an “official” race, since a whole army of elite runners were waiting in line, ready to jump in the loop to take their turn as robotic rabbits. Remember the truck that drove in front of the pack, shooting back laser beams on the ground, and driving at the exact sub-2 hour finish pace? Sheesh. Anyway, his achievement is good enough for now, and he does hold the unaided marathon world record in 2:01:09. He’s also the youngest of the lot! So, there you have it. Kenenisa Bekele earned a world record for being over 40 and running a 2:04:19. And he had to settle for 4th place. I still shake my head in disbelief. Haile Gebrselassie’s world record (2008) was a ho hum 2:03:59 (and 20 seconds later along comes Kenenisa).
To finish off this article, I can’t help but reveal a huge fact about Kenenisa’s achievement. From many different sources, it turns out he comes off as a rather shy person, not flamboyant or soaking in the admiration of “his” public. He is much more little known, even though he holds (held) just as many world records as the rest of the gang. They’ve all mastered the art of running fast on all types of surfaces (grassy x-country courses, asphalt, spongey tracks, cobblestones, etc.). But look at the faces of the others as they finish a race, and their arms go up in triumph, they love giving interviews, they relish the attention. Kenenisa doesn’t do that. Kipchoge, Gebrselassie, and Mo are good at self-promoting. That’s why I admire Kenenisa all the more.
With that, dear Wind Drinkers, I wish you all the very best of accomplishments for 2024. May the race gods and goddesses treat you well. And if you prefer the anonymity of self-effacing running achievements which go unnoticed, may those important accomplishments fill you with all the self-esteem and pride you deserve.
Kelvin Kiptum made it look easy. Via world-track.org
Oh dear, while finishing up this article, I got chastised. I totally forgot Kelvin Kiptum. This October in Chicago, the “upstart” Kelvin, born in 1999, as a 24 year old, jumped into the fray, and came up with this USA soil WR. 2:00:35. Sigh. And he’s the tallest of them all, wow.
